Standing ovation for Sullivan Squad

THERE was a standing ovation in order for the Sullivan Squad after they delivered what could be described as nothing short of an exemplary performance at the Lislea Community Centre.

The Squad, which is comprised of a family of traditional Ojibwe Anishinabe/Ho-Chunk singers from La Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation in Wisconsin, paid the people of the south Armagh townland a visit for what transpired to be an exceptional evenings entertainment in collaboration with the Traditional Arts Partnership (TAP)

Over the course of two and a half hours the sold out crowd of 200 hundred people were treated to the pulse rising vocal melodies and heart pounding beat of native American hand drums which ultimately culminated with audience crossing hands with one and other to finish of the night with a traditional Ojibwe round dance that without a doubt sent tremors all the way through to the ethereal realm where the spirits of long since passed Ojibwe tribal ancestors are said to reside and watch over their descendants.

Also taking stage alongside the Sullivan's at the show were a troupe of equally talented local entertainers comprised of bodhran drummers from TAP, guitarist and violinist Finbar Magee and Breige Quinn ,up and coming musician Piaras O'Lorcain as well as singer, storyteller and all round entertainer Colum Sands who opened the evening with a few songs and stories of his own.

Whilst ostensibly it may seem like Irish and Ojibwe culture have very little in common upon closer inspection, especially considering their rich musical, and spiritual traditions and the long record of oppression and persecution that has accompanied these traditions, both demographics of people could almost be viewed as parallels of one and other making the event that was held in Lislea the most fitting meeting of kindred spirits.

However according to Sullivan Squad front man Michael, who first began his musical career when he was still just a young boy, the crossing of these two cultures would not have been made possible at all if it were not for the efforts taken by both parties to make this dream meeting of kindred spirits a reality.

Family Group

“We are just a family group and we are from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation in northern Wisconsin about an hour drives south of Lake Superior. Our family is a blended family of Ojibwe and Ho-Chunk with my wife being an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk nation which is another tribe in Wisconsin so our kids are Ojibwe and Ho-Chunk and a wee bit Irish from my side. I am Irish on my mothers side and partially on my fathers side. The name of Sullivan comes from the county of Cork.

“Being a little boy we had a singing group were we would go around and travel and sing together at school and it was a peer thing. All of us guys grew up together on a reservation and we had a good knack at it and we developed a reputation for singing young and we got invited to travel all over North America as young guys. Then as we started to turn into parents and have kids we brought our own kids along

“Singing is a real rich tradition in our community and a lot of our children learn how to sing at a really young age and as our children grew up they came with me to round dances and we were dancing all over North America. We attend Powwows in the Summer months and round dance celebrations in the winter months.”

Collaboration

“We had the opportunity to collaborate with Fergal O'Brien and Elaine and a bunch of musicians from south Armagh that came to St Paul Minnesota which is about 2 and half hours from out home.

“There is a Celtic Arts Junction Centre in St Paul where they do a lot of Irish music and Irish dancing. A lady from there reached out to me and asked if we would host these visitors from Ireland in our community on the reservation. We said yeah sure send them up and we put on a big cultural exchange with them so they shared some Irish song and dance and we brought in some of our real distinguished Powwow dancers where we had a jam session and cultural exchange at our university. We made real good friends with Fergal and Elaine.

“They returned the favour and asked us to visit their homeland. So they did some fundraising on their side of the pond to get us here and we did some fundraising on our side of the pond to make it a reality.”

Although the Sullivan Squad were overjoyed to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Traditional Arts Partnership and the several other artists who also performed at the event, South Armagh was just one stop on the groups visit to Michael's cultural homeplace.

“The trip to Ireland has been incredible. Since we have been here we have been to the pubs, and Fergal has taken us on a whirlwind tour. We had a show on Belfast in the Crescent Art Centre for the Imagine Belfast Festival which was really fun.

“We performed a full set of Round Dance songs which is the music that accompanies Round Dance celebrations. This is a real festive and lively style of singing. Everyone who has heard it so far in Ireland has been really struck by it and it is an indigenous form of music. We use drums that are similar to a Bodhran but they are made out of a wooden frame with Elk Hide. You hit the drum with stick, keep time and sing together. Chanting would be the crude way to describe it as to the untrained ear it is a chant.

“The version of the Round Dance that the Ojibwe do in our community we adopted from our relatives to the north of us who are the Cree people. If you headed straight north from the Ojibwe tribe you would run into the Cree. Cree have the tradition of Round dance that is honouring your relatives that have gone on before you. When you have a round dance there is a special song we sing to open it up and this calls in the spirits of our ancestors and we rejoice in their memory for the evening. Then at the end of the night there is a special song we sing that sends them home.”