Discovering Native American radio

It wasn’t until I moved to Wyoming that I discovered Native American radio and music. Subconsciously, I knew it existed. But I never really thought about it.

Music moves me in ways few other things can, and I have quite the eclectic taste. I love everything from Bob Dylan to Neutral Milk Hotel to The Notorious B.I.G. There isn’t really a genre I dislike. My vinyl collection alone is evidence of this wide variety of artists I absolutely love.

Now, I have discovered something new or new to me anyway. I heard KWRR 89.5 FM during my first drive through Wind River Canyon and thought, “How interesting.”

I’m used to music of different cultures and I typically love it. Gogol Bordello is one of my favorite bands and they are made up of musicians from all over the world. The front man, Eugene Hutz, is from the Ukraine, while the other eight members are from everywhere from Russia to China to Belarus. I also love Die Antwoord from South Africa, and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar. I’m also a big fan of mariachi.

On Sunday, I went hiking along Boysen Lake and Wind River Canyon while listening to KWRR 89.5 FM more, really taking in the woodwind instruments and chants emitted from the speakers. I fell in love with it. I do not yet know any Native American artists by name, but I do know that their music makes everything feel like a spiritual experience.

Walking the train tracks like a hobo, hiking up mountains and skipping (or attempting to skip) rocks at Boysen Lake felt natural and right. All of the manmade noise evaporated into chants and sounds of the existential human experience. I cannot fully verbalize how at peace I felt with everything.

For those who haven’t tuned in, I recommend you do. KWRR 89.5 FM is a public radio station out of Ethete that serves the residents of the Wind River Indian Reservation. It was established in 1996 and is considered “The Voice of the Northern Arapaho Nation” with 85,000 watts of power. The station’s programming includes Native American, folk and country music as well as programs from National Public Radio and Native Voice One.

It is, in my opinion, the best radio station in the area. The country music stations aren’t bad and neither is the pop music station. I just prefer music that is a little out of the box, music that tugs at the heartstrings of your inner tribal being. It reminds me what life is all about — being present in the moment and getting more in touch with who we are as individuals. The stress of life blows away in the strong winds with the melody of a piccolo and the lyrics of a different language that I feel I somehow still understand.

I can occasionally pick up the station in town, if only slightly. If nothing else, check it out next time you’re driving through Wind River Canyon. Listen and appreciate music that is truly native to this great country. Forget the language barriers and hear the deep soul of something we might not fully understand. It’ll remind you of the significance of our existence. Or at least that’s what it does for me.