Marian is a first year student in the Women’s History Graduate Program at Sarah Lawrence College.
When someone says the word “punk” in reference to the musical genre one may immediately think of the popular people that shaped its introduction to mainstream knowledge such as Sid Vicious (Simon John Ritchie) of The Sex Pistols, or Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill. Punk music is notably fueled by a feeling of discontent towards social, political, and cultural norms, structures, or institutions that marginalize individuals that deviate from them. Known for its anarchic style, artists that have participated in creating works in the genre express disdain towards an unjust system and use their platform to make statements against injustices. An overtly apparent goal of punk rock is to provide community to others that feel marginalized and form a collective movement to incite larger social change. This is not without flaw, as most faces that dominate the culture of punk are primarily white, and/or men. As the end of another thanksgiving holiday closes, I would like to direct the reader to a few of the many Indigenous people of punk and their efforts in the genre that we should be thankful for year-round.
The Miracle Dolls, consisting of twin sisters Dani and Dezy Doll from Southern California and members of the Hidatsa tribe, started the Native American Youth Music Program (NAYMP) to create larger change in their community. These sisters are no strangers to public forms of activism, as their song “Sweet Grass” was written in support of the Water is Life Movement and the preservation of the Earth. The sisters utilize their musical platform as a form of activism against injustices towards Indigenous people while promoting the health of their community through instructing music lessons through the NAYMP. Taking note of the hardships the youth in their community experience, the two center the classes as more than instructive, they are therapeutic through the capability of providing a freeform of expression and an outlet. Dani and Dezy Doll believe that music is the greatest outlet for their community and have set a long-standing goal to provide musical instruments to every reservation to further heal the historical trauma that Indigenous people face.
As American society and government continues in its attempts to diminish the culture of Indigenous people and their communities, we must continue to recognize the importance and the existence of active participants that aim to nurture growth such as Dani and Dezy Doll. While their music may not be a definitive representation of what one would assume punk should or should not sound like, their challenging of political, social, and cultural injustices Indigenous people face would adhere them to this genre. The two use their music to provide community, raise awareness, and advocate for the importance of a musical outlet. Ultimately, the Miracle Dolls’ efforts through and in their music should not go unnoticed or underrepresented.
In short, Dani and Dezy Doll are importance figures in the genre of punk, as their activism isn’t solely centered around speaking out, but rather, taking action to cause change and actually doing it. As mentioned, punk is statistically centered around white individuals in the mainstream and popular culture, which is an injustice in itself, and erases the efforts of people of color in punk. Rather than think of Sid Vicious or Kathleen Hanna next time you hear the words “punk” or “punk rock,” think of Dani and Dezy Doll, and their continuous activism and strength.
Additional bands fronted by Indigenous individuals:
- A Tribe Called Red
- No More Moments
- Hamac Caziim
- Black Fire
- Samantha Crain
- Digging Roots
Watch a The Miracle Dolls music videos here.
Re/Visionist 