Indigenous Hip Hop Artist Supaman to Perform ‘Cultural Resiliency’ Show in Pablo and Elmo
The Crow Agency rapper and dancer will perform two shows on the Flathead Indian Reservation on Tuesday, Feb. 18 in Elmo and Wednesday, Feb. 18 in Pablo starting at 6:30 p.m. to promote resiliency and raise mental health and tobacco awareness
By Maggie Dresser
As part of a suicide and tobacco prevention awareness campaign, Apsáalooke rapper and dancer Supaman will perform a “Cultural Resiliency” show next week on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Supaman will perform in Elmo at the Ksanka Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and at the Johnny Arlee/Victor Charlo Theater in Pablo on Wednesday, Feb. 19, with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. at both events.
In a partnership with Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Tribal Health, Supaman, who was born Christian Takes Gun Parrish and grew up on Crow Agency, will combine comedy, urban hip hop and Native culture in a presentation aimed to bring a positive message to the Flathead Indian Reservation.
“Supaman grew up on the Crow Reservation and he promotes cultural identity and resiliency,” CSKT Tribal Health Communications Director Cammie DuPuis-Pablo said. “When our Native youth see that, it helps them build their own resilience and helps foster that they can do it too.”
As an advocate for mental health and a drug free lifestyle, the artist often travels to schools on reservations around Montana to promote positivity and resiliency through the medium of music and dance.
DuPuis-Pablo, who has been following Supaman for years, says she’s seen the artist perform multiple times over the years and she and much of the Native community relates his message.
“For me, the culture is a big piece, and the music is a big component and you see those intersect,” DuPuis-Pablo said. “If you listen to his music, it’s a positive message and he doesn’t cuss … It’s real – when you grow up on the reservation and you’re Native – you can identify with that. It’s an intersection between culture and hip hop and it’s a big deal for Indian country.”
On the Flathead Indian Reservation, DuPois-Pablo said high suicide rates and drug addiction continue to persist and CSKT Tribal Health offers services like trauma therapy and outpatient services for substance and opiate misuse.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-Hispanic Indigenous people in the United States die by suicide at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group. Additionally, the suicide rate among Montana’s Native American youth is more than five times the statewide rate for the same age group, according to the Montana Budget and Policy Center.
In 2022, 1,543 non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan native people died by overdoses, which was the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group, according to the CDC.
“A lot of things I hear about recently is the spike in fentanyl overdoes,” DuPois-Pablo said.
But despite the statistics, DuPois-Pablo said much of the community is looking forward to Supaman’s positive energy on the northern end of the reservation and she hopes his presence will help foster resilience through Native culture.
“He wears his regalia and he’s a great dancer – bringing that aspect into that is a big deal for our youth,” DuPois-Pablo said. “I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for the community.”