SAK TZEVUL // INDIGENOUS ROCK

Sak Tzevul could be also be called rebel rock. As I type this, the term sounds cliche to me. But maybe it’s only cliche from a particularly regulated US perspective that tends to want to discredit any creativity that truly subverts the clutches of the culture industry–that which tells us what to consume, how to consume it, and that creativity falling outside of these stringent guidelines should be ignored or ridiculed.

What makes the band so intersting–ya know, aside from its fascinating fusion of indigenous and electronic instruments and dynamic song-writing–is its directness in challenging cultural norms that attempt to regulate indigenous culture.

In an interview with a New Jersey Blogger, Hola Desde NJ, “Damian Guadalupe Martinez, lead singer for SAK TZEVUL, said young musicians would rather imitate the new sounds than enunciate the Mixtec language before an audience or a public microphone for fear of being ridiculed.  “’Most music played in my town, and others like it in Mexico, is imposed. Our indigenous music has been relegated to behind the scenes to be forgotten and not promoted,”’ he said.”

The group has spent the last month in the US, having been brought here by indie producer Habana/Harlem to participate in a series of concert/educational forums centered around the mistreatment of Mexican immigrants in the US. They have two shows remaining before they had back to Chiapas, Mexico: