Buffy Sainte-Marie's (first photo) and Tanya Tagaq's (second photo) "You Got To Run (Spirit Of The Wind)" is inspired by an Alaskan dog sled racer: George Attla. Overall, this song is meant to inspire people to not give up in times of adversity.
George Attla is known for his several victories in dog sledding competitions — he finished fourth in Iditarod, won the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous 10 times, and is an eight-time Open North American champion. He suffered from tuberculosis in the bones of his right leg, causing him to have to spend a lot of time in the hospital. He also is a member of an Alaskan Native community in Huslia — one that faces addiction problems and probably does not have adequate support to correctly deal with these issues. These problems were amplified for George Attla, as his time in medical care centres prevented him from connecting with his community, causing him to lose grasp of the traditional language and cultural ways. However, despite these hardships, he persevered and made his community proud by winning these competitions.
The song, co-written by two famous indigenous artists, encapsulates George Attla’s struggles and victories, in an effort to give hope to indigenous communities facing tragedies (e.g., lack of clean water). For example, a part of the title, “Spirit Of The Wind,” can be seen as an allusion to the harsh winds George Attla faced while dog sledding, suggesting that indigenous people must feel the ‘spirit of the wind’ to persevere. In an interview, Buffy-Sainte Marie goes says that this song can also be interpreted as an anti-suicide message. Overall, I believe this song does a great job of using elements of popular culture while remaining relevant to the struggles of indigenous people today; electric guitars and electronic production techniques are used with Tanya Tagaq’s throat singing to create an enjoyable composition for a wide range of audiences.
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