Bird Singing predates colonialism and, despite the persecution of its practitioners, has persevered to this day as a spiritual tradition of Kumeyaay and other Native American nations. Bird Songs are 1000’s of years old and come straight from the creator, they are not composed, and they are passed down from person to person. I had the pleasure to recently interview Ral Christman Sr., who has been a Bird Singer since the early 1980’s and has been Lead Bird Singer of the Ashaa Takook Bird Song and Dance group since 2005. Born in La Mesa, Christman Sr. grew up on the Viejas reservation where he currently resides. His is happily married to his wife Vanessa Christman and together they have five children. Vanessa is also the lead dancer of the Ashaa Takook group. In addition to being a father and a lead bird singer, Christman Sr. is also on the Board of Directors for the Indian Voices Newspaper and has his own podcast called Live From the Rez.
Christman Sr. thanked his parents Virginia and “Grandpa” Dr. Ron Christman, who are both masters of the Kumeyaay language. Virginia, along with Anna Sandoval, were the first to teach the Kumeyaay language at SDSU. Christman Sr.’s father is his Bird Singing teacher and guide. In order for one to be a legitimate Bird Singer, one must learn it from on elder Bird Singer. Anyone can learn it on the internet and mimic the sounds, but that does not qualify one as being a true Bird Singer. Christman Sr. elaborated, “like life can only be passed from person to person, so too are the Bird Songs.” Being a Bird Singer is to be in service to your people, to be ready to be called upon and sing at graduations, weddings, funerals, pow wows and other cultural events. Indeed, our interview was postponed two times because Christman Sr. was fulfilling this very commitment. He posited that the singing is for the people, which is not exclusive to those tribally enrolled; further expounding that while bird singing is a tradition of specific nations, if one is not of those nations but desires to learn it in the right way, they may through the mentorship of one backed by Bird Song Lineage. Christman Sr. has traveled far and wide to share Kumeyaay culture through Bird Songs, including New York, Washinton DC, San Francisco, and Alberta, Canada. Ashaa Takook has been featured in the “We Are One” music video by MAG 7 featuring Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas! To learn more about Ashaa Takook and Bird Singing you can check out www.takookmedia.com.
About three years ago he started his Live from the Rez podcast. Growing up on the reservation, Christman Sr. came to know many incredible people and felt that it would be great to give the community and beyond an opportunity to hear them. He wanted to enable people to learn more about their tribal leaders and their journeys, through the podcast.
More recently, Christman Sr. accepted a position as a member of the Board of Directors for the Indian Voices Newspaper 501c3. To be asked by the editor Rose Davis was a great honor to him, “I met Rose through Roy Cooke and know that she has worked closely with my parents and the community over the years,” said Chrisman Sr.
In closing, Christman Sr. looks forward to his favorite Pow Wows; Sycuan, Barona, and SDSU. And if you don’t catch him on his Live from the Rez podcast or with Ashaa Takook, then you might see him passing by listening to some of his favorite gangsta rap or Southern Rock tunes.
