Emmet Yepa, a student of Lawrence University, who hails from New Mexico and is member of the Jemez Pueblo community also used to be a member of a band that was nominated for two Grammy awards. The band that was nominated in the years of 2005 and 2007 was called the Black Eagles, and the category for which it was nominated was labeled, “Best Native American Music Album”. It was in 2010 when Yepa changed bands; he now performs in Towa (the language of his ancestors) and English. Towa is a language that is spoken only in the area of Jemez Pueblo.
Getting Involved with Nature Conservation
Not only was Yepa a part of an amazingly talented band – he also received an award directly from the White House for the recycling program that he started along with three others. The program was called the Walatowa Green Stars Recycling Group, and the aim was to maintain the beauty of Pueblo by keeping the area as clean as possible.
An Interview with Emmet Yepa
Yepa was interviewed by The Post-Crescent just as he started his classes at Lawrence University, and he had some interesting things to say about his involvement with the Black Eagles and dreams for the future. The singing style that he uses in the band is named pow-wow, and it is a form that was used by his ancestors. It was in 1989 when his family started to learn the style, and while it took a bit of training for him to become comfortable with this form, he has been singing in it ever since.
When asked about what he thought of Lawrence, he said that the institution was suggested to him by a student advisor within the Native American Community Academy, where he previously studied. He then made the decision to give the institution “a shot” and found that he “really enjoyed it”.
What Yepa Hopes to Accomplish at Lawrence
When asked about his hopes and dreams for the future, Yepa stated that he wasn’t certain about which direction he wanted to take with regards to his studies. While he might not want to become a lawyer in the near future, he does want to go into something that will assist him in helping those from his home town. He also states that he has an interest in continuing to work with his music, and he hopes to continue working on his solo music that he has been writing on a regular basis.
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