TRIBAL ROCK AMERICAN INDIANS THROW A CONCERT TO BROADEN AWARENESS OF THEIR DIVERSE MUSICAL STYLES.

Byline: Sandra Barrera Staff Writer

A number of American Indian performers will play a concert one night after the Grammys to show that a gathering of the tribes doesn't just happen at powwows. And it doesn't always include ceremonial chanting.

The Red Nation Celebration on Thursday at the House of Blues features the music of new and familiar contemporary American Indian artists such as Sage, Thais, Star Nayea, Two Red Skins and One Yellow Man, as well as Red Hawk, the all-star concert's creator.

Red Hawk is a West Hills-based, part-Apache, part-Cheyenne singer- songwriter who began combining traditional tribal drum with rock 'n' roll back in the 1970s. Today her sound is likened more to the music of Janet Jackson or Jennifer Lopez, which has baffled many of her critics.

``Everybody says, 'Where's the Indian? It doesn't sound Indian,' '' says Red Hawk, whose real name is Joanelle Romero. ``In other words, it's like people want to keep us in a tepee singing 'heya heyas' in the 1800s, but we're not allowed to sing pop or rock or country or rap or jazz or opera because we're Indian. I mean, this is the prejudice we face.''

To demystify the archaic and misguided stereotypes held about her native people, Romero created the Red Nation Celebration in 1995. It premiered in Santa Fe, N.M., and then moved to Los Angeles three years ago.

The idea was to hold the concert during the most important and heavily trafficked week in the music industry, that of the Grammys.

While the Grammys honor Native American performers with their own category, the nominees tend to lean more toward the traditional powwow drum.

``All that's fine and dandy, but our mission here is to educate the industry and the mainstream by having them come and experience us singing rock 'n' roll or whatever genre we want to do,'' Romero said. ``Another part of it is for the audience to experience American Indians in a positive way because most people look at us as drunks or still living in the 1800s, which is what Hollywood has depicted us to be.''

Changing perceptions has been the long-term goal of Romero, who in addition to singing is also a filmmaker and actress. She last appeared in 1989's ``Powwow Highway'' with A Martinez, a film executive produced by George Harrison, in whose memory Thursday's concert is dedicated.

``He produced a film that was contemporary, and he had that insight, which to me is very powerful,'' Romero said.

Other performers, such as Sage Galesi, Romero's 15-year-old daughter who began her singing career as a rapper and now describes herself as a girl Lenny Kravitz, have also taken up the task of teaching people about the contemporary sounds of American Indian music.

But, in her case, it's just by doing.

``When I was younger and doing rap, being native figured in a lot more,'' Sage said. ``And sometimes it inspires me to write songs about my culture, but that's about it. Not all of my songs are about native people but just about issues I see going on in the world.''

The song ``My Agreement,'' she cites as an example, came to Sage after seeing ``Ali,'' the motion picture based on the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and starring Will Smith.

``It's just basically about trying to change the world by overcoming obstacles and to follow your dream,'' she said, which is what Red Nation Celebration seeks to achieve, according to her mother.

``I'm not here to fight the industry about who we are,'' Romero said. ``I'm here to show them that we're just like everybody else.''

RED NATION CELEBRATION

Where: House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday.

Tickets: $23. Call [phone].

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Joanelle Romero: ``Our mission here is to educate the industry and the mainstream by having them come and experience us singing rock 'n' roll or whatever genre we want to do.''