A Safe Space at School for Metalheads and Punks - The Heavy Music Symposium Course
Our mission at Firekeeper Alliance is to create safety and protection for those at risk of experiencing suicidal distress in the Blackfeet Nation. To be clear, we acknowledge that it would be nearly impossible to eliminate the myriad of social, environmental, and historical conditions that contribute to suicidal behaviors in Indian Country. Those fires may continue to rage, so to speak. Rather, our focus is on strengthening individuals and families to be able to endure life’s challenges and adversity………..the power to walk through those metaphorical flames.
The ability to cope with distress can be life changing. When we have the tools to fight back against our anguish and to not be overwhelmed by it, there is hope that we can push through the darkness we’ll inevitably experience.
Metal, punk, and hardcore mean the world to us. We’re music lifers (looking at you Steve Von Till!) and the transformative qualities of heavy music have inspired us to create a safe and welcoming community for the metalheads and punks of Browning, MT. Most of our board of directors are educators and clinicians, and we are 100% dedicated to helping our students and clients find more reasons to live. In this spirit, we have developed a high school course which celebrates heavy music and its healing properties. The Heavy Music Symposium course, developed in alignment to Montana secondary education standards, will also serve as the foundation for building a compassionate “heavy music” community of like-minded individuals in the Blackfeet Nation.
Additionally, we’ve partnered with our friends at Fire in the Mountains to create an internship program through this class which will enable our students to serve as interns at the FITM festival this summer. This internship program will provide students with real-world experience of festival logistics including media, marketing, stage design, artist relations, promotion, etc.
At the risk of sounding cliche, this class is something we wish we had when we were growing up. Those of us that have been headbangers since time immemorial have most likely felt ridiculed and judged at certain points in life. These distortions of perception carry the risk of causing us to feel isolated and disconnected - two worrisome indicators that have some correlation with suicidal risk. The Heavy Music Symposium serves as the antithesis to those misconceptions…..each day of the course is a glorious celebration of heavy music, and a positive affirmation for those that feel comfortable and seen within the metal, punk, and hardcore world.
Our ultimate dream is to build a supportive and caring “heavy music” community throughout Indian Country; a safe place for those that gravitate toward intense, aggressive soundscapes. If you have been profoundly impacted by heavy music, no matter where you are from, please reach out to us and tell us about it. And join us in helping the world understand that behind all the riffs, underneath the screaming, and against the backdrop of earth shaking beats; we have found purpose, meaning, and salvation. In no uncertain terms, heavy music has given us the power to keep going.
Please read further for a detailed description of this course, and continue to follow along on our social media channels as we share highlights from this unique experience.
Keep the fire burning.
The Heavy Music Symposium
The Heavy Music Symposium is a unique, interdisciplinary course designed to engage high school students through the lens of heavy music and its cultural, artistic, and emotional significance. In a collaborative effort between Buffalo Hide Academy (BHA), Browning High School (BHS), and the Blackfeet Native American Studies Department (BNAS), the course invites students to explore heavy music as a tool for emotional expression, coping, community building, and career development. The symposium incorporates music instruction, expressive arts, social studies, and Blackfeet cultural practices to create a well-rounded and deeply meaningful educational experience.
Objectives
Coping and Emotional Expression: Develop and explore coping mechanisms through heavy music and fringe art, focusing on their healing power and cathartic potential.
Historical Analysis: Analyze the historical contexts of heavy music subgenres and their role in cultural expression, protest, and identity validation.
Community Building: Foster a sense of belonging and connectivity through the heavy music scene and opportunities for students to plan and host a DIY concert in Browning.
Cultural Connection: Integrate Blackfeet ways of knowing and being, including cultural practices, drumming, singing, and community ceremonies to enrich students' understanding of identity and tradition.
Career Preparation: Provide students with career-development, knowledge, and skills through festival internship prep (including media, marketing, logistics, stage design, and artist relations).
Key Components of the Course
Subgenres and Themes:
The course explores a variety of subgenres, including Heavy Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal, Sludge, Punk Rock, Hardcore, and more. Students will learn about the musical, historical, cultural, and social significance of these genres.
Wellness and Expressive Arts:
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the role music and art play in emotional regulation and personal identity, with a focus on the heavy music scene as a protective and supportive community.
Final Project:
Students will apply the skills they’ve learned to plan, organize, and host a DIY concert in Browning, handling all aspects from booking to logistics to promotion.
