Snow Raven Dives Deep

A diverse spectrum of Yale collaborators created a unique platform for intellectual exploration. On October 12, 2023, a confluence of worlds, a shared space of knowledge and inspiration, converged into the Green Innovation: Lunch Deep Dive with Snow Raven.

Snow Raven, whose name resonates with reverence and intrigue, hails from the shamanic Sakha people of Arctic Siberia. She is renowned as the pioneer of "arctic beatbox," but it's neither the spotlight nor the grand stages that define her. Instead, it's her deep connection with the natural world, her homeland Siberia, that has served as the crucible for her creativity and activism.

On this October afternoon, in a setting quite different from, say, Burning Man, where she performed in 2022, Snow Raven finds herself seated with Yale students, whose collective knowledge spans multiple disciplines. This is a gathering where diverse backgrounds merge into a tapestry of inquisitive minds, an arena where questions are posed, and firsthand experiences are shared—fires are stokes figuratively, at least. Here, the discussion is not about the performative aspect of her work but the heart of Snow Raven's art: her activism.

The brainchild of this collaborative visit is Collin Edouard, Ph.D. ‘27 an ethnomusicology student focusing on the function of music in a Haitian Vodou ceremony. “I invited Snow Raven as a way to ensure voices like hers hold space at Yale. With her ancestors, I knew she would sonically connect corners of Yale that have been siloed for far too long. ”

In this open group discussion, Collin arranged the seating in a circle, modeling indigenous practices in which people sit around a fire when telling stories. Snow Raven acknowledged this intentionally sculpted space, and uses it to weave a narrative of the profound connection between her music and the landscapes that have nurtured her. She speaks of her roots in the Arctic Siberia, where nature's raw power has infused her compositions with a primal energy. The windswept tundra, the frozen rivers, and the ancient traditions of the Sakha people all serve as the wellspring for her art. Her activism, born from a deep-seated love for her homeland, manifests as a call to action. Through technology, she amplifies her message of environmental preservation, demonstrating that art can be a powerful catalyst for change. Snow Raven commented, “I believe musical language, sound is something primal, before the human language was born, that is really powerful communication.”

Amid  the discussions, questions arise like embers  in the wind. The students seek to understand the intersection of music and primal sound within the context of shamanism. Snow Raven's responses are warp and weft in a tapestry of understanding. She conveys the essence of her journey, where the primal sounds of shamanism find harmony with the environment, evoking a connection that resonates with the human soul. “I enjoy how she incorporates primal sounds, into her music. It really speaks true to the intersection, dissonance, and alignment of higher being and animal inside all of us” said Jimmy Riley  MA ’24.

In this open discussion, Snow Raven's voice is not just a melody; it's an invitation to delve deeper into the intricate relationship between music, activism, shamanism, and the environment. It's a call to action, a journey into the heart of a world where nature's raw beauty and the human spirit find their profound connection. “I really love this kind of programming because . . . there’s a lot of humanism inside the music that she’s pushing [and] I think it’s really important to have perspectives like hers who bring in a lot of the arts, a lot of healing, and a lot of community,” said Rod Bravo  MA ‘24.

In these moments, it becomes clear that Snow Raven's art isn't just about music; it's a gateway to a world where the natural environment and cultural heritage converge. Her stories and insights invite the students to join her on a mission—an urgent quest to protect, preserve, and understand the world that sustains us.

Tsai CITY and CBEY collaborated with the Yale Schwarzman Center for the luncheon. This lunch event proceeded before a live concert with Snow Raven by special invitation by Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration (RITM), Program on Ethnicity, Race, and Migration(ER&M), Comparative Literature, and the Yale Department of Music.