Wade Fernandez (Wiciwen Apis-Mahwaew) is as real as it gets. Soaring beyond the invisible culture of the corporate music industry, Fernandez’s eclectic style, lyrical prose, superb musicianship and spirit make him an artist to remember.

“Music is a very powerful gift,” Fernandez said. “We should share that gift in a good way. Not just for entertainment, but more importantly in a way that heals, builds and has a conscience.”

Of European/Menominee/Mexican descent, Fernandez is a registered member of the Menominee Nation and was raised on a reservation in northern Wisconsin. He recently released a six-song CD EP as a follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2000 self-titled debut that won the 2001 “Writer of the Year” (CD category) from Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.

On Fernandez’s recordings, all independently produced and distributed, his Black Wolf Band and local session artists also perform. A full-length CD is expected soon.

Fernandez, whose traditional name Wiciwen Apis-Mahwaew translates to “walks with the black wolf,” uses guitar, hand drum, native flute, vocals and songwriting skills to combine the contemporary with the traditional. The result is a fusion he fondly calls “native soul-food” music.

An accomplished artist, Fernandez has performed throughout Canada, Europe and the United States-including a performance at Woodstock ’94, a portion of the 2000 Honor the Earth Tour and on Ed McMahon’s “Next Big Star.” He has performed with and/or shared the stage with Mary Young Blood, Jackson Browne, Mitch Walking Elk, Douglas Spotted Eagle, Annie Humphrey, The Indigo Girls, Bill Miller, Redbone, Robert Redford, Robert Mirabal, Star Nayea, Keith Secola and Desmond Tutu.

Drawing inspiration from “everybody that played music and moved me in some way,” Fernandez began his musical journey by banging on his mom’s pots and pans and listening to his parents’ varied album collection. He picked up his father’s guitar at around age 11 and has since been playing formally.

Comfortable playing the blues, flamenco, jazz, native, rock and traditional among other styles, Fernandez’s sound reflects his diversity of influences-ranging from the Beatles to Miles Davis to Charlie Parker to Stevie Ray Vaughn.

And his tribe.

“I can’t deny where I came from or any part of me, ’cause if I did, then I would be half of what I am,” Fernandez said. “Whoever you are or wherever you came from, you have to let that be a part of whatever contribution you make. Then people [will] notice, because they’ll know you’re not bullshitting.”

The opening track, “Still Standing Proud,” on his new self-titled CD EP backs up Fernandez’s words.

Here Fernandez sings about some of the effects of over five centuries of planned genocide and underdevelopment of Native nations and indigenous people by the British, French and U.S. governments: boarding schools, environmental destruction as well as epidemic levels of addiction, diabetes and other diseases. Numerous other painful issues like racism, poverty, stolen land and under/unemployment also surface.

But Fernandez’s lyrics, amid fluid and healing drum work, flute, guitar and vocal chanting on “Still Standing Proud,” transcend this devastation. Illuminating the dignity, love, hope, humor, resiliency, resistance, perseverance and integrity of his tribe and other indigenous and native people, Fernandez sums up his feelings with the chorus: “We stood up tall/ We’re still standing proud/ Never broken down/ Still standing proud.”

Other tracks include a lullaby chant, “Nicianosaeh Weh-Nepaenon,” for Fernandez’s and his wife Paula’s (Kamewan-Nukiw) newborn daughter Baby Cedar (Waqsepakecewin) and son Baby Wade (Wahpi-Mahwaesaeh). There’s an honor song accompanied by a single drum, “Nenah Kemanon Nokomaeh,” named for his late grandmother and the song “Before Tomorrow’s Today,” in which Fernandez sings, “Don’t drown your dreams in a sea of tears,” to a melancholy beat.

A standout track, “Little Cedar,” is a dedication to Cedar where Fernandez sings poignantly alongside a gentle solo acoustic guitar melody accompanied by a hand drum: “Close your eyes it’ll be alright/ Stretch your limbs and take to flight…/ With love you’ll grow strong and wise…/ Little Cedar may your wisdom shine-your beauty flow from inside/ Good night my little girl.”

The track “On the Reservation,” is a refreshing mix of risk taking and spontaneity rarely practiced in today’s music world.

Beginning with a driving rock-guitar riff backed by rolling drums and bass, Fernandez’s frenetic, almost hip-hop style vocals segue into a poetry-like spoken-word that draws one in:

“On my reservation we got elders, traditions, dreams and beautiful children. But it ain’t no fairy tale movie or some new age paradise. ‘Cause we also got alcohol, drugs, gangs and violence. Two worlds to balance, the old and the new; win or lose, which will we choose? For our children. For our children’s children.”

In addition to recording and performing, Fernandez conducts cultural presentations/workshops, performs speaking engagements and teaches a youth music program on the Menominee Reservation.

Besides these and his family commitments, Fernandez’s time is spent trying to help youth with addiction problems or behavioral barriers. He is also active with various environmental issues-including the struggle against a proposed Crandon mine near the Wolf River in northern Wisconsin. (Environmentalists, indigenous people, Native nations and tribes, sportspersons and others claim the mine would pollute one of the cleanest rivers and surrounding ecosystems in North America. The Menominee Nation considers the Wolf River sacred and part of its lifeblood.)

For his contributions, Fernandez has been presented with the “Tomorrow’s Leaders Today” award and the Medal of Honor from the Menominee Nation among other awards and recognitions.

Throughout his art and life’s work, one can’t help but feel Fernandez’s infectious hope, humility and talent amid his eternal honor and respect for his people’s traditions.

Those that love true art have something to look forward to in Fernandez: an artistic and spiritual force that has just begun to gather steam.

Bryan G. Pfeifer is a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts and previously published this story on Independent Media Center website.