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Christian Parrish Takes The Gun, aka Supaman, takes a Snapchat Wednesday while kids packed in the bleachers behind him cheer enthusiastically after his performance in the Sunnyside Intermediate School gymnasium.
Christian Parrish Takes The Gun, better known as Supaman, motivational speaker and Native American rapper, fixes his bustles to prepare his traditional wear before his performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Sunnyside Elementary students celebrate national kindness day by greeting each other and telling one another that "I'm glad you're happy" during Supaman's performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Supaman stands in front of the bleachers full of students explaining the traditional mens fancy dance that he would perform during his performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Supaman demonstrates the mens fancy dance for elementary school students during his performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Supaman invites students to the floor to have them dance in front of their classmates during Supaman's performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Students participate in activities during Supaman's performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
A student dances along to one of Supaman's raps during his performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday.
Supaman raps in traditional wear during Supaman's performance in the Sunnyside Elementary School gym in Havre Wednesday. He first thought that the two cultures would never intertwine but after being asked to rap in traditional wear and having elders approach him after to thank him for his message and respect for the culture in his lyrics he realized it was viable.
Havre Public Schools heard from well-known rapper and Native dancer Christian Parrish Takes The Gun, known professionally as Supaman, as part of Native American Heritage Month and World Kindness Day Wednesday.
Supaman shared Native American culture with the children as part of Havre Public Schools' participation in Native American Heritage Month. He said that people who live in Montana are going to come across Native people and Native American history is American history.
"That is something we need to be teaching in our classes, so I got to share the culture with them and the values and, on the contemporary side, which is hip-hop music, it is a great tool to reach them and share the good messages with them," he said in an interview.
He said the overall purpose in doing these performances, which included leading the children in a variety of songs and mantras, is to educate and share the values of kindness and being respectful through honor and love. He said he also shares messages of being drug- and alcohol-free from stories of his background.
"I feel it's good to reinforce those values and let people know that Native people are here ... giving them a Native perspective and that we are just like everybody else, human beings," he said in the interview. "My passion is to relay those things."
He added that it is important to remember these messages and for people to learn about somebody else's perspective and where they're from.
Supaman, who was born in Seattle, is from Crow Agency and has been performing for 15 years, he said.
He also performed for the students a traditional men's fancy dance which originated out of Oklahoma.
"When we share those values with the people, I think, when we embrace those values for ourselves, we are able to be empathetic to other people's struggles," Parrish said in the interview.
"We are really happy to have him here sharing his message of hope and peace," Sunnyside Intermediate School Principal Carmen Lunak said after the presentation. "Supaman is the perfect person to have celebrate Native American Heritage Month. He also just connects to people and he connects to a wide variety of people."
Lunak said she also finds his music and his messages inspiring.
"I think this really binds our community together," she said.
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