Sihasin facts for kids

Sihasin is a cool band made up of a brother and sister, Clayson and Jeneda Benally. They are from the Diné people, an Indigenous group in the Southwestern United States. The band's name, "Sihasin," means "hope" in the Diné language.

Clayson and Jeneda are from Flagstaff, Arizona. Their music mixes Diné culture, important messages about fairness, and punk rock.

About the Band Members

Clayson and Jeneda Benally grew up in a place called Black Mesa. Their dad, Jones Benally, is a traditional healer and a hoop dancer. Their mom, Berta Benally, is a folk singer and an activist.

Growing Up with Activism

When they were young, their home in Black Mesa was part of a big land dispute. This was a disagreement between the Navajo Nation, the Hopi people, and a coal mining company called Peabody. This dispute sadly caused many people to have to move from their homes.

Clayson and Jeneda saw and took part in many efforts to stand up for their community. These experiences later inspired the powerful messages in their music.

From Blackfire to Sihasin

In the 1990s, when they were teenagers, Clayson and Jeneda formed a punk rock band called Blackfire with their brother Klee. Blackfire was known for expressing anger about unfairness.

In 2011, Blackfire broke up. The siblings then decided to start Sihasin in 2012. They wanted Sihasin to be about hope and to encourage others to make positive changes in the world.

Sihasin's Music Journey

Sihasin released their first album, Never Surrender, in 2012. Jeneda plays the bass, and Clayson plays the drums.

Early Performances and Covers

In 2013, Sihasin performed for the first time at the Gathering of Nations. This is a very large Native American powwow in North America.

In 2015, Sihasin recorded a rock version of the song "Winter Wonderland". This song was put on an album called Punk Rock Christmas. Later, in 2017, Hyundai used their version of the song in one of their holiday ads.

Awards and Collaborations

Sihasin worked with The Okee Dokee Brothers on a song called "Sister Moon and Brother Sun." This song was on their 2017 album Saddle Up. That album was even nominated for a Grammy Award for best children's album!

In 2018, Sihasin released their album Fight Like a Woman. This album won "Best Rock Recording" at the Native American Music Awards in 2019.

Performing During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sihasin changed how they performed. Instead of touring in person, they started doing online concerts.

In 2020, they were part of the Homegrown Concert series from the Library of Congress. This concert was streamed online because of the pandemic.

In 2021, Sihasin was chosen for a special program called American Music Abroad. This program, supported by the U.S. Department of State, shares American music around the world. As part of this program, Sihasin did virtual international tours. They also released a new song called "We the People" on July 4th.