Culture – Rocky Jackon

CULTURE

Rocky Jackson

Richard “Rocky” Jackson is the man behind many classic Tahltan songs like “Run Simon Run” and “Tahltan Swing”, which bring so much joy to people inside and outside of Tahltan Territory. He says Tahltan music gets the people going and there is nothing like the healing energy of a crowd when the tunes are playing, the smiles are shining, and the people are grooving.

Richard Jackson is a Tahltan man who is part of the Quock family and the Crow Clan. His Tahltan parents are Margaret (Maggie) and Richard “Dick” Jackson. His grandma is Matilda Quock, and his great grandmother is Lucy Quock (Dachama). He currently lives in Telegraph Creek, B.C.

Born in 1954 and raised in Telegraph Creek, Rocky grew up spending time on the land, hunting, fishing, gathering berries, and learning some Tahltan traditions/customs along with some of the language from family. He spent thirteen years there before moving to Whitehorse and Lower Post where he attended residential school and eventually moved to Terrace, B.C., where he graduated high school. At fourteen, he picked up playing guitar and singing by learning from other Tahltan friends in Telegraph Creek where they learned to play music by ear from records of 1960s music like “Hello Josephine” which helped create that Tahltan groove.

In 1979, Rocky moved to Vancouver where he worked different jobs and practiced music. He played music at coffee houses and events around the city with his friends and learned different musical cultures from others. He remembers playing music with a bass player from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who taught Rocky to listen to the bass, not to get ahead of himself and to catch the rhythm. Now, when Rocky plays music, he hears that bass and it has shaped his music ever since.

In 1990, Ronnie Carlick was the Chief of the Tahltan Band and contacted Rocky to ask him to come home to help in Telegraph Creek while Rocky’s friends in Vancouver said to go home to help his people and that it would probably make him more creative with his music. He moved back and started working with the Tahltan Band and in 1996, was elected to council which he has been on ever since. He says that moving back home was the best thing for his creative side as he embraces his roots and began creating his own music where he built a folk, soft rock, country type vibe.

Rocky and four others started the Tahltan Country

Music Jam in 2003 at the Six Mile fish camp in Telegraph Creek. He and three of his friends started a band in 2014 and played social dances, weddings and fundraising events inside and outside of Tahltan Territory where they entertained people with their “Tahltan” music. The importance of music for Rocky goes beyond simply listening to music as it is a healing process for him. When the music is playing, he is extremely focused on the good energy and feeling that the music brings to everyone as it provides a healing aura that has helped him so much during his life’s journey. Moving forward, he wants to help others heal with music and through sharing his story about challenges in life. This Tahltan has embodied the sound of music and has protected the tradition of getting together around a common beat to let each other’s energy heal just as Tahltans have for thousands of years.