Wathéča Records Sourcebook

Wathéča Records is a label and archival project dedicated to spotlighting North American Indigenous musicians and artists who have been overlooked within the histories of rock, folk, and country music. Founded in 2022 by Justis Brokenrope (Sičháŋǧu Lakȟóta)—a musician, DJ, and educator based in Bdé Óta Othúŋwe, Mní Sóta (Minneapolis, Minnesota)—the project emerges from Brokenrope’s ongoing work as a collector and listener, and from his commitment to making this music more visible and accessible. Drawing from an expanding personal archive of rare vinyl, cassette tapes, and 8-track recordings, Wathéča Records Sourcebook centers physical media and printed ephemera as sites of encounter and cultural transmission. The book reflects a sustained respect for the musicians and artists it documents, including Floyd Westerman, Buddy Red Bow, the Zuni Midnighters, the Navajo Sundowners, and many more, and presents the music as something lived and experienced, rather than simply preserved. Brokenrope frames the project as a way of creating renewed points of access—through live DJ sets, online uploads, and broadcast platforms—where underrepresented artists can reach listeners beyond their original contexts. The book combines in-situ photography of album covers and ephemera from Brokenrope’s collection, and selected comments from the Wathéča Records YouTube channel. These materials point to the communities that continue to form around the music: joyous and meaningful comments connect readers with the memories and community that exists behind the music. Designed materials reproduced throughout the book—album covers, liner notes, typography, and packaging—also form a rich source of documentation for readers interested in how Indigenous culture has been circulated, interpreted, and transmitted. Edited and designed by Ryan Gerald Nelson (Bdewákaŋtuŋwaŋ and Wahpétuŋwaŋ Dakhóta) Published by Era Editions, 2025 Softcover, 136 pages, full color offset, 5.31 x 7.48 in. ISBN: 979-8-99-929520-0