What if you were the last person on earth that knew one special tradition? What would you do? Would you have the courage to speak up and take a stand or would you step aside and let it die?
I know someone who had to make that decision and is spending his life standing for a tradition that no longer exists anywhere on the planet. That person is Kevin Locke and the tradition is the Dakota/Lakota flute. Kevin is committed to ensure that the Dakota flute tradition will flourish for future generations. Listen here for a sample of Kevin’s talent.
Kevin is a hoop dancer and award winning indigenous flutist who has traveled to over 93 countries as a cultural ambassador of Dakota traditions. He has a vision called the First Flute to educate students on the traditional finger patterns and musicology of the Dakota flute. Kevin is a national treasure who serves as an example by tirelessly working to keep a global treasure alive for all of us.
He is a master traditional artist who has made major contributions to preserve the traditions and cultural diversity of the United States. Specifically he has taken the time to meet with elder flutists when he was young to learn the songs, record them, perform them across the planet and is now taking the next step of preservation.
So what is the first flute and what is Kevin’s vision for preservation?
Kevin, what is the first flute?
It is the title of a workshop I created that emphasizes the universality of the flute. Wherever you go on the planet, everyone has one. I also share a definition on my website.
What is your vision of sharing indigenous flute music in America?
The flute is a great entre. The American Indian musical esthetic is so unknown in the world, especially the US and so we can use the flute to educate people.
So what do you do in schools with the first flute?
Students can make their own flutes so they can internalize and familiarize themselves with a type of music that otherwise they might see as foreign or exotic. They also then take ownership. Students learn the notes and the Indian musical scale and then move on to basic melodies. Soon they can play any style song. The first flute program builds capacity and to play authentic indigenous songs in concerts.
Recently, Kevin brought the First Flute program to Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota. It is a Minneapolis suburban high school with about 3,000 students, 35% of which are students of color and .06% are native. The school created an opportunity to test the first flute project to great success. At first glance, one might think that that type of school would not fit the profile of teaching students indigenous music. Also, we might believe that indigenous music only for native people only and should only go to the native schools. Actually both are important and need to be nurtured. Let’s find out why.
The benefit for non-native students is to learn an authentic musical style is that it interrupts stereotypes they may hold about indigenous people and opens them to a whole new world of music.
The benefit for native students is that they also learn about a tradition that has been lost to them and it is a vehicle for them to connect to their native language. Specifically in the case of The First Flute curriculum, students learn the Lakota language through playing the flute. It is an ingenious method of revitalizing the Lakota language.
School music programs all across the country play music that is cited as “Native American” music and teachers, rightfully so, believe them to be authentic. They look professional, printed in a book or a website and state it is a native song. Many however, are composed by European American composers “inspired” by native music like the “Ojibwe Love Song” and the like. They are not authentic. The first flute project counteracts that use by providing authentic curriculum and music for schools.
Kevin, what is your biggest take away for this project at Eden Prairie?
The main thing is how much interest the students had for playing the flute and then to realize there is no limit to what they can learn.
What are your next steps?
First I need to finalize the curriculum. There is also interest in sharing Dakota songs for school choirs. My main goal is to continue to use the First Flute as a springboard for keeping indigenous music alive and well.
Thank you Kevin for taking the time to share with us. Also, for opening our hearts and minds to how we can from you to be a steward of our great cultural resources such as the indigenous flute. The First Flute at Eden Prairie High School is an example of many cultures coming together in a common love of the flute. It is important to make indigenous music to be at the forefront of American music because it is the first music of this country. Why shouldn’t everyone take pride in the beautiful cultures that make up America?
What amazing work Kevin is doing! I hope this inspires others to follow his lead and share the beauty of an instrument that has its roots here in North America with its First Peoples.
Great article. Congratulations on organising such a workshop — I’m very envious. The emphasis on authentic Lakota and Dakota song is very important.
Thank you Richard for your insights on the First Flute!
Thank you Elliot. Working and collaborating together with Kevin and the school team was wonderful. We all benefited!
cialis online india Theodore BcFYQycQcXVTwMzLou 5 21 2022
It’s too bad to check your article late. I wonder what it would be if we met a little faster. I want to exchange a little more, but please visit my site casino online and leave a message!!
I’m writing on this topic these days, casinocommunity, but I have stopped writing because there is no reference material. Then I accidentally found your article. I can refer to a variety of materials, so I think the work I was preparing will work! Thank you for your efforts.
Goood post. I definitely appreciate this site.
Continue the good work!
site
Great article! Your article helped me a lot. Thanks! What do you think? I want to share your article to my website: gate 交易所
design coursework
degree coursework
coursework marking
I enjoy you because of all your work on this site. Gloria takes pleasure in making time for investigations and it’s easy to understand why. A lot of people hear all about the lively ways you present helpful guides through this web site and therefore strongly encourage participation from visitors on that article then our favorite simple princess is understanding a great deal. Enjoy the remaining portion of the new year. You are doing a fabulous job.
serialhd1080
I wanted to compose you this tiny observation so as to thank you very much as before with your extraordinary tricks you’ve documented on this website. It is really wonderfully generous of people like you to supply without restraint what a few people would’ve marketed as an ebook in making some cash for themselves, chiefly seeing that you could have done it if you ever desired. The advice as well worked like the easy way to know that some people have the same interest really like mine to find out a whole lot more related to this issue. I am certain there are millions of more pleasant moments in the future for many who looked over your blog.
I have to show my affection for your kind-heartedness in support of people who have the need for help on that matter. Your personal commitment to passing the message throughout turned out to be surprisingly informative and has always permitted many people like me to arrive at their pursuits. Your entire helpful guideline denotes much a person like me and even more to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from each one of us.
Your writing is perfect and complete. baccaratcommunity However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?
I have to voice my affection for your kindness supporting individuals that really want assistance with that situation. Your real dedication to getting the solution up and down has been incredibly powerful and have specifically allowed others just like me to arrive at their ambitions. This valuable tutorial can mean a lot to me and still more to my fellow workers. With thanks; from everyone of us.
Your writing is perfect and complete. totosite However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
I would like to show appreciation to this writer just for rescuing me from this particular incident. After researching through the the web and finding notions that were not productive, I figured my life was over. Being alive without the solutions to the issues you have sorted out through your guideline is a crucial case, and the ones which may have badly damaged my entire career if I had not encountered your website. Your personal talents and kindness in controlling everything was crucial. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not come across such a stuff like this. I am able to now look forward to my future. Thanks for your time so much for this expert and result oriented help. I won’t be reluctant to suggest your site to anybody who needs to have recommendations about this problem.
I have read your article carefully and I agree with you very much. So, do you allow me to do this? I want to share your article link to my website: Cryptocurrency Prices
I not to mention my buddies came reading through the great ideas from the website and before long got a terrible suspicion I never expressed respect to the website owner for them. These young men became so warmed to read them and have now in actuality been enjoying these things. Many thanks for genuinely really accommodating and then for obtaining this form of nice issues millions of individuals are really desperate to understand about. My very own honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to earlier.
narukova.ru
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an extraordinarily spectacular possiblity to read critical reviews from this blog. It’s usually very useful and also jam-packed with a great time for me and my office fellow workers to visit your site really 3 times weekly to learn the fresh things you have. And indeed, I’m also at all times satisfied for the exceptional information served by you. Some 3 ideas in this posting are basically the most beneficial we have had.
I wish to express my appreciation to this writer just for rescuing me from this type of condition. Right after searching through the the web and seeing opinions which are not powerful, I thought my entire life was well over. Being alive without the presence of approaches to the problems you’ve resolved all through your main website is a crucial case, as well as the kind that could have negatively affected my entire career if I had not noticed the blog. Your mastery and kindness in controlling every part was very useful. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a point like this. I am able to at this point relish my future. Thanks a lot very much for this expert and result oriented help. I will not hesitate to suggest your web page to any individual who needs direction on this area.
Thanks for all your work on this site. Betty really loves carrying out investigation and it is easy to understand why. My partner and i know all regarding the dynamic tactic you produce useful guidance via this web blog and therefore strongly encourage contribution from other ones about this content while my girl is now being taught so much. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year. You’re the one doing a good job.
I want to show my appreciation for your kind-heartedness giving support to those people who must have help on that matter. Your special commitment to passing the message up and down appears to be unbelievably functional and have in every case encouraged others much like me to achieve their ambitions. Your useful tutorial signifies a great deal to me and especially to my colleagues. Thank you; from all of us.
Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally marvellous chance to read from this site. It can be so cool and also packed with fun for me personally and my office mates to visit your website at the very least thrice a week to study the fresh guidance you have. Not to mention, I’m just at all times pleased considering the special inspiring ideas you serve. Selected 1 areas in this article are surely the best we have ever had.
I precisely needed to thank you very much again. I’m not certain the things that I could possibly have tried without the entire concepts shown by you on this concern. This was the horrifying matter in my view, however , being able to see the skilled style you handled it took me to weep over delight. I’m happy for the work as well as hope that you comprehend what a powerful job you are always getting into training the others using your web page. I know that you have never come across any of us.
I want to express thanks to you for bailing me out of this type of instance. Right after surfing through the internet and finding notions which were not productive, I believed my life was over. Living devoid of the answers to the difficulties you’ve resolved all through your entire short article is a crucial case, as well as those that would have in a negative way affected my career if I had not come across your web page. Your mastery and kindness in dealing with every part was excellent. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not come upon such a stuff like this. I can at this time look forward to my future. Thanks for your time very much for this reliable and effective guide. I won’t be reluctant to suggest your web sites to anyone who needs support on this problem.
Thanks so much for giving everyone remarkably memorable chance to read articles and blog posts from this site. It is usually so beneficial and also stuffed with a great time for me and my office colleagues to visit your blog at the least thrice in 7 days to find out the latest guidance you will have. And definitely, I am also at all times happy for the cool points served by you. Some 1 ideas on this page are completely the most suitable I have ever had.
I wish to express appreciation to this writer just for bailing me out of this setting. Right after surfing around throughout the world-wide-web and coming across ways that were not beneficial, I believed my life was well over. Being alive without the solutions to the issues you’ve sorted out as a result of your entire review is a crucial case, as well as those which might have in a wrong way affected my entire career if I hadn’t noticed your blog. Your own understanding and kindness in controlling the whole thing was important. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a point like this. I’m able to now look ahead to my future. Thanks for your time so much for your high quality and sensible help. I will not be reluctant to propose your web sites to any person who would like guidelines on this subject.
I needed to write you one very little observation just to say thanks a lot once again for these exceptional suggestions you’ve documented in this case. It’s certainly wonderfully generous with you to offer without restraint precisely what a lot of folks could have supplied for an e-book to generate some bucks for their own end, even more so since you might have done it in case you considered necessary. Those creative ideas also acted to provide a great way to realize that most people have the same interest just as my very own to figure out a lot more pertaining to this condition. I’m sure there are several more pleasurable opportunities up front for people who looked at your blog post.
I truly wanted to post a quick remark so as to thank you for these marvelous tips and tricks you are placing at this site. My long internet research has now been compensated with reliable facts to exchange with my neighbours. I would suppose that we website visitors are very blessed to exist in a very good network with many perfect people with good tricks. I feel truly lucky to have seen your web pages and look forward to so many more entertaining times reading here. Thanks a lot once more for a lot of things.
I and also my friends appeared to be taking note of the great tips and tricks found on the blog and quickly came up with an awful feeling I had not expressed respect to the web site owner for those strategies. All of the boys are already certainly passionate to study all of them and have now without a doubt been enjoying these things. Appreciation for turning out to be well considerate as well as for finding variety of helpful subject matter millions of individuals are really eager to be informed on. Our sincere regret for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.