Indigenous hip-hop artist brings new perspective to Western
KALAMAZOO, Mich.— Frank Waln, the 35-year-old award-winning Lakota artist and activist of Indigenous culture, has signed on as a faculty member of Western Michigan University’s Irving S. Gilmore School of Music and an artist-in-residence this academic year.
Waln is a world renowned Indigenous hip-hop artist who is providing students with unique experiences across a multitude of educational platforms. He will teach the courses of Indigenous Music, Healing, and Activism; Electronic Music Techniques; and Native American History and Culture. His classes are open to all undergraduate and graduate students at Western. Waln will also assist faculty on certain topics and courses throughout the school year.
“This new chapter at Western for me is an extension and new chapter in my life and journey as a musician and a music artist,” says Waln. “I want to bring an expanded view of indigeneity to the community through my work, through my music, through programming and interaction.”
Waln has served as an artist-in-residence at Harvard’s Art Lab and with the University of South Dakota and has performed at Stanford University, among other institutions. Waln plans to continue to bring new perspectives to the community with events, performances, workshops and discussions at Western.
The Irving S. Gilmore School of music is fortunate to welcome Waln this year, says Dr. Lauron Kehrer, associate professor of ethnomusicology and musicology.
“As a hip-hop scholar, I am personally excited to have Waln on faculty to help broaden our coverage of this immense genre that resonates with so many people,” says Kehrer. “Waln’s music provides such a strong medium for conveying ideas about identity and experience.”
Waln grew up in the Rosebud Sioux reservation in South Dakota, becoming the first college professor from his community.
“Education has always been there because I was raised by a teacher,” says Waln. “My mom was a teacher, so I was always in schools, and I feel that (education) is ingrained in me and is a powerful tool for me.”
Waln started making music at an early age, which was a commonality within his family of musicians. He says musical talent is “in his DNA.”
“I do music out of an act of survival,” says Waln. “I started playing music at 7 and started teaching myself by sight and ear. I now know I get it from my grandmother’s family.”
Waln began his academic journey at Columbia College in Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in audio arts and acoustics in 2014. Since then, Waln has been gigging, touring and presenting full time.
Indigenous knowledge and practices can challenge, compliment or enhance traditional Western scientific knowledge in a variety of disciplines, says Dr. Dee Sherwood, associate professor in the School of Social Work and director of the Native American Affairs Council (NAAC) at Western.
“I think that our campus community will really resonate with and be inspired by his message, life experiences and his resilience,” says Sherwood. “One of his strong messages is that music can be a mechanism for both healing as well as for activism and advocacy.”
The NAAC has been spreading the word of Waln’s arrival to the Kalamazoo community for his upcoming interactive music performances and is hoping to attract Indigenous students and scholars to Western with the excellence of his work.
“Importantly, Waln challenges incomplete or inaccurate portrayals of Native and Indigenous people as living in the past tense, uncivilized or irrelevant to the future through his artistic and musical works,” says Sherwood.
Beyond the Indigenous audience, Waln looks to connect members of the community from different areas of life, not just Native. He believes that approaching his work from a Native standpoint will resonate with people, even if they do not share the same story.
“The thing about my work is whether I'm giving a performance or presentation on a poor rural (reservation) or in Germany, the songs and the stories are the same,” says Waln. “Just how I deliver them changes.”
Waln draws motivation to aid people from his mother and has used that to fuel his career affecting others’ lives.
“My mom’s Lakota name means woman who helps people,” says Waln. “My brain is just wired to help people and bring healing through music.”
Waln hopes that students will find commonalities between them and any person can relate to his message. He believes they will be inspired by the adversity and odds stacked against him where he remained resilient.
“I know that people will find some inspiration from my time at Western to explore their passions and use those passions and the things they love to do whatever they want in the world.”
In observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day, Waln will host a film and panel discussion for "Pokagon Potawatomi: A Song for Everything," from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, in 1025 Brown Hall. This event is free and open to the public.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.