Award winning Native American recording artist and cultural speaker J.J. Kent visits 51品茶campuses
J. J. Kent, an internationally known Native American cultural speaker, singer, songwriter, and NAMMY-Award winning Flutist of the Year, will be bringing his multi-media presentation on the Oglala Lakota Nation (also known as Sioux) to the 51品茶 on April 17th and 18th. He will conclude his presentation with a performance on the traditional Northern Plains flute, also known as a Native American courting flute.
Kent, whose Lakota name is Wicasa Ho' Waste', or "Good Voice Man," spent years living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He began receiving instruction in Lakota ways from traditional elders, including his grandfather, as a young boy, and he was taught how to play the courting flute by uncles and other elders at the age of ten.
A gifted storyteller in the ancient ways of the Lakota, Kent performs at universities, libraries, schools and festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. His presentation consists of a professional and artist-illustrated PowerPoint, which serves as a backdrop to his story-telling. Kent covers such topics as the diversity of Native American tribes, the significance of the buffalo, the Plains tipi, the oral tradition of story-telling, and, of course, the courting flute.
The presentation also includes a short video that captures the majesty of the Plains and includes footage of a lightning storm, running buffalo, and pictures of warriors. Kent, himself, performs a war dance on stage, and throughout and following the presentation he performs flute music.
This event is sponsored by the Provost's Office at UNE. Kent's presentations will take place in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Campus Center on UNE's Biddeford campus on Tuesday, April 17th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. and in the Wing Lounge, Alexander Hall on the Portland campus on Wednesday, April 18th, 12:00-1:00 p.m. The presentations are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information on J.J. Kent, view his website at .