Attendees experienced an afternoon of music and reflection with a DJ set by award-winning Sicangu Lakota multi-genre artist and educator Frank Waln at the Living with Treaties Community Connections Forum. Blending hip-hop, experimental sound, and Indigenous musical traditions, Waln’s work creates a dynamic sonic space that invites audiences to listen, reflect, and connect with the histories and experiences that shape Native communities today. This special performance complemented the themes and community-building at the Living with Treaties Conference.
Drawing from his family’s experiences with the boarding schools, Waln’s recent work explores themes of history, resilience, and resistance while confronting the ongoing social injustices affecting Native communities. Through layered beats, storytelling, and powerful soundscapes, he uses music not only as a platform for advocacy but also as a pathway toward healing and collective understanding.
Originally from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Waln is an internationally recognized artist, public speaker, and educator. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Audio Arts & Acoustics, he was honored upon graduation with the prestigious Mayor’s Award for Civic Engagement and is recognized as a notable alumni. His work has been featured on major platforms including MTV, CNN, NPR, and ESPN, and he has received numerous honors, including awards from the Native American Music Awards and “Best Music Video” at the Das Indianer International Film Festival.
Through music, conversation, and community gathering, this event offered an opportunity to experience how art can amplify Indigenous voices, confront difficult histories, and inspire deeper dialogue about what it means to live with treaties today.
This event was part of the Living with Treaties Conference.
Photo: Frank Waln by Tomas Kamelo Amaya.