Darren Thompson, a Native American flute player, educator and journalist from the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Reservation in Northern Wisconsin, will give a presentation at 12:30 p.m. and present a concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 12 in the UW-Fond du Lac Prairie Theater, 400 University Drive, Fond du Lac. Both events are free and open to the community. No reservations required. Thompson has spent most of his adult life serving communities through leadership development, American Indian cultural awareness workshops and the arts. His dedication to the preservation of American Indian music has taken him to the grand opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the National Indian Education Association, the National Congress of American Indians and many universities, organizations and communities. During his talk, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Thompson will discuss his role as a journalist and a musician in his experience at Standing Rock, and the relationship between civility and civil disobedience, specifically using his experiences in civil disobedience that occurred during the demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline. At 7 p.m., Thompson will perform his music on the nearly lost instrument – the Native American flute. His musical talents and dedication to the preservation of American Indian music have led him to perform and speak throughout North America. He released his debut album, “The Song of Flower: Native American Songs from Ojibwe Country” in 2009, and earned a nomination from the Native American Music Awards for “Flutist of the Year” in 2016 for his second album, “Between Earth and Sky: Native American Flute Music Recorded in the Black Hills.” The UW-Fond du Lac Fine Arts and Lecture Committee is hosting the two events as part of a yearlong lecture series exploring civility. For more information, call (920) 929-1111 or visit the website www.fdl.uwc.edu.
