Frank Waln is an award-winning multi-genre music artist, educator, and public speaker of the Lakota Nation from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Known for his powerful storytelling through music and speaking engagements, Frank connects audiences to Indigenous history, culture, and current issues. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Audio Arts & Acoustics from Columbia College Chicago, Frank has earned numerous honors, including three Native American Music Awards and prestigious fellowships from NDN Collective and the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
Frank’s work has been featured in museums and arts institutions worldwide, reflecting his dedication to Lakota culture preservation and cross-cultural understanding. He curated an interactive exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, giving audiences an immersive look into Indigenous music traditions. With appearances on major platforms like MTV, CNN, and ESPN, Frank brings Indigenous perspectives to a broad audience, fostering awareness and dialogue around Native culture and social justice. Currently teaching in the music department at Western Michigan University, he guides students in exploring the role of music as a medium for cultural preservation and advocacy.
For educators and faculty, Frank’s presentations offer not only a deep dive into Indigenous history and contemporary issues but also inspiring insights into the resilience, creativity, and impact of Indigenous voices in modern society.
Zuya - Native American History Through Music
Rooted in the Lakota oral traditions of music and storytelling, Native American artist Frank Waln will share stories and music inspired by his upbringing on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, his journey with education and his family's history with settler colonialism. Frank’s presentation connects Indigenous history in the US to issues currently affecting all Americans living on colonized land and provides a framework for a better future rooted in Indigenous culture, science and art.
Challenges and Barriers Native Americans Face in America's Healthcare System and What We Can Do To Address This
Lakota music artist and educator Frank Waln will share his own personal journey of experiencing mistreatment and violence in America's healthcare system as well as what he learned from working in hospitals facilitating music therapy with patients as a Native American artist. Hear how Frank Waln's experiences in healthcare have shaped his work and music which can provide a framework for how we can address the issues impacting Native Americans in our healthcare system.
How I Used Education to Create a Career as a Native American Artist (Youth/Educator Focused)
Lakota musician and educator Frank Waln shares how he used education to build a lasting and impactful career as a Native music artist. Frank Waln will share his journey of how he overcame the obstacles and challenges he faced growing up in a single-mother household on a poor, rural reservation with limited opportunities and resources. Sharing his stories of failure and success Frank Waln will inspire and give hope to anyone who ever had a dream or wanted more for themselves and their community.
