Lakota Music Project Bridges Cultural Divides Through Collaborative Performance

Nestled within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, the Prairie Wind Casino and Hotel comprises modest buildings surrounded by expansive rolling plains. On a recent morning, while the hotel’s rooms were largely unoccupied, the banquet hall resonated with vibrant musical activity.

A group of nine musicians from the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Delta David Gier, worked alongside Dakota flutist Bryan Akipa. Together, they navigated the challenge of integrating Akipa’s improvisational style—he does not read sheet music—into the orchestra’s structured performance, devising cues for transitions into new sections.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Black Bear, the drum keeper and leader of the Creekside Singers—a traditional Lakota drum and vocal ensemble—collaborated with composer Derek Bermel in the hotel lobby. Bermel had transcribed recordings of the Creekside Singers, arranging parts for symphony musicians to complement the Native performance. One significant challenge was accommodating the ensemble’s fluid tempo, as Black Bear explained that their songs often shift pace spontaneously based on the emotion of the moment.

“Sometimes the song picks up energy and moves faster,” Black Bear said. “Other times, it feels like a lullaby. It’s never fixed.”

This gathering represented more than just a rehearsal; it was a meeting of artists and friends striving to create music that transcends cultural boundaries. The Lakota Music Project, a long-standing initiative of the orchestra, seeks to use this collaboration between Native American and Western classical musicians as a means to confront and heal a legacy of racial tension.

“How do we challenge racism and prejudice?” Black Bear reflected. “I believe music is the answer. When non-Native people experience our traditions—our music, dance, ceremonies, and prayers—they can begin to see who we truly are. We are not the stereotypes. We are not all struggling with addiction or other hardships.”