Ojibwe flutist shares culture through music

Darren Thompson, a self-taught Ojibwe flutist from Lac du Flambeau, uses his music to share stories of Native culture and history, according to WJFW. Thompson said his upbringing in Lac du Flambeau influences his work and that he first connected with the instrument after buying a traditional flute at the Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee when he was 19.

Thompson began performing while studying at Marquette University and has since played nationally, including at the Crazy Horse Memorial and the Minocqua Public Library. He said the flute has opened opportunities and allows him to highlight Indigenous accomplishments. “I feel if I share the many successes from American Indian people, and there are many, the more people will see our brilliance and our resilience,” Thompson said. His music is available on streaming services.