Calvin Standing Bear

Calvin Standing Bear is a Rosebud Sioux from South Dakota. One grandfather, Chief Silas Standing Bear, was a traditional Lakota singer, while another grandfather, Chief Luther Standing Bear, authored several books on Lakota life, including “My People the Sioux,” “The Story of the Sioux,” “Land of the Spotted Eagle,” and “My Indian Boyhood.” Standing Bear’s family helped him learn Lakota traditions. Today, he is considered a foremost authority on Lakota cultural life, particularly ancestral Native American cedar flute music. Recognized as an expert singer, dancer, drummer, and flute player, Standing Bear has performed from North America to Japan at venues ranging from traditional pow-wows to the Denver Symphony.

Standing Bear’s work as a musician dovetails with his work as a Native American activist. In addition to his lecturing and performing at conferences and festivals around the country, Calvin Standing Bear helped organize The Peace and

Dignity Run 2000, a sacred run involving Native participants from Alaska to Mexico. In addition, Standing Bear has produced a record, titled Holy Ground, in partnership with Denver-based Church in the City, as a fundraiser for the city’s homeless population.

As part of a duo, with Indian pianist James Torres, known as Red Tail Chasing Hawks, Standing Bear has produced three records, including Eagle Dances With the Wind and Brother Hawk, both of which are featured recordings played as background music in the concourses of Denver International Airport.

1. Most of Standing Bear’s recorded sounds are produced from the flute, characterized as a “wind instrument.” What other instruments can you think of that imitate a sound from nature? Make a list of musical instruments that mimic natural sounds (for example, flute and wind). Include in the list where you think the instruments originated and why. Do you think “wind” instruments such as the flute originated in windy places? What sounds characterize your local environment (it is o.k. if these sounds include jackhammers, car alarm systems, or airplanes, for example), and what instruments, or tools, might your class use to imitate those sounds?
2. Birds have a big role in the work of Calvin Standing Bear. The words “eagle” and “hawk” appear again and again throughout Standing Bear’s biography. How and why are birds associated with flute music? Look in your newspaper for stories or images of wildlife. This can include, for example, names used by sports teams. Count the places throughout your paper where animals are depicted both positively, neutrally, and negatively. Cut words and images from the paper and paste them together in a collage. What sorts of music does each image make you think about, and why?