Elisa Harkins, Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ

Artist and composer Elisa Harkins (Cherokee/Muscogee) created Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ as an expression of Indigenous Futurism, blending electronic dance music with Indigenous languages to revitalize and celebrate them through live performance. Produced in collaboration with the Center for Native Futures, this innovative performance features Harkins singing in a combination of Cherokee, English, and Muscogee (Creek). Back-up dancers move rhythmically to electronic dance tracks inspired by Indigenous music. Both dreamy and intense, the evening fuses tradition with the contemporary to transform how pop music looks and sounds.

The evening begins with a short opening set by interdisciplinary singer/songwriter Kalyn Fay (Cherokee/Muscogee). Known for her “quintessentially Oklahoma” sound driven by folk, rock, and country, Fay’s music explores her relationship with place, home, her home-state and its values, people, and the land.