Workshop, concert, keynote address, panel discussion celebrate Heritage Month on Nov. 8

Flute player Vince Redhouse will visit Cal State Monterey Bay as part of the university’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month.

Redhouse will be on campus on Nov. 8 for a full day of activities, including a workshop; a concert; and a panel discussion on contemporary American Indian identity.

At noon that day, Dr. Patti Jo King will present the day's keynote address, "Seeing Red in a Black and White World: Including Indians in Racial Discourse." The lecture will be held in the Media Learning Complex (Bldg. 18), Room 118. Redhouse's instrument of choice is the traditional Native American flute because of its connection to his Navajo culture, but, in his hands, it has anything but a traditional sound, whether he's playing jazz, Mozart or a Christian spiritual.

He took a long path to the native flute. He picked it up when he was in his 40s while working at the housing units at Fort Ord. By then, he'd learned to play a host of instruments, starting with a different sort of flute.

(He has a long history with the Army base: his father was stationed here and brought his wife from the Philippines to Seaside, where the family was raised.)

"I think I was 7 years old when I first started playing the little recorders that they give in elementary school, which leads to clarinet and then the saxophone," he told the Voice of America in a 2009 interview. "So I started playing clarinet. And then about a year after I started playing the clarinet, I was introduced to piano lessons and then the Beatles hit and I started playing guitar . . . ."

He still plays guitar as well as saxophone, which he uses on many songs. It gives his music a smooth jazz sound.

A native of Monterey, Redhouse remembers listening to Jimi Hendrix perform at the Monterey Pop Festival from the front yard of his parents’ home; later, he recalls listening to Steve Miller play at Monterey Peninsula College’s gymnasium – where he was not permitted inside because he was too young. Redhouse says he's on a mission for Native American music.

"This is an instrument that connects me with my culture," he told the Voice of America. "My culture's not known for being musical to the level of the world's standard. So what I've done is I've chosen that instrument to bring attention to the Native people and raise the level of musicianship to world class level."

King, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, is director of the Native Media Center at the University of North Dakota. She holds an Extended Bachelor of Science and a Master’s Degree in American Indian History from Northern Arizona University, and a Ph.D, ABD from the University of Oklahoma.

A member of Native American Journalist’s Association, Professor King turned her attention to history after a long career as an activist, community organizer, and journalist. She has more than 40 years of experience working as a writer, editor, and publisher for both mainstream and the native press. In addition to her current teaching duties, she is a Northern Great Plains Correspondent, News and Lifestyle Feature writer, and Arts Reviewer with Indian Country Today News Media.

King’s historical research focuses on 19th and 20th century federal Indian policies, Native responses, and community-building. Activities on Nov. 8 and throughout the month were organized by members of the faculty in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies with Student Activities and Leadership Development as co-sponsor.

Details: • Flute workshop: 9-11 a.m., Oaks Hall, Rooms 109-110.

• Keynote address: Noon-2 p.m., Media Learning Complex (Bldg. 18), Room 118. Dr. Patti Jo King will talk on "Seeing Red in a Black and White World: Including Indians in Racial Discourse." • Concert: 2-4 p.m., Tanimura and Antle libary, Room 1188 • Panel Discussion: 6-8 p.m., Alumni and Visitors Center The community is invited to attend the events. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 582-3890. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Learn more about the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.