MPR’s Stephen Smith profiles Kevin Locke, a Hunkpapa Sioux who is trying to preserve the language and art of Lakota music. Locke is one of few Native American musicians to make a profession of performing traditional flute music. The Lakota did not use written words, so their songs were recorded only in memory. The composition of these songs was within the domain of a relatively small group of people, known as the Elk Dreamers.

Locke lives on South Dakota's Standing Rock reservation and tours performing the flute in hopes of keeping music alive.

Segment includes performance clips.