Bio
Maxwell Yamane is an assistant professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Oklahoma. He is Yonsei (四世, Fourth Generation Japanese American) and resides in Oklahoma, the traditional territories of the Caddo, Wichita, and traveling Tribes such as the Kiowa, Osage, and Comanche Nations.
Maxwell’s academic interests include Indigenous music studies, language reclamation/revitalization and music, powwow, as well as Indigenous protests and music. His dissertation examines how music, particularly Kiowa Christian hymns, play a key role in the resurgence of Kiowa language and identity. Maxwell’s co-published work with Mary Phillips (Omaha/Laguna Pueblo) on the politics of telling stories about Indigenous languages was published in the Journal for Multilingualism and Multicultural Development. His activist work during the #NoDAPL movement in Washington, D.C., was co-published with Erik Gooding and Bret Salter in American Comparative Studies. Maxwell also presented his research at Society for Ethnomusicology, Mid-Atlantic Chapter Society for Ethnomusicology, and Texas Tech University Indigenous Literature conferences.
Prior to teaching at OU, Maxwell served as a Program Specialist and Program Analyst at the Administration for Native Americans in Washington, D.C., where he worked closely with a multitude of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander projects that centered around social-economic development, environmental regulatory enhancement, and language preservation and maintenance through community-based efforts. He also contributed to several inter-agency initiatives that support critical grassroots initiatives, including the White House Council on Indian Affairs 10-Year Native Language Revitalization Plan.
Maxwell is dedicated to culturally-responsible and collaborative research that benefits the community. In his free time, he sings with Zotigh, Ottertrail, and Uptown powwow drum groups.