At age 6, Indigenous musician and activist Trenton Wheeler learned a traditional Northern Plains grass dance from his grandfather -- honoring his Blackfeet and Métis heritage.

In 2022, he produced a seven-minute short film offering a glimpse into his culture. Grassdancer -- which was featured at several film festivals -- was an opportunity for Wheeler to display his skills and showcase his identity.

"It was a beautiful experience of getting to share who I am through a poetic lens," Wheeler says. "It reads over visuals of me playing with my kids, playing guitar, putting on my regalia and dancing and the traditional part of those ceremonial experiences."

Throughout his life, Wheeler has been a musician, filmmaker and activist -- all of which provide glimpses of his culture. He's widely recognized for co-founding Seryn, an indie-folk band that was born at UNT.

Between teaching and advocacy, organizing a multicultural music and art festival, reuniting with Seryn to put out their first album in 10 years and raising his family -- Wheeler has been dedicated to cultivating art and honoring his heritage since studying at UNT.

Seryn-dipity

During Spring Break of 2009, Wheeler drove to Austin his junior year at UNT to attend South by Southwest (SXSW) and found the missing piece to an emerging puzzle.

Near him in a crowd stood Chelsea Bohrer, a studio major who attended UNT from 2008 to 2009, and new friend of Nathan Allen ('10), Wheeler's best friend and college roommate. Just before his trip, the two guys formed a band and were discussing needing another member.

"Nathan called to tell me he found the perfect person and she's going to the same show as me," Wheeler says. "I'm looking around and said, 'I think she's standing like 15 feet away.'"

One thing led to another and Bohrer joined the pair alongside Aaron Stoner, a business major who attended UNT from 2006 to 2009, and Chris Semmelbeck, a radio-television-film major who attended from 2008 to 2009, to complete Seryn.

Two years later, the band took the stage at SXSW after finding substantial success with their debut album, This is Where We Are. Wheeler, a media arts major before switching to journalism, ultimately shifted his focus to touring and creating their sophomore record after Seryn took off.

Although the band was a success, playing shows all across North America, members came and went with time. The remaining members of Seryn moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2016. Quickly -- as life took its course -- they struggled with communication, and it was soon decided to disassemble the band.

Just before the band went on a hiatus, Nashville resident and UNT graduate Chase Johnson ('10) was made a new permanent member of Seryn. Three years later, the group unexpectedly reunited after putting their differences in the past.

Throughout times of trial and tribulation, Wheeler was able to reconnect with his roots and began establishing a career outside of Seryn. During this time, he started releasing music under the band name TopKnot -- a shortened version of his tribal name, Owl TopKnot Feather.

Precious Things

Growing up, Wheeler was always encouraged to explore different cultures and music. Even as one of the only Native Americans at his high school in Mansfield, he was surrounded by kids from various backgrounds and experienced many different perspectives.

"I spent all four years of high school in an improv troupe, which was one of the most diverse, crazy groups of people you could imagine. It really shaped the way I saw others," Wheeler says. "I learned very early on to embrace the power of diversity."

Wheeler's father -- a military man -- played many instruments and pushed his children towards the arts, but sold his equipment after moving his family to North Texas.

"Music is so precious to me, I could never imagine losing it," Wheeler says. "But now -- as a father of three myself -- I can completely understand."

Despite raising his family, Wheeler managed to dedicate time to recording new music and coordinating the second annual Indiginash, a multicultural music and arts festival in Nashville.

"Indigenous artists are historically some of the most underpaid and underrepresented artists in our country. For decades, Native American practices were forbidden by law," Wheeler says. "This festival is a reclamation of sorts."

Wheeler has become a prominent member of the Indigenous community within Tennessee.

After serving on the board of directors for the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee (NAIA), Wheeler created unique cultural courses and began working with Nashville Sites. He conducts his own youth educational programs and public outreach events.

Last year Nashville Sites, a nonprofit organization that offers free, self-guided cultural site tours, opened the Indigenous People and Archaeology Driving Tour where Wheeler's voice can be heard guiding and teaching visitors. 

On top of it all, Wheeler is getting ready to hit the road with Seryn once again. The band has played a handful of shows since reuniting, but last November marked their first album together in a decade -- War on Christmas, which provides a science fiction take on the holidays.

Seryn is planning to make a return to Denton this spring as part of Thin Line festival, when they are scheduled to play March 21 at Dan's Silverleaf.

"I'm grateful we've overcome a lot of things," Wheeler says. "The stories we share have made for a lifetime of friendship."