Announcing First Recipient of the Duran Flint Jacobs Skaroniate Legacy Grant

By Kaniehtonkie

Ty David is the first student to receive the Duran Flint Jacobs Skaroniate Legacy Grant. The educational grant was conceived out the love and appreciation of Duran's love for music, poetry and song. And to make a lasting legacy, this grant will be open for all graduation seniors to apply each spring. With a focus on art and music, Duran left behind a portfolio of artwork, master tapes, poetry, and earning credits on several works with his father Alex, author and poet Joy Harjo, The Duran Flint Jacobs Skaroniate Legacy Grant is about art and music, it is about dedication, passion, and the creative spirit.

Duran's father wrote, "This will also be the first official statement on Duran since he passed, Nov. 4, 2023. He was born February 3, 1991. Duran was also known as DJ Duran Flint and Ghost Rapper. He was a DJ, a beat maker and music producer, he was an artist and a writer and all-around Creative Spirit who was mostly self-taught. Teaching himself keyboards, drums, melodica and guitar, as well as SFX special effects, DJ scratching, sampling and digital programming.

Duran attended St Regis Day School in Kana:takon, the St Regis Mohawk School in Hogansburg, and attended high school at General Vanier in Cornwall and Salmon River High School. Cyndi Cook raised Duran and his sister Ciera mostly in St Regis village at the Cook family home. She had all three of them take karate classes in Cornwall. Duran continued following mixed martial arts and UFC. I taught Duran and Ciera my collage technique and Duran continued making, selling and giving away his collages, drawings and prints.

Duran spent years with me in New Mexico and he loved it with all the different Native people and artists. He apprenticed with stone carvers, went to all the Art Markets, sat in as a DJ in clubs, and built his own production studio there and another in St Regis. He followed movies intensely wanting to learn filmmaking. He had an extensive music collection and loved going to concerts big or small. We collaborated on projects; he created music to my poetry and produced the CD's. He is in the Library of Congress and on music and video projects in Europe.

Duran became ill in spring 2023 but wasn't diagnosed with pancreatic cancer until just before he passed away on November 4, 2023. He was not religious but was a very spiritual being and continued learning what deeper truths he could all his life, preparing himself, as he took his Spirit Journey. Travel Well & Travel Far."

In was in the spirt of Duran, that Ty David was chosen for the Legacy Award.

Alex said to Ty, "You've completed everything. You checked every box. I think his music teacher Miss Healy saw his talent and potential too.

Ty David finished his high school career with a weighted GPA of 100.81 and awarded an Advanced Regents Diploma with Mastery in Science. Ty is the son of Fallon David, Alexander "Dudes" Thompson and the late Mitchell Jock.

In high school, Ty was an active member of the school community, participating in Sources of Strength, National Honor Society, French Club, Student Government, NCSTEP (North Country Science Technology Entry Program), Whiz Quiz and Band. As a leader, he served as vice president of his class throughout high school and president of the Senior Class.

Ty is a talented percussionist and participated in All County Band. Duran's father Alex quickly recognized Ty's talent and his potential. Ty looks forward to attending McGill University next month.

Alex stated, "We are trying to get a head start for next year and hopefully receive more candidates for the Duran Flint Jacobs Skaroniate Legacy Grant. The issue that Ty's "learning disability" was undiagnosed at Mohawk School but was resolved at Salmon is important. It's hard to blame Mohawk School (with limited resources) but hopefully they have improved. He had a wonderful mentor in music teacher Cindy Healy, who called him dedicated and meeting all the challenges academically and musically he put himself thru, as Ty participated in so many extra-curricular activities."

Alex shared; his son Duran would create the perfect soundtrack for his poetry. . . he knew the effect of my poetry. And storytelling in general, you know, because that's what they are their stories, their narratives. They just arbitrarily set up three minutes, like the length of a song. And even poetry, a three minute you gotta have a lot in those three minutes... And so I learned to do like just hit the highlights. We had people singing, and we got a lot of people dancing.

This guy's [Ty] is a musician."