Take a journey through American Indian history.Start at the last ice age, travel past myths of early humanity, through the early days of fur-trading companies, and up to World War II.Singer, songwriter and lecturer Jack Gladstone will create what he calls the “Buffalo Cafe” to give the audience a feel for the Northwestern Plains. Gladstone, who is a Blackfoot Indian from Montana, will perform his show “Native Reflections,” with songs from his new album “Buffalo Cafe,” and from his earlier albums.Throughout his show, Gladstone projects slides of wildlife and historical photos of Indians. He connects his songs with storytelling.The show is a trip through tribal societies, Gladstone said.”By reflecting on our heritage, I hope to bring people into a closer spiritual contact with this land,” he said. “I like to remind people that we all are of the human race.”The journey will go back to the early days of humanity with Gladstone’s song “Napi Becomes a Wolf.” Napi the trickster is a Blackfoot myth about early humanity.Before Napi (old man) becomes a wolf, he is wise and foolish; however, after his transformation into a wolf, Napi learns the responsibilities of social order.To the Blackfoot, wolves were the mammal in North America that were most like people, Gladstone said.”Wolves in the wild live as families in packs and mate for life,” he said.The tour continues with Gladstone’s song “Hudson Bay Blues,” which looks at how fur-trading companies affected Indian behavior by bringing alcohol and guns into Indian culture.The journey of songs goes all the way up to World War II with Gladstone’s song “Navajo Code Talkers.”During the war, Navajo Indians were recruited into the Marines to send military orders in their Navajo language. The language wasn’t declassified until 1969.”It’s quite fascinating to realize how valuable this was in light of the fact that the government and missionaries were trying to destroy Indian language and cultures in the early part of this century,” Gladstone said.Historical accuracy is important to Gladstone. While writing his songs, he does many hours of research.”I like to be able to footnote damn near every line that I write,” he said. “Poetic licensing is used pretty sparingly with most of my historical work.”Gladstone’s performance is part of a quarter-long series of events sponsored by the American Indian Student Services (AISS). The free performance will take place tonight at 7 p.m. in the Thurber Theatre at Drake Union.