Native American culture will be recognized in a series of talks, performances, an exhibit and demonstrations given by experts in their respective fields throughout November in observance of Native American Heritage Month at Fredonia.
“Here, We Tell Our Own Story: A Celebration of Native American History and Culture Through Art,” which showcases a collection of modern Native American art, will be on display in Reed Library beginning Monday, Oct. 31, through Monday, Nov. 14 (see related article in Campus Report).
All other events, planned by the Native American Student Union, will be held in the Williams Center and are free and open to the public.
Old Bridge Singers, a Haudenosaunee drum group, will demonstrate traditional drumming and singing at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m., in the Multipurpose Room. Refreshments will be served.
David George-Shongo Jr., acting director of the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, will present the talk, “Remembering is a Political Act,” on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m., in Room S204. With a background in anthropology, Mr. George-Shongo is committed to preserving and teaching traditional arts and culture of the Haudenosaunee.
Storyteller Perry Ground (Onondaga) will invite audience members of all ages to rethink the traditional ideas of Thanksgiving by narrating the history of Thanksgiving through a Native American lens on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2 p.m., in S204. After this academic recounting, Mr. Ground will switch into storytelling mode, sharing the story of a Native American Thanksgiving.
Dr. Rodney Haring (Seneca) will speak on the topic of “Health Issues in Native American Community” on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2 p.m., in S204. Dr. Haring serves on the research faculty at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. His focus is on cancer prevention and population sciences.
Michael Galban (Washoe/Paiute), curator and content expert at the Ganondagan State Historic Site, will introduce porcupine quill arts on Monday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m. at S204-AB. Mr. Galban will bring many examples of porcupine quill arts for audience members to examine.
The closing ceremony, featuring a talk by Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, a University of Pennsylvania graduate and Oglala Lakota Sioux member, that addresses activism and education, will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m., in G103B. She will emphasize ways that a college education can change one’s opportunities and life forever.
