Marking the beginning of Native American Heritage Month at the University of Idaho, Washington State Senator John McCoy will speak on public engagement with Native American issues at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Vandal Ballroom in the Bruce Pitman Center.
UI student Effie Hernandez, who helped plan Native American Heritage Month, said events are chosen on the basis of community and Native American student interest. She said the event”s celebration of Native American culture is important, since the university is on former Nez Perce land.
November features several Native American Heritage Month events organized and sponsored by a number of departments on campus, including the Native American Student Center, The Office of Tribal Relations, UI Native Law Center, Native American Law Students Association, Native American Student Associations (NASA) and the UI Women”s Center.
Mamta Kandel | Argonaut
(From left) Effie Hernandez, Leanna Dann and Lewonne Teasley work to organize flyers. November is Native American Heritage Month.
NASA President Lewonne Teasley said the goal of Native American Heritage Month is to raise awareness of Native American culture.
“So they can understand us a little bit better and “¦ understand that we”re still here and that we”re not just an afterthought,” Teasley said.
Leanna Dann, Native American Student Center”s program specialist, said Native American Heritage Month is one part of raising awareness for UI campus diversity.
“Everyone should have a well-rounded understanding of diversity here on campus, that”s just not with Native Americans,” Dann said. “Just being more aware is something I feel that more students should have.”
The keynote speaker for UI”s Native American Heritage Month is Tatanka Means. Means is an award-winning actor, stand-up comedian and motivational speaker. Means will speak at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in the Vandal Ballroom in the Pitman Center. He has appeared in movies such as “The Host,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” and “Tiger Eyes.”
Teasley said he is looking forward to Means” speech since he is a well-known Native American.
The next day, there will be The Native Art Auction that will feature UI alumni artwork and live music in the Kibbie Dome Lighthouse Center .
Money raised from the auction goes toward Native American scholarships and the Art Taylor Indigenous Culture and Ecology Memorial Fund.
Dann said students are creating earrings to donate for the event and have been working on them at craft nights.
Other events for Native American Heritage Month include a presentation on tribalist economics by Angelique EagleWoman Nov. 13 and a screening of “1000 Voices” Nov. 19.
Aleya Ericson can be reached at [email protected]