Spring Break
Celebrating American Indian Awareness Month
Culture, issues are at forefront in April
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Campus News
The month of April is UW-Eau Claire's celebration of American Indian history.
To raise awareness and understanding of this culture, several organizations on campus are hosting events open to the campus and Eau Claire communities, said Odawa White, retention coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and adviser to the Native American Student Association.
Language, spirituality, poetry and the much-debated topic of American Indian logos and mascots will be the topics up for discussion at the various events.
White said he hopes these events will raise awareness of the contemporary and past American Indian issues.
"Overall, it's just to build a sensitive campus community for American Indian people," he said, adding currently there are only about 60 American Indian students enrolled at Eau Claire. "Having a sensitive environment, I think, really opens the doors."
Senior Michael Ojibway, president of Native American Student Association, said the reason the events are put on is to educate people.
"To break the stereotype and provide them with an image of contribution that American Indian people have made," Ojibway said. "In Wisconsin, we're right in the heart of Indian country. We have a lot of students from each of the 11 tribes in Wisconsin.
"It's our way of letting that collective native voice be heard," he said
This year marks the third American Indian Awareness Month, White said, and in the past there were a modest number of students, faculty and general community members in attendance.
"We always hope to increase that amount," he said. "The stronger the number of people, the more awareness we get to spread."
To close the month's festivities, a powwow is scheduled for April 28 to honor veterans, sponsored by various organizations and departments in Eau Claire as well as the CVTC Diversity Student Association and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
"American Indian people have always had a strong tradition of honoring veterans and that includes all veterans of all nationalities and races," White said. "We wanted to make that a strong emphasis this year."
Junior Marie Holl attended the powwow last year and said she is planning on doing the same this year.
She said she is interested in American Indian history, and to learn more about it, she visited the Lac Court Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in Wisconsin last year.
"I was really moved by their closeness to nature and their really rich culture," Holl said.
And Holl said she is glad this culture is being shared this month.
"Coming from a diverse high school, I've kind of missed out on the cultural diversity here," Holl said. "I think it's really great to bring more awareness of the beauty of other cultures."
7 to 8:30 p.m., April 11 in Hibbard 102: "Oneida Lives: The Rediscovery of Forgotten Voices." Dr. Herb Lewis, emeritus professor of anthropology at UW-Madison uncovered a body of work written by members of the Oneida Nation describing Oneida life from the 1800s to 1940. They were written by more than a dozen Wisconsin Oneida Indians in the 1940s. Lewis will discuss his findings. Free
Noon to 1:15 p.m., April 17 in Davies Theatre, Davies Center: "American Indian Team Mascot and Logo." Presented by the Native American Student Association and moderated by Elizabeth Beckfield, a member of the Bad River Ojibwe and a UW-Eau Claire graduate student. Free
Noon to 1 p.m., April 24 in the Presidents Room of Davies Center: "Brown Bag lunch presentation: Ojibwe Spirituality, Wisdom and Life Principles." Presented by Tony DePerry of the Northwestern Ontario Ojibwe. Free
4:30 to 5:30 p.m., April 26 in Schofield Auditorium: "Powwow Etiquette." Free
7 to 8 p.m., April 26 in Schofield Auditorium: "Poetry Reading by Anishinaabe poet Denise Sweet." Free
11 a.m., April 28 in Zorn Arena: "The 2007 Honoring Veterans Powwow." Hand Drum Competition, Men's fancy and grass dance specials, feast, recognition of veterans. Admission (including the feast) is $5 or free for children under 5 years-old and seniors over 55.
To raise awareness and understanding of this culture, several organizations on campus are hosting events open to the campus and Eau Claire communities, said Odawa White, retention coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and adviser to the Native American Student Association.
Language, spirituality, poetry and the much-debated topic of American Indian logos and mascots will be the topics up for discussion at the various events.
White said he hopes these events will raise awareness of the contemporary and past American Indian issues.
"Overall, it's just to build a sensitive campus community for American Indian people," he said, adding currently there are only about 60 American Indian students enrolled at Eau Claire. "Having a sensitive environment, I think, really opens the doors."
Senior Michael Ojibway, president of Native American Student Association, said the reason the events are put on is to educate people.
"To break the stereotype and provide them with an image of contribution that American Indian people have made," Ojibway said. "In Wisconsin, we're right in the heart of Indian country. We have a lot of students from each of the 11 tribes in Wisconsin.
"It's our way of letting that collective native voice be heard," he said
This year marks the third American Indian Awareness Month, White said, and in the past there were a modest number of students, faculty and general community members in attendance.
"We always hope to increase that amount," he said. "The stronger the number of people, the more awareness we get to spread."
To close the month's festivities, a powwow is scheduled for April 28 to honor veterans, sponsored by various organizations and departments in Eau Claire as well as the CVTC Diversity Student Association and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
"American Indian people have always had a strong tradition of honoring veterans and that includes all veterans of all nationalities and races," White said. "We wanted to make that a strong emphasis this year."
Junior Marie Holl attended the powwow last year and said she is planning on doing the same this year.
She said she is interested in American Indian history, and to learn more about it, she visited the Lac Court Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in Wisconsin last year.
"I was really moved by their closeness to nature and their really rich culture," Holl said.
And Holl said she is glad this culture is being shared this month.
"Coming from a diverse high school, I've kind of missed out on the cultural diversity here," Holl said. "I think it's really great to bring more awareness of the beauty of other cultures."
American Indian Awareness Month schedule
7 to 8:30 p.m., April 11 in Hibbard 102: "Oneida Lives: The Rediscovery of Forgotten Voices." Dr. Herb Lewis, emeritus professor of anthropology at UW-Madison uncovered a body of work written by members of the Oneida Nation describing Oneida life from the 1800s to 1940. They were written by more than a dozen Wisconsin Oneida Indians in the 1940s. Lewis will discuss his findings. Free
Noon to 1:15 p.m., April 17 in Davies Theatre, Davies Center: "American Indian Team Mascot and Logo." Presented by the Native American Student Association and moderated by Elizabeth Beckfield, a member of the Bad River Ojibwe and a UW-Eau Claire graduate student. Free
Noon to 1 p.m., April 24 in the Presidents Room of Davies Center: "Brown Bag lunch presentation: Ojibwe Spirituality, Wisdom and Life Principles." Presented by Tony DePerry of the Northwestern Ontario Ojibwe. Free
4:30 to 5:30 p.m., April 26 in Schofield Auditorium: "Powwow Etiquette." Free
7 to 8 p.m., April 26 in Schofield Auditorium: "Poetry Reading by Anishinaabe poet Denise Sweet." Free
11 a.m., April 28 in Zorn Arena: "The 2007 Honoring Veterans Powwow." Hand Drum Competition, Men's fancy and grass dance specials, feast, recognition of veterans. Admission (including the feast) is $5 or free for children under 5 years-old and seniors over 55.
Be the first to comment on this story