Sovereignty, Memory, and Ritual
Explore Unit 1
30 Days of Indigenous Syllabus
Welcome, and welcome back. This November, Native American and Indigenous Affairs (NAIA) and the Education Team invite you to explore, create, and engage with Indigenous knowledge, art, and community through four interconnected themes.
Joined us last year? Here is what’s new in 2026.
- Same core library. The readings, films, podcasts, and learning goals you know are still here.
- New reflection prompts throughout. Last year we asked what do we choose to remember? This year we ask a follow-up: what are we responsible for? The prompts focus on relationship and reciprocity: with land, with stories, with one another, and with the futures we are building.
- New and reworked Make activities. More of them are made together, shared back, or connected to a local museum, library, or community partner.
- New events, now sorted by theme. Every event is new for 2026 and sits inside the unit it connects to, so you can follow one thread across the month. The full calendar is below, including events from Chicago-area museums and community organizations and a few you can join online.
Units:
- Communal Care and Wellness: Discover traditional and contemporary approaches to healing, community care, and environmental stewardship, and consider how these practices are preserved, adapted, and passed forward.
- Visual Media and Narrative Art: Experience the power of Indigenous storytelling across multiple forms, from traditional arts to digital futures, examining how creative expression becomes a living archive of experience and imagination.
- Sovereignty: Examine how Indigenous nations maintain and assert their rights to self-determination, education, and cultural preservation, and explore whose stories get told, remembered, and carried into the future.
- Indigenous Futurism: Imagine possibilities where Indigenous knowledge shapes sustainable solutions for tomorrow, treating memory not only as backward-looking but as a generative force for what could be.
This learning journey is yours to shape. Developed collaboratively by NAIA and the Education Team, this syllabus brings together programming, scholarship, and creative opportunities that center Indigenous voices and perspectives. Think of it as a constellation of opportunities rather than a fixed path. Follow your curiosity, attend what speaks to you, and engage in ways that feel meaningful. As you move through these materials, consider: What relationships am I already in, with this land, its peoples, and its stories? What responsibilities come with what I am learning? What will I do next?
Whether you have 30 minutes or 30 days, whether you’re drawn to hands-on workshops or quiet reflection, there’s space for you here. Each theme offers multiple ways to engage:
- Read: Explore writings from Indigenous authors and scholars
- Watch: Experience films, documentaries, and digital stories
- Listen: Immerse yourself in music, podcasts, and oral histories
- Make: Create art, write, design, and craft responses, alone or with others
- Experience: Attend events, visit exhibitions, and participate in community gatherings
- Document: Reflect on your journey and share what resonates
Events take place on Northwestern’s campus, in Evanston and Chicago, and online. Connect with others, share your reflections, and become part of ongoing conversations about Indigenous memory, communal care, and the futures we’re building together.
Begin anywhere. Return often. Notice your relationships. Let your journey unfold.
Events and Programs
Events take place both on Northwestern's campus and in surrounding communities, creating opportunities for learning through direct engagement. Connect with others, share your reflections, and become part of ongoing conversations about Indigenous justice, communal care, and solidarity.
Syllabus Units
Begin anywhere. Return often. Let your journey unfold.
Keep up with all the events and activities on the syllabus!
Sign up here to receive an email once a week throughout November.
Sign Up