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Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month

Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month Banner

For Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month 2023, Northwestern is celebrating with 30 Days of Indigenous, a month-long series of programming, educational offerings and invitations to deepen engagement and learning. 

Each day includes invitations to celebrate, learn, advocate, and engage with the diverse and complex cultures, knowledges, traditions, and lived experiences of Native American and Indigenous Peoples. These daily doses are an invitation for everyone to invest their time and attention to Indigenous Peoples to raise awareness and visibility for Native American and Indigenous communities across campus. 

In 2021, we learned from traditional birch bark canoe maker, Wayne Valliere (LDF Ojibwe) that canoes carry culture. In the visuals created for NAIHM you will see canoes with flowers sprouting from them. Those flowers represent Indigenous knowledge, songs, stories, language and perspectives as they float along the water, our source of life, with care. As participants engage with programming throughout the month, we encourage all to consider the salient things that they may carry with them as they flow through life. 

Come to an event listed below or, on days when there isn't an event, engage with this website for a curation of self-guided opportunities to learn more about Indigenous Peoples! 

>Co-Sponsors:

30 Days of Indigenous Events

November 1 - Native Futures: Le’Ana Asher and Lydia Cheshewalla in Conversation

The Center for Native Futures “brings together Native artists to imagine ourselves richly, where art can provide a lens to learn from the past, nurture our present, and realize a thriving future” in the city of Zhegagoynak (Chicago in the Potawatomi language). 

 Meet artists Le’Ana Asher (Ojibwe); and Lydia Cheshewalla (Osage, Cherokee, Dakota, Modoc, Xicanx), both of whom have work installed in the Center for Native Futures’ inaugural exhibition Native Futures and their portraits by Rosalie Favell on view at the Block. Join us in learning more about these artists’ creative practices and the importance of fostering dynamic, expansive spaces for Indigenous arts and artists in Chicago. This conversation will be moderated by Lois Taylor Biggs (Cherokee Nation/White Earth Ojibwe), Rice Curatorial Fellow in Native American Art, Art Institute of Chicago, with welcome remarks from Center for Native Futures Co-founder and Director of Operations Monica Rickert-Bolter (Potawatomi/Black). 

This program is co-presented with the Center for Native Futures and Northwestern’s 30 Days of Indigenous. 

Programs are open to all, on a first-come first-served basis. RSVPs appreciated, but not required. 

November 2 - Land Acknowledgment

Background/Overview:  

According to the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG.org), a Land Acknowledgement is “a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.”  

“To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.” (http://www.lspirg.org/knowtheland)  

Native American Heritage Month 2023 

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we invite you to help spread awareness and reflection on Northwestern’s place in relation to the land. We invite you to offer a land acknowledgement in your workspace in whatever form is meaningful to you. You can offer a land acknowledgement at the beginning of a meeting or an event you are hosting. We have designed a flyer specifically for this occasion that we invite you to print or post wherever you’d like- in your department or building space (if you’re currently physically on campus), in your e-mail signature, on your website’s homepage. We even have a virtual zoom background that you can download and use. Please visit our land acknowledgement webpage here for all of this information.  If you’d like more resources for learning about land acknowledgements, you can visit this website: https://native-land.ca/territory-acknowledgement/   

NORTHWESTERN’s LAND Acknowledgement 

Education & Engagement Series:  

 Whether you are new to the topic or looking to deepen your understanding, each installment of this 4-part series offers additional perspectives, historical context, and actionable steps for understanding the potentially transformative power of land acknowledgments.  

 Land Acknowledgment Resource Page  

Additional layer of Northwestern’s history and context: 

Sand Creek Massacre  

On November 29th, 1864, while John Evans was governor of Colorado and territorial superintendent of Indian Affairs, a Cheyenne and Arapaho village along Sand Creek in the Colorado Territory was attacked by United States soldiers. Around 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho people were killed, most of them women, children and elders. 

The Sand Creek Massacre remains one of the worst atrocities committed by US soldiers in history and remains in the recent memory of Cheyenne and Arapaho people. As an institution founded by John Evans, it is within Northwestern University's obligation to assist the healing from these events.  Numerous events are held each year to learn about and learn from the Sand Creek Massacre, including a commemoration of the event held every November. 

Learn more about the tragedy of the Sand Creek Massacre and read first-hand accounts from U.S. soldiers, which helped lead to the establishment of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. 

“Names Matter”.  

The City of Evanston is named after John Evans. Read the Department of Interior’s announcement on the official renaming of Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky in Colorado. 

Report of the Native American Outreach and Inclusion Task Force 

University of Denver Task Force on Native American Inclusivity Report 

November 3 - Campus Walking with Relatives 

Join us for a campus walk led by a Northwestern community member. These walks will aid in building our relationships with the campus, beyond people and buildings, with our plant, animals, and more-than-human relatives. Open to all students, faculty, staff and community members. Walking the campus in this way will help (re)orient us to this land, which are the homelands of many Indigenous nations. Participants will gain a new perspective on the campus where they work, learn, and live. 

Weather can be unpredictable during this time of year, so please plan to dress accordingly.
 

November 4 - Books & Book Nook

  • Location: Level 1 of University Library 
  • Audience: Open to all

Across generations, storytelling has been a cherished tradition among Native Americans—an invaluable conduit for transmitting wisdom from one generation to the next. These narratives skillfully intertwine lessons, history, profound knowledge of the land, traditions, water, birds, and animals, safeguarding the rich tapestry of Indigenous culture. Our curated list spans a diverse range of genres, including academic writings, fiction, non-fiction, essays, memoirs, and poetry, crafted by some of the most esteemed Native American writers, thinkers, and storytellers. While not exhaustive, this compilation serves as an excellent entry point for those seeking to infuse Indigenous perspectives into their lives and bookshelves. 

Book Nook: 

Introducing a fresh initiative this year: The University Library's Book Nook is now showcasing a thoughtfully curated collection of Indigenous writers throughout the entire month. Swing by and explore our handpicked recommendations, featuring the powerful and captivating voices of Native and Indigenous authors. 

Highlights by Genre:  

Fiction 

There, There by Tommy Orange
Twelve Native Americans came to the Big Oakland Powwow for different reasons. Jacquie Red Feather is newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind in shame. Dene Oxendene is pulling his life together after his uncle's death and has come to work the powwow and to honor his uncle's memory. Edwin Frank has come to find his true father. Bobby Big Medicine has come to drum the Grand Entry. Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield has come to watch her nephew Orvil Red Feather. Orvil has taught himself Indian dance through YouTube videos, and he has come to the powwow to dance in public for the very first time. Tony Loneman is a young Native American boy whose future seems destined to be as bleak as his past, and he has come to the Powwow with darker intentions -- intentions that will destroy the lives of everyone in his path. 


Chicago’s One Book, One Chicago for 2023 We’ll be giving away copies all month long! 
 
Fantasy Fiction 

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. 

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man's mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain. 

Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade. 
 
Comics 

Deer Woman
This anthology features the work of more than a dozen Native women sharing stories of survival, empowerment, and healing. Edited by Elizabeth LaPensée and Weshoyot Alvitre and featuring the work of: Patty Stonefish, Allie Vasquez, Mia Casesa, Darcie Little Badger, Tara Ogaick, Kimberly Robertson, Barbara Kenmille, Maria Wolf Lopez, Tatum Bowie, Jackie Fawn, Rebecca Roanhorse, Carolyn Dunn, Nashoba Dunn-Anderson, and more, this anthology is an important addition to the current conversation about violence against women, especially Native women. 

Non-Fiction 

Making Love With the Land, by Josuha Whitehead
In prose that is evocative and sensual, unabashedly queer and visceral, raw and autobiographical, Joshua Whitehead writes of an Indigenous body in pain, coping with trauma. Intellectually audacious and emotionally compelling, Whitehead shares his devotion to the world in which we live and brilliantly-even joyfully-maps his experience on the land that has shaped stories, histories, and bodies from time immemorial.  

Poetry 

The Nightlife, Elise Paschen
In Elise Paschen's prize-winning poetry collection, Infidelities, Richard Wilbur wrote that the poems ." . . draw upon a dream life which can deeply tincture the waking world." In her third poetry book, The Nightlife, Paschen once again taps into dream states, creating a narrative which balances between the lived and the imagined life. Probing the tension between "The Elevated" and the "Falls," she explores troubled love and relationships, the danger of accident and emotional volatility. At the heart of the book is a dream triptych which retells the same encounter from different perspectives, the drama between the narrative described and the sexual tension created there. 

The Nightlife demonstrates Paschen's versatility and formal mastery as she experiments with forms such as the pantoum, the villanelle and the tritina, as well as concrete poems and poems in free verse. Throughout this poetry collection, she interweaves lyric and narrative threads, creating a contrapuntal story-line. The book begins with a dive into deep water and ends with an opening into sky. 

Academic 

The Arts and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in a Modernized Africa, Various Authors
This collection derives from a conference held in Pretoria, South Africa, and discusses issues of Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and the arts. It presents ideas about how to promote a deeper understanding of IKS within the arts, the development of IKS-arts research methodologies, and the protection and promotion of IKS in the arts. Knowledge, embedded in song, dance, folklore, design, architecture, theatre, and attire, and the visual arts can promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and it can improve communication. IKS, however, exists in a post-millennium, modernizing Africa. It is then the concept of post-Africanism that would induce one to think along the lines of a globalized, cosmopolitan and essentially modernized Africa. The book captures leading trends and ideas that could help to protect, promote, develop and affirm indigenous knowledge and systems, whilst also making room for ideas that do not necessarily oppose IKS, but encourage the modernization (not Westernization) of Africa. 

Children’s 
If you’re looking for a good choice for children’s books, check out the recommendations from Oyate. Oyate’s mission is to “review children’s literature and advocate for Native Americans/American Indians to be portrayed with historical accuracy, cultural appropriateness and without anti-Indian bias and stereotypes. 

Atika’s Medicine, by Maria DesJarlait
Atíka is a colorful, funny character who ends up using her talent of making the best fry bread on the rez from her house. This is all to raise money for Ayasha and her big sister Aiyanna’s school clothes and supplies. She shows her granddaughters how to get their point across positively about who they are. Their Atíka’s medicine is from their family’s strength. 

JoJo Makoons
In an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley, JoJo Makoons celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is. Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.

Support Native-owned bookstores! 

November 5 - Native Representations

Native American and Indigenous Peoples face hyper invisibility, by design, in the United States. Tulalip scholar Dr. Stephanie Fryberg discusses the “Power of Indigenous Representation” stating “the links between Indigenous representations, Native identification, and the ongoing prejudice and discrimination Indigenous Peoples face are powerful predictors of well-being. The ongoing use of Native mascots, for example, fuels anti-Native bias and perpetuates negative stereotypes of Natives. 

The Chicagoland area as well as throughout the State of Illinois are filled with all kinds of Native representations. According to “American Indian Sports Team Mascots”, there are approximately 180 "Indian" sports team tokens in schools throughout the state. More locally, Chicago hosts the Blackhawks NHL team. In 2020, the City of Chicago created a Monuments Committee to review the city’s collection of monuments that included 41 monuments that were released for public discussion due to presenting inaccurate and/or demeaning characterizations of American Indians.  

“Research demonstrates that these types of representations undermine the well-being of Native individuals and communities” Fryberg continues. “Native mascots, for instance, decrease self-esteem, community worth and academic aspirations, and increase stress, depression, and suicide ideation. In other words, these representations not only shape how non-Natives see and treat Native people, they also shape how Native people understand what is possible for themselves and their communities.” 

 IllumiNative is an organization that works to “... [amplify] contemporary Native voices, stories, and issues to advance justice, equity, and self-determination.” (illuminative.org). Their work includes conducting key research and creating helpful guides, such as this one on the “Power of Native Representation in Entertaintainment”. You can check out their other resources here: ILLUMINATIVE RESOURCES  

“When we increase visibility and reclaim historical truths, research demonstrates that Native people experience all kinds of benefits to psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction...” Fryberg states, “to truly do justice to contemporary Indigenous peoples, we must ensure that accurate Indigenous representations and histories are applied universally in education, politics, and the media.”  

Northwestern’s Medill, Center for Native American and Indigenous Research, and the Buffett Center Institute for Global Affairs are hosting a Film Screening and Discussion with co-producers of “Imagining the Indian” on Thursday, November 9, 2023 from 5pm – 9:00pm at the McCormick Foundation Center Forum. Reserve a spot here 

Imagining the Indian is a comprehensive examination of the movement to eradicate the words, images, and gestures that many Native Americans and their allies find demeaning and offensive. The film takes a deep-dive into the issues through archival footage and interviews with those involved in the fight. The psychological research is clear, the use of Native American mascots is detrimental, not only to Native people, but to marginalized groups everywhere. 

November 6 - Music

Through music, Native Americans celebrate life, tribal identity, and the survival of tribal culture. The definition, creation, performance, style, and purpose vary according to time and history, location, cultural values and tradition.  

Native American music  

Native American music consists primarily of songs, dances and musical instruments. While Native Americans use instruments in most of their music, they rarely play instrumental pieces, as singing is considered the most important part of the music, along with drumming.   

For centuries the heartbeat of the Native American culture has resonated through the beat of the Drum. Though various Native American tribes have different traditions regarding the Drum, in all of them it remains one of the most important and highly regarded instruments of the tribe. Some Drums are constructed of a wooden frame, or a carved and hollowed-out log, with deer, elk, horse or buffalo hides stretched taut across the opening by sinew thongs.  

Rusty Cozad, a Kiowa veteran of the Native American Drum, explains how singing with the Drum is about more than just the music it produces, how it is an honor to sit down and sing with the Drum, and what it means to those hearing the beat it produces, in this video. For some tribes, songs may play a vital role in ceremonies, with stories being retold and kept alive. These historical narratives vary widely from tribe to tribe and are an integral part of tribal identity.  

The film Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, highlights the many contributions Native Americans have made to popular music from artists such as, Link Wray, Robbie Robertson of The Band, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jimi Hendrix, Taboo of Black Eyed Peas, Mildred Bailey, and more.  

More Recommendations: 

November 7 - The Block Gallery Talk with Janet Dees 

Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Location: The Block Musuem 

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/745507752757?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Audience: Open to all

Join Janet Dees, the Steven and Lisa Munster Tananbaum Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Block Museum, for a gallery talk on the current exhibition: "Rosalie Favell: Indigenous Artists Facing the Camera." The exhibition features a selection from Favell's extensive archive, "Facing the Camera," which comprises over 500 photographs taken between 2008 and 2018 in North America and Australia. Additionally, the display includes new portraits that highlight the dynamic community of Indigenous artists in and around Chicago. Favell's work serves as a living visual history and a crucial intervention, expanding the visibility of contemporary Indigenous artists and arts professionals. 

November 8 - Food, Friends, and Fire with the Indigenous Graduate Student Collective 

 

  • Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Location: CNAIR House, 515 Clark Street, Evanston, IL 
  • Audience: Graduate Students and Friends 

This will be a space to share a meal, be in community, and reflect on the month. Bring your craft projects, stories, and friends! Co-sponsored by The Graduate School’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. 

November 9 - Imagining Indians Film Screening 

Sponsored by Northwestern Medill, NU Center for Native American and Indigenous Research and the Buffet Center Institute for Global Affairs 

Imagining the Indian is a comprehensive examination of the movement to eradicate the words, images, and gestures that many Native Americans and their allies find demeaning and offensive. The film takes a deep-dive into the issues through archival footage and interviews with those involved in the fight. The psychological research is clear, the use of Native American mascots is detrimental, not only to Native people, but to marginalized groups everywhere. 

Post-Screening Panelists: 

Medill Alumnus Kevin Blackistone (Co-Producer) 

Blackistone is a 1981 Medill BSJ and a longtime national sports columnist now at The Washington Post, a panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” a contributor to National Public Radio and co-author of “A Gift for Ron,” a memoir by former NFL star Everson Walls published in November 2009 about his kidney donation to one-time teammate Ron Springs. 

Aviva Kempner (Co-Director, Co-Producer) 

Kempner, a Washington, D.C.-based filmmaker, creates successful and critically acclaimed documentaries about under-known Jewish heroes and social justice. In 2019, she premiered her fifth commercially released film, “The Spy Behind Home Plate.” 

November 10 - Sand Creek Massacre Commemoration: Making Activity 

In the spirit of healing, the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Multicultural Students Affairs (MSA), and Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) invites our community to reflect on Northwestern's role in supporting the healing efforts of Cheyenne and Arapaho communities. We will be making tobacco ties, custom pins, and a banner that will be used for the Procession planned for November 20, 2023. 

Join us in this 3-part series to learn about the Sand Creek Massacre and Northwestern’s place in this history.  Join us at one or all three events. 

November 10 - Immigration and Indigeneity in the US: Changing Landscapes and Emerging Issues – A Workshop

Funded by the US Department of State’s Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF) Award, CNAIR, and MSA, this workshop recognizes that the changing practical and policy landscapes (and their attendant challenges) can create practical barriers to direct service providers supporting immigrant communities, researchers focused on refugee communities and direct service provision, and immigrant and Indigenous communities themselves. With this recognition, this workshop aims to respond to changing landscapes and emerging challenges by fostering dedicated time and space to create organizational and cross-organizational dialogue and responses, create greater synergy between service providers and researchers, and enhance actors’ and communities’ capacities and preparedness to respond and support. This workshop from November 10-11 will prove to be a central space to convene and respond. 

On November 10, the workshop will center two keynotes from Dr. S. B. West and Alexandra Rodriguez (see posters below) while hosting panels that lift up service providers working to support immigrant communities in Chicagoland and across the US. The event will be catered both days, and space is limited. For NU students, faculty, and staff, please complete this form to register your interest in attending. If you are or know of another organization outside of NU that could benefit from attending or presenting, please fill out this form. Priority will be given to students, faculty, and staff with lived experience related to the topics and themes of the workshop. 

November 11 - Immigration and Indigeneity: Emerging Issues and Changing Landscapes

Funded by the US Department of State’s Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF) Award, CNAIR, and MSA, this workshop recognizes that the changing practical and policy landscapes (and their attendant challenges) can create practical barriers to direct service providers supporting immigrant communities, researchers focused on refugee communities and direct service provision, and immigrant and Indigenous communities themselves. With this recognition, this workshop aims to respond to changing landscapes and emerging challenges by fostering dedicated time and space to create organizational and cross-organizational dialogue and responses, create greater synergy between service providers and researchers, and enhance actors’ and communities’ capacities and preparedness to respond and support. This workshop from November 10-11 will prove to be a central space to convene and respond. 

On November 11, the workshop will be for students only and center student opportunities to research and engage, including sessions on identifying funding for research in the US and abroad, managing burnout, and action. The event will be catered both days, and space is limited. For NU students, faculty, and staff, please complete this form to register your interest in attending. If you are or know of another organization outside of NU that could benefit from attending or presenting, please fill out this form. Priority will be given to students, faculty, and staff with lived experience related to the topics and themes of the workshop. 

November 12 - Postcard to the 7th Generation

  • All Month Long 
  • Location: University Library Information Commons 

As stated in the Haudenosaunee's Great Law of Peace, the Seventh Generation Principle asks us to consider in our every deliberation, the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations. The Great Law of Peace is the foundation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the oldest participatory democracy on Earth. This way of thinking encourages decision-making that looks beyond short-term benefits in favor of decisions that will have a positive impact on the faces that have yet to come. It asks us to take into consideration the land, water, plants, animals, and people before we make major decisions.  

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, consider the impact you can have on future generations by stopping by the University Library Information Commons and filling out a Postcard to the 7th Generation. As you do, consider what commitment can you make to the descendants of this generation to ensure that you leave the world in better shape than the one you inherited?  

Co-sponsored by Northwestern University Libraries. 

November 13 - Sand Creek Massacre Commemoration: Film Screening & Discussion 

In the spirit of healing, the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Multicultural Students Affairs (MSA), Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI), and the Center for Native American & Indigenous Research (CNAIR) invites our community to reflect on Northwestern's role in supporting the healing efforts of Cheyenne and Arapaho communities. We will be screening the film “Only the Mountains and the Earth” and a CNAIR Faculty affiliate will help lead a discussion following the screening. After the event, we will gathering outside of the Block Museum to smudge and be in community as needed.  

 Join us in a 3-part series to learn about the massacre and Northwestern’s place in this history.  Join us in one or all three events. 

November 14 - Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Book Club: Seeing Red: Indigenous Land, American Expansion, and the Political Economy of Plunder in North America (2022)

NAIS is launching a quarterly book club in an effort to bring together and build intellectual community among students, faculty, and staff. Discussion will be facilitated by Prof Doug Kiel (History) and Prof Megan Bang (SESP/CNAIR Director). Dinner will be served. You can access the online book through this library link: https://www-jstor-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/stable/10.5149/9781469664866_witgen 

November 15 - NU Dining Event

  • Time: 11:00am – 1:00pm
  • Location: Norris University Center, Ground Floor
  • Audience: Open to all

Join us on Thursday, November 15th, from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm for NU Dining’s Native American Heritage Celebration on the ground floor at Norris. 

 Enjoy small bites from guest chef, Executive Chef Walks First Jessica Pamonicutt of Ketapanen Kitchen as well as a Drum and dance performance. 

November 16 - NAIHM Craft Circle

 Come be part of our craft circle! A member of the Northwestern community will guide us through a creative art-making session. Bring along any crafts you're currently immersed in—we'll craft together in the spirit of community. Lunch will be served or bring your own. 
  
This session, we will be making Corn Husk Dolls with Aaron Golding (Seneca Nation). 

November 16 - Exploring American Indian Law: Past, Present and Future

In honor of National Native American Month, please join us for a presentation on American Indian Law with Professor Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Harry Burns Hutchins Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Professor Fletcher teaches and writes in the areas of fereral Indian law, American Indian tribal law, Anishinaabe legal and political philosophy, consititional law, federal courts, and legal ethics. A member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Professor Fletcher is also the chief justice and an appellate jusge of several Indian Tribes. Among other notable accomplishments, Professor Fletcher's scholarship and advocacy has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court on several occaisions. Lund will be provided.

 


This session, we will be making Corn Husk Dolls with Aaron Golding (Seneca Nation). 

November 17 - Smudging and Feast

 

Smudging is the practice of burning sage and/or other medicines for cleansing, purifying and healing purposes. Join us for a smudging ceremony led by a Northwestern community member. It is a chance to come together as a community to prepare for the days ahead and is a great start to Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month. Students, faculty and staff are all welcome to attend. Lunch will be served. 

November 18 - Indigenous Recipes

As the weather turns colder, consider making some of these recipes to warm the soul. 

The recipes below use ingredients indigenous to North America that were/are used by Native Peoples prior to contact with Europeans. For example, corn, first cultivated thousands of years ago, is a sacred plant and featured heavily in the creation stories and traditions of many Native communities. As Robin Wall Kimmerer says in an essay about corn, “In my own Potawatomi language, we say mandamin, or the Wonderful Seed. The scientific name is Zea mays, “mays” referring to the Taino name that Columbus recorded in his journal when first tasting “a sort of grain which they call mahiz, which very well tasted when boiled, roasted, or made into porridge.” Mahiz, meaning the “Bringer of Life,” became the word maize in English. These indigenous names honor maize as the center of culture and reflect a deeply respectful relationship between people and the one who sustains them.”   

Events 

  • Northwestern Dining Event, Details TBD 

Indigenous Food Producers  

More Information/Resources  

Recipes 

Hunters Stew Wóle Wičháša Waháņpi Tȟáwa (Sean Sherman)  

Ingredients:  

  • 1 ounce dried wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, trumpet, or morels  
  • 1 cup boiling water  
  • 3 Tablespoons sunflower oil  
  • 2½ to 3 pounds bear, lamb, or bison, cut into 2-inch cubes  
  • Coarse salt  
  • Crushed juniper  
  • 3 wild onions or 1 large leek, white part, trimmed  
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped  
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano  
  • 2 teaspoons sumac to taste  
  • 1 cup Corn or Bison Stock  

Directions:  

  1. Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Soak about 20 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.  
  1. In a large, heavy pot, heat the sunflower oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat pieces in batches, seasoning with salt and juniper. Be careful not to crowd the pan. Cook each batch about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the browned meat to a platter.  
  1. Reduce the heat and add the onions, mushrooms, oregano and sumac, and sauté until the onion is soft and the mushrooms release some of their liquid, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped, reconstituted wild mushrooms and the soaking liquid and the stock, stirring to dislodge any brown bits that stick to the pan.  
  1. Return the meat to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving.  
     

Wild Rice Salad (The late Kermit Valentino c/o Pam Silas)  

Ingredients:  

  • 2 cup wild rice, rinsed  
  • 1 teaspoon salt  
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or craisins  
  • 3/4 cup pecans, or walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped  
  • 1/4 cup (or to taste) real maple syrup  

Directions:  

  1. Add rice, salt and 6 ½ cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil.   
  1. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer until rice is done, about 50 minutes.  
  1. Transfer rice to strainer to drain any excess water, set aside to cool.  
  1. Combine rice with cranberries, crasins, pecans, syrup, then serve.  
     

Coal Roasted Gete Okosomin Bisque (Karlos Baca)  

Ingredients:  

For Soup:  

  • 6 cups gete okosomin squash (or use butternut squash as a substitute)  
  • 2 cups purslane or 2 teaspoons purslane powder  
  • 1 teaspoon crushed juniper berry (seed removed)  
  • 1 cup wild plums (pitted)  
  • 1 tablespoon biscuit root (grated)  
  • 1 tablespoon wild onion flower (dried)  
  • 2 teaspoons salt (divided in half)  
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower Oil  
  • 2 cups water  

For Toppings:  

  • 4 dehydrated squash blossoms  
  • 1 teaspoon 3 leaf sumac  
  • 1 teaspoon wild amaranth seed  
  • 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds  
  • 1 teaspoon calendula petals  

Directions:  

  1. Remove seeds from squash and season cavity with Purslane, Juniper, and Salt. Roast squash directly in hot coals, rotating often, until soft. Remove from coals and cut off blackened exterior. Cut into large chunks.  
  1. In a pot, cast iron preferable, add Sunflower Oil, Squash, Wild Plum, Biscuit Root, Wild Onion Flowers, and Salt. Sautèe until browned and deglaze with water. Reduce liquid by half and remove from heat.  
  1. Add squash mixture to blender and liquefy. (Add small increments of water if necessary to create creamy consistency)  
  1. Salt to taste.  
  1. Distribute evenly between four bowls and top with 3 Leaf Sumac, Wild Amaranth Seed, Squash Blossom, Pumpkin Seed, and Calendula Petals.  
  1. ENJOY!  
     

3 Sisters Harvest Vegetable Soup (from Iroquois White Corn Project)  

Ingredients:  

  • 2 cups Hulled White Corn, cooked/prepared ahead  
  • 15 oz. can of kidney or pinto beans  
  • 32 oz. vegetable broth  
  • 2  15 oz. cans diced tomatoes  
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil  
  • 1 cup onion, chopped   
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped  
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced   
  • 1 teaspoon basil  
  • 1 teaspoon cumin  
  • 2 cups winter squash, peeled and cubed  
  • ½ cup carrots, diced  
  • 1 cup parsnips, cubed  
  • Salt and pepper to taste  

Directions:  

  1. Prepare ahead Iroquois Hulled White Corn. See directions here.  
  1. Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add onions, celery and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes on low heat.  
  1. Add basil and cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Add squash, carrots, parsnips and tomatoes. Simmer until tender. Add beans and corn, simmer for another 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. 

November 19 - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic (MMIWG)

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic (MMIWG) is an issue currently affecting Indigenous people in Canada and the United States. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was established in September 2016 in Canada. The final report was released on June 3, 2019. 

Here in the United States, the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), a tribal epidemiology center, studied the number and dynamics of cases of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in cities across the United States.  This study sought to assess why obtaining data on this violence is so difficult, how law enforcement agencies are tracking and responding to these cases, and how media is reporting on them. The study’s intention was to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the MMIWG crisis in urban American Indian and Alaska Native communities and the institutional practices that allow them to disappear not once, but three times—in life, in the media, and in the data.  In 2019, the UIHI released a report MMIWG: We Demand More. It calls for government agencies to do better for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. View the toolkit here. 

The United States Congress declared May 5, as “National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.” The resolution was sponsored by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) The National Day of MMIWG awareness is designated on Hanna Harris’ birthday, a Northern Cheyenne member who was murdered in July 2013.  

 #MMIW, #MMIWG and #MMIWG2S  

The abbreviations stand for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and Missing and Murdered Women, Girls and 2-Spirit People, respectively. These hashtags are one of the many ways in which Indigenous peoples have been raising awareness about the epidemic of extreme violence against their women and girls. 

For additional information: 

Lakota People’s Law Project 

Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) 

Website to compile MMIP cases launched by Blackfeet Community College 

Addressing the Epidemic of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls 

November 20 - Sand Creek Massacre Commemoration: Procession and Fire 

  • Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM 
  • Procession Starts at: Evans Alumni Center, 1800 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 
  • Procession Finishes at: Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (515 Clark St, Evanston) 
  • RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/745470130227?aff=oddtdtcreator 
  • Audience: Open to all

We will walk about 0.7 miles and end at the CNAIR house at 515 Clark Street for a fire, reflection, and warm drinks.  

In the spirit of healing, the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Multicultural Students Affairs (MSA), and Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) invites our community to reflect on Northwestern's role in supporting the healing efforts of Cheyenne and Arapaho communities. Join us in a 3-part series to learn about the massacre and Northwestern’s place in this history. 

Weather can be unpredictable during this time of year, so please plan accordingly. There are no stairs along the walking route, and it follows a paved concrete path, however, the route ends on a lawn with grass and some uneven ground. 

Short option: Meet in front of the John Evans Alumni Center (1800 Sheridan Road) for remarks and then head 300ft west down Clark St to meet the group outside of the CNAIR House (515 Clark Street) 

November 21 - Contemporary Art 

Spend the day immersing yourself in the work of some brilliant contemporary Native American artists. Today we are celebrating artists that both pay homage to the long history of artwork in many Native American communities and disrupts settler expectations of what is considered Native American art.  

The Center for Native Futures is the only all-Native artist-led arts non-profit organization in Zhegagoynak (Chicago). They promote the advancement of Native fine arts, foster contemporary artists, and encourage Indigenous Futurists. Located in the Marquette Building, our art center hosts gallery exhibitions, artist-in-residencies, and community events throughout the year. The Center for Native Futures brings together Native artists to imagine ourselves richly, where art can provide a lens to learn from the past, nurture our present, and realize a thriving future. 

Rosalie Favell is a photo-based artist, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Drawing inspiration from her family history and Métis (Cree/English) heritage, she uses a variety of sources, from family albums to popular culture, to present a complex self-portrait of her experiences as a contemporary aboriginal woman. 

Currently her exhibition, Rosalie Favell: Indigenous Artists Facing the Camera is on display through December 3, 2023 at The Block Museum. This exhibition consists of 115 black and white portraits that speak loudly of the broad diversity of Indigenous people engaged in the arts and cultural community. The exhibition draws from the artist’s monumental archive "Facing the Camera," consisting of more than 500 photographs taken between 2008 and 2018 in North America and Australia, as well as a selection of new portraits showcasing the vibrant and thriving community of Indigenous artists based in and near Chicago. Favell’s work is a living visual history and a critical intervention in expanding the visibility of contemporary Indigenous artists and arts professionals. 

Kira Murillo  (Shoshone-Bannock, Pima)  

Kira Murillo is an indigenous tattoo artist from the Shoshone-Bannock tribe in Fort Hall, ID who is seeking to bring about community change through her art. 

Ken Williams Jr (Northern Arapaho, Cattaraugus Seneca) 

Ken Williams Jr. began his career at an early age, experimenting as a self-taught artist who learned by observing family and friends. He completed his BA in museum studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe (2007) and while there took beadwork classes from noted beadwork artist Teri Greeves. Since 2003 he has been participating in the Southwest Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) Annual Indian Market, Santa Fe and since 2006 at the Heard Museum Annual Indian Market and Festival, Phoenix. William’s work has been widely exhibited and garnered many awards. (from Shiprock Santa Fe) 

Teri Greeves (Kiowa) 

Teri Greeves is a beadworker. She has been beading since she was about 8 years old. She is compelled to do it. She has no choice in the matter. She must express herself and her experience as a 21st Century Kiowa and she does it, like all those unknown artists before her, through beadwork. And though her medium may be considered “craft” or “traditional,” her stories are from the same source as the voice running through the first Kiowa beadworker's needles. It is the voice of her grandmothers. 

Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) 

Gregg Deal is a provocative contemporary artist who challenges Western perceptions of Indigenous people, touching on issues of race, history and stereotypes. Through his work—paintings, murals work, performance art, filmmaking and spoken word—Deal critically examines issues and tells stories of decolonization and appropriation that affect Indian country. Deal’s activism exists in his art, as well as his participation in political movements. He has been heavily involved with the media activist movement #changethename, posting a video to Vimeo inviting Indigenous people’s commentary on the sports mascots issue in response to mainstream media’s attempted erasure of Indigenous voices. (from Atlantic Center for the Arts) 

Wendy Red Starr (Apsáalooke) 

Artist Wendy Red Star works across disciplines to explore the intersections of Native American ideologies and colonialist structures, both historically and in contemporary society. Raised on the Apsáalooke (Crow) reservation in Montana, Red Star’s work is informed both by her cultural heritage and her engagement with many forms of creative expression, including photography, sculpture, video, fiber arts, and performance. An avid researcher of archives and historical narratives, Red Star seeks to incorporate and recast her research, offering new and unexpected perspectives in work that is at once inquisitive, witty and unsettling. Intergenerational collaborative work is integral to her practice, along with creating a forum for the expression of Native women’s voices in contemporary art. 

Elisa Harkins (Cherokee, Muscogee) 

Elisa Harkins is a Native American (Cherokee/Muscogee) artist and composer originally hailing from Miami, Oklahoma. Her work is concerned with translation, language preservation, and Indigenous musicology. Harkins uses the Muscogee and Cherokee languages, electronic music, sculpture, and the body as her tools. She has exhibited her work at The Broad Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, documenta 14, The Hammer Museum, MCA Chicago, MOCA North Miami, and Vancouver Art Gallery.  

Will Wilson (Dine´) 

Will Wilson’s body of photographic work stimulates a critical dialogue and reflection around the historical and contemporary “photographic exchange” as it pertains to Native Americans.  His aim is to convene with and invite indigenous artists, arts professionals, and tribal governance to engage in the performative ritual that is the studio portrait.  This experience is intensified and refined by the use of large format (8x10) wet plate collodion studio photography. This beautifully alchemic photographic process dramatically contributed to the collective understanding of Native American people and, in so doing, an American identity. 

More Artist 

November 22 - Film

Genuine portrayal of Native Americans in film and media is pivotal, providing a meaningful reflection for Native individuals to see themselves authentically depicted while simultaneously dismantling stereotypical and harmful narratives perpetuated for non-Native audiences. And article from 2022 that appeared in The Guardian wrote, “For years, invisibility has been the rule for Indigenous Americans in pop culture. Until the first-season premieres of Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs in 2021, Indigenous people had been virtually absent from television both in front of and behind the camera – less than 1% of all TV roles during the 2019-2020 season, only 1.1% of working TV staff writers and 0.8% of employed screenwriters, according to the 2021 Hollywood Diversity Report by UCLA.”  Delve into the insights of The Guardian's article, which thoroughly explores the emerging wave of Indigenous filmmakers and television creators, shedding light on the significance of authentic representation for Indigenous Peoples in the realm of storytelling. 

Then, check out some incredible films and television shows by Native artists. Below are a sample to get you started. 

November 23 - Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be a complicated time for Native Americans in this country. Celebrating with loved ones and offering thanks to the land, water, animals, and people that sustain our lives and home is a core value of many Native communities. However, Thanksgiving can place Native Americans in the past while not paying much consideration for contemporary Indigenous Peoples. School reenactments, arts and crafts projects, and false narratives can make this time triggering for Native Peoples. 

“Most texts and supplementary materials portray Native Americans at the gathering as supporting players. They are depicted as nameless, faceless, generic “Indians” who merely shared a meal with the intrepid Pilgrims. The real story is much deeper, richer, and more nuanced. The Indians in attendance, the Wampanoag, played a lead role in this historic encounter, and they had been essential to the survival of the colonists during the newcomers’ first year. The Wampanoag were a people with a sophisticated society who had occupied the region for thousands of years. They had their own government, their own religious and philosophical beliefs, their own knowledge system, and their own culture. They were also a people for whom giving thanks was a part of daily life.”1 

This year, in addition to giving thanks, spending time with family, eating turkey, and watching football, consider your relationships with the land, water animals, community, and your relationships with the people that have been here since time immemorial.  

Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address 

 For many years, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy) have been offering thanks to all of the more-than-human relatives that support our world. This address is offered before large events and social gatherings and is a way to remind us that we are but one of many on this planet. Thanks are given to the waters, the land, the plants, medicines, berries, strawberries, animals, the earth, thunders, four winds, and the Creator. This practice helps to remind the Haudenosaunee that our lives are entangled with every life on this world and that we need to be thankful and nurture those relationships.  

National Day of Mourning 

 In, 1970 Wamasutta, also known as Frank James, was asked to deliver a speech to the descendants of Pilgrims during their annual Thanksgiving celebration. Wamasutta accepted and wrote a speech on the early encounters between Pilgrims and Wampanoag and the historical and continued oppression that resulted from those encounters. When they asked to see a draft of the speech prior to Wamasutta delivering it, the descendants were shocked. They expected as speech that celebrated and furthered the dominant narrative around Thanksgiving. This was not the speech they were expecting to hear and they asked him to rewrite it. When Wamasutta refused, they rescinded their offer to have him speak. This resulted in Wamasutta declaring a National Day of Mourning and organizing a protest. The National Day of Mourning continues to take place on the 4th Thursday of November.  

More Recommendations:  

Links to resources 

November 24 - Supporting Native American Businesses

Online shops 

Cherokee entrepreneur, Gary Davies, describes entrepreneurship as “one of the most traditional activities in [the Native American] community -- trading and working together through commerce.” Tribal nations and individuals have engaged in economic development for centuries. Still today, tribal nations and individuals are continuing these practices “to sustain and create engagement between not just their own individual communities but also abroad”. Despite misconceptions, contemporary tribal businesses do not only include casinos. There are countless of tribal-owned companies and organizations in areas such as hospitality, tourism, retail, energy, real estate, and transportation, just to name a few. A number of these companies have online shops where owners can reach a wider audience and tap into the trillion-dollar e-commerce market, boosting economic development within Indigenous communities.  

Quick Fact:  

In order to protect both Native American artists as well as buyers of Native American art, Congress created a truth-in-advertising law, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, to prevent any art or craft to be marketed in a way that “falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States”. https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act. Read “Who you’re insulting when you buy Native-American-inspired things" by Connie Wang.  The markets listed below are all Native American owned enterprises.  

Highlights:  

Food & Food Sovereignty 

  • Nawapo (From their website) We are nawapo.com, meaning “to take provisions along” in Ojibwe. We are here to serve both the buyers and the sellers. Our mission is to provide a safe and reputable place for people looking to purchase authentic Native American goods and wares. Often, when we search for Native American goods, we don’t know who they are made by, if they’re coming from overseas or if someone is appropriating Native cultural designs. When you purchase with us, you can know that you are supporting real people and that the quality is guaranteed by our vetting process. We also want to give creators simple solutions for getting their product to the public. 
  • Bedré Chocolates, owned by the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, is the only Native American tribe to create its own brand of fine chocolate 

Clothing/Textiles 

  • Beyond Buckskin is a website and business dedicated to promoting and selling Native American made fashion, headed by Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa). 
  • B.YELLOWTAIL- is a Native American owned fashion & accessories brand that specializes in storytelling through wearable art. Founded by Bethany Yellowtail (Crow (Apsaalooke) & Northern Cheyenne (Tsetsehestahese & So’taeo’o) Nations).  
  • Ginew is the first Native American-owned denim collection. This family business was founded by Amanda Bruegl – Oneida, Stockbridge-Munsee and Erik Brodt – Ojibwe. 
  • The NTVS is for everyone who supports indigenous culture. They want you to buy authentic “Native made” designs opposed to knock-off indigenous art you find at big box stores and online. 

Wool Blankets 

Dream Warriors, Indigenous Management Company made up of a collective of Indigenous artists who believe in pursuing passions, dreams, and gifts to better loved ones and communities while also uplifting others 

Buy Native: Support Local  

Check out Beyond Buckskin’s list of Native-owned artists. Areas include:  

Finally, if you are a Native American entrepreneur, check out the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois 

November 25 - Campus Art and Exhibits  

There are some amazing museums around the world that highlight Indigenous communities and art, such as Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center in New York, the Heard Museum in Arizona, and of course, the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. There are even some local museums such as the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, the Trickster Art Gallery in Schaumburg, or the Field Museum in Chicago (where the Native American Hall is undergoing renovation as we speak!). However, there are also several resources right here on Northwestern’s campus for opportunities to engage with learning about Native Peoples from past to present. Beyond formal exhibits, there are also little nuggets of Indigenous representation that can be found on the walls throughout campus. While some of the art is temporarily showcased, other exhibits are permanently displayed. Below you will find a list of some of the places you can visit throughout campus. 

Key Facts 

The University is undertaking several steps to promote learning about John Evans, his past and to work toward the present and future wellbeing of Cheyenne and Arapaho people and of the Native peoples on whose homelands the University sits. Evans, one of the co-founders of Northwestern and a long-time member of its Board of Trustees, served as Governor of Colorado Territories from 1862–65, a role that included acting as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. It was during this time, that the bloody Sand Creek Massacre occurred in which scores of Cheyenne and Arapaho people, mostly women and children, were slaughtered by a volunteer army regiment. Northwestern University acknowledges this fact as well as the multi-generational trauma that the Sand Creek Massacre caused for Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. A comprehensive exhibit about Evans and his role in the massacre will be created for display in the John Evans Center, the building located at the corner of Clark Street and Sheridan Road. 

Highlight 

Indigenous Tour of Northwestern 

Led by Dr. Patty Loew and a team of students and faculty, an Indigenous Tour of Northwestern was launched on October 14, Indigenous Peoples Day 2019. It is a virtual walking tour that facilitates learning about Native people, places, and initiatives that connect to Northwestern University including the first Native doctors and dentists, 1903 football game against the Carlisle Indian School, "Rights of Nature" and the food sovereignty movement. You can take this tour by downloading the app or visiting the weblink here. Even for those joining from across the globe, the virtual Indigenous Tour of Northwestern is a great option to engage with historical and contemporary issues within the Native American community.  

More Recommendations: 

  • The James L. Allen Center (bonus: this is also a stop on the Indigenous Tour) houses one of the largest collections of Inuit art in the Midwest. If individuals or small groups would like to visit the Allen Center to view the art, they can make arrangements via e-mail with Gina Green, Program Manager and the Custodian of the art collection for Kellogg, at ggreen@kellogg.northwestern.edu. All visits are by appointment only and must be made in advance, on weekdays during normal business hours.  
  • Rebecca Crown Center, West Tower, 1st Floor, has a temporary display of an eight-portrait collection of paintings by Chares King Bird. These portraits were included as lithographs in Thomas McKenney and James Hall’s three-volume series History of the Indian Tribes of North America, first published in 1837. King painted leaders from myriad Native Nations while they were in Washington DC on diplomatic missions to the United States. This collection is on loan from the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research and was originally donated by alumna LaVonne Brown Ruoff (SESP53, GSESP54, 66). 
  • Women’s Center- 2nd Floor Library has framed prints of photos of women taken by Swinomish and Tulalip photographer Matika Wilbur. Learn more about using their space for your meetings or gatherings.  
  • The Block Museum- Tour their online collection of over 6,000 artworks (and their Looking 101 Exhibition if you missed our November 14th event).  
  • The Multicultural Center, 1st floor, has a large, framed print of the 1833 Treaty of Chicago and portraits of Pokagon Potawatomi chiefs 

 

November 26 - Social Media Accounts to Follow 

November 27 - Harvest: Indigenous Discussions

Students, Faculty, and Staff are welcome to join MSA for Harvest: Indigenous Discussions. This event serves as a quarterly opportunity for us to come together in community to talk about issues relevant to Indian Country from across Turtle Island and NU’s campus. We will share a meal and dig into the theme of Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month around being a good relative. Food will be served! 

November 28 - Lunch & Learn: Centering Indigenous Student Voices

 Aaron Golding will share his presentation, Centering Indigenous Student Voices: Utilizing a New Demographic Approach to Understand the Experience of Native and Indigenous Students at Northwestern. Through revisiting who is counted as Native or Indigenous, we have recompiled existing demographic data, and now are able to reassess large institutional surveys to better understand the Native and Indigenous student experience at NU. During this presentation, we will spotlight trends relevant to the Native student experience and provide a platform for colleagues to engage in discussion. Lunch will be served. 

 

November 29 - Queers & Crafting

Time:  2:00pm-6:00pm 

Location: Gender & Sexuality Resource Center, Foster-Walker Complex, House 5, 1927 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201 

Audience: Students 

Take a bi-weekly break from your studies to connect with each other and most importantly, connect with yourself through creative expression. Swing by the GSRC for free craft making in the Makers Space. Stay for 15 minutes or for hours. All students are welcome to join for a free craft you get to take home! Supplies are limited! 

 The GSRC is a dedicated student community space and resource hub for Northwestern students that center's our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual student communities! 

November 30 - Beyond Native American Heritage Month  

In 1990, November was officially designated as “National American Indian Heritage Month” through a joint resolution approved by President George H. W. Bush. According to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Native American Heritage Month is “an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.”  

Northwestern’s Multicultural Student Affairs began celebrating Native American Heritage Month in 2015 through a variety of events, including guest speakers, panel discussions, films, social gatherings, theatrical performances and literary forums, just to name a few. For the second year, teamed with departments and units across the university, Northwestern celebrated “30 Days of Indigenous” with a month-long series of programming, educational offerings and invitations to deepen engagement and learning. The daily opportunities honored Indigenous history and past, celebrated their present and future, engaged the diversity and complexity of lived experiences within communities, and aimed to raise awareness and visibility for Native American and Indigenous communities across campus. While the University remains remote, this celebration offers an opportunity to continue to deepen learning and community engagement with Indigenous Peoples.   

 

Here are a few ways you can continue to engage with the Native American and Indigenous community at Northwestern and beyond throughout the rest of the year: