Several events commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day will be taking place on WSU campuses the next two weeks.
Events on the Pullman campus begin Oct. 10 with a tipi assembling demonstration from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Todd Steps. Members of the public will be able to assist and prior experience is not required.
Staff outside of Todd Steps will also host a pizza fundraiser supporting Ku-ah-mah — the Native American Student Organization — from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Funds raised will support this year’s powwow.
In addition to these activities, the Native American Student Center and several student organizations will also be staffing tables and sharing information about upcoming events on Todd Steps from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day events on the Pullman campus will culminate with a keynote presentation on the significance of sweetgrass in Cree Culture from Lyman McGilvery, a member of the Saddle Lake First Nation. Lyman is a well-known cultural expert who gathers and weaves sweetgrass for community use in ceremonies and gifts. The event will be live-streamed on the Native American Programs website.
Several Indigenous students will participate in the event. Alesia Nez, Navajo, will provide the land acknowledgement, Keola Birano Jr., Native Hawaiian will read poetry and Nakia Cloud, Nez Perce and Cree, will introduce McGilvery.
Events on the Vancouver campus include the Federal Recognition and Indigenous Sovereignty regarding Chinook and Celilo Wyam struggle for self-determination. The events will feature Sam Robinson, vice chair of the Chinook Indian Tribe and Lana Jack, a Celilo Wyam activist. This event will take place Oct. 12 from 12:05 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. inside room 261 of the Vancouver campus library and will be broadcast via Zoom.
- Zoom Meeting ID: 983 7749 8753, Passcode: FederaRec
On Oct. 13, Native American Programs Coordinator Julian Ankney will be hosting two events inside room 260 of the WSU Vancouver Library as well as via Zoom.
- 10:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. “Free the Snake and Nimiipuu Canoe Project, A Healing Journey”
- Zoom Meeting ID: 914 0765 5014, Passcode: FreeTSnake
- 12:05 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. “Heart of the Monster, Nimiipuu Creation Story”
- Zoom Meeting ID: 959 9522 937, Passcode: HeartOTMo
And on Oct. 19, the WSU Pullman Reading Program will host a screening of “Smoke Screen”, a 1998 film that revolves around two young Coeur d’ Alene Indian men dealing with loss and the end of childhood innocence. The screening will begin at 4:30 p.m. inside room 202 of the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education.
For a complete list of events, see native.wsu.edu
