Events celebrating and honoring Native American Heritage Month are taking place across the Washington State University system throughout November.
The WSU community can enjoy events ranging from meals centered on traditional ingredients to talks and film screenings revolving around the cultures and histories of regional Tribes and Native Nations.
A virtual lecture examining WSU’s Land-Grant history, the appropriation of Native American lands, and how communities can strive for a more equitable future will be given from 3–4:30 p.m. Nov. 6 by Zoe Higheagle Strong, vice provost for Native American Relations and Programs & Tribal Liaison to the President. Registration is available online, with the event open to all members of the WSU community.
The first Native American Heritage Month event of November is happening later this week with the First Friday Feed from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Native American Student Center on the WSU Pullman campus. On Saturday, the WSU Alumni Association’s Ku-au-mah Alumni Society is sponsoring a tailgating event featuring food from Indigenous Eats from 2–5 p.m. at the Vogel Plant Biosciences Building. Those planning to attend can RSVP on the Office of Tribal Relations website.
Both the WSU Pullman and WSU Spokane campuses have additional events planned for their campus communities later in the month:
WSU Pullman
- Nov. 3 — First Friday Feed at the Native American Student Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Nov. 6 — Covenant of the Salmon People film screening with Q&A beginning at 6 p.m. inside the Compton Union Building Auditorium.
- Nov. 7 — Thanksgiving Talk, hosted by Ryan Booth, a postdoctoral fellow at WSU Pullman and a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe of northwestern Washington, from noon–1 p.m. inside room 434 of Todd Hall.
- Nov. 8 — Preparing for Tribal Engagement in Research at noon with Ken Lokensgard, co-director of the Center for Native American Research & Collaborations (Native American Programs/Tribal Relations), who will provide an overview of the things researchers should consider before submitting research protocols, requests for letters of support/collaboration, and grant proposals that involve working with Tribal partners.
- Nov. 8 — Beading Workshop from 5–6:30 p.m. at the Native American Student Center.
- Nov. 15 — Rock Your Mocs! Group Photo at 4:30 p.m. at the Native American Student Center.
- Nov. 15 — Teatime with the Native American Women’s Association and Ku-ah-mah beginning at 5 p.m. at Spark 235.
- Nov. 29 — Executive Policy 41 training led by Zoe Higheagle Strong at noon inside Butch’s Den within the CUB. EP41 is a policy on Tribal engagement, consultation, and consent for Joint WSU-Tribal research activities and projects.
- Nov. 29 — Ku-ah-mah and NAWA Last Feast from 5–6 p.m. at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
More information on events happening on the WSU Pullman campus can be found on the Office of Tribal Relations website.
WSU Spokane
- Nov. 13 — Lunch and learn about traditional ingredients from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. inside room 202 of the Health Education & Research Building.
- Nov. 14 — Plant Medicine Workshop from 2–4 p.m. inside HERB 432.
- Nov. 15 — Film screening of Indian Horse followed by a discussion with officials from the WSU Spokane Center for Native American Health, with food provided, from 5–8 p.m. inside HERB 432.
More information on events happening in Spokane can be found on the Native American Health Sciences website.
