NSU accepting proposals for Symposium

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) -- The Northeastern State University American Indian Heritage Committee is accepting proposals for individuals interested in presenting at the 46th Annual Symposium on the American Indian. Priority consideration will be given to proposals received by Dec. 15.

The symposium will be April 16-21, 2018, on NSUs Tahlequah campus. The theme, Walking with our Ancestors: Preserving Culture and Honoring Tradition, will provide a space for the Indigenous community across all generations to examine American Indian history and reflect on how the collective past influences who American Indians are as Indigenous peoples today.

American Indian people are often left out of conversations about minority groups. Many believe they are only a part of the past not the present nor the future. On the contrary, American Indians are still here preserving their culture and honoring their traditions by incorporating this knowledge into their present day professional careers. While Indigenous communities may look different, they still managed to maintain their identity and hold fast to their language, sovereignty, and Indigenous ways of living.

Proposals should focus on one of the following: cultural preservation; Indigenous knowledge (multi-disciplinary); history (from an Indigenous perspective); intergenerational/historical trauma (impact, healing, etc.); tribal sovereignty; and/or language revitalization. The committee will conduct a blind review of each proposal. The best proposals will articulate a clear objective and purpose as well as importance of the point of view to be expressed. Proposals need to show evidence of scholarly care, clear and effective argument, and/or a basis in research.

The Symposium on the American Indian is a community event. There is no registration fee and events are open to the public. Funding has been provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Humanities Council.

For more information, visit Center for Tribal Studies Events and follow the link to the NSU Symposium. Individuals may also contact the Center for Tribal Studies for more information at tribalstudies@nsuok.edu or 918-444-4350.