NSU announces 46th Annual Symposium on the American Indian

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) - Northeastern State University and the Center for Tribal Studies have announced the 46th Annual Symposium on the American Indian will be April 16-21 in the University Center on the Tahlequah campus.

This years theme, Walking with our Ancestors: Preserving Culture and Honoring Tradition will provide a space for the Indigenous community across all generations to examine its history and reflect on how its collective past influences who they are as Indigenous peoples today.

Oftentimes, American Indian people are left out of conversations regarding minority groups. There are many who believe they are only a part of the past, not the present, and certainly not the future. On the contrary, American Indians are still preserving their culture and honoring traditions by incorporating this knowledge into present day professional careers. While Indigenous communities may look different, they have managed to maintain their identity and hold fast to language, sovereignty and Indigenous ways of living.

The schedule for the symposium includes:

• Two film screenings, The Old School House and Te Ata
• An Intertribal Language Summit
• Keynote speakers Dr. Daniel Wildcat, professor at Haskell Indian Nations University, Daryl Baldwin, director of the Myaamia Center at Miami University and Dr. Lee Francis, IV, national director of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers
• Special performances by four of the Dream Warriors artists, Tanaya Winder, Frank Waln, Tall Paul and Mic Jordan who will perform at the NSU Jazz Lab
• The traditional conclusion to the symposium, the Powwow

The symposium does not require registration to attend and is free and open to the public.

Silent Auction in support of the symposium

The American Indian Heritage Committee has traditionally held a silent auction and luncheon fundraiser to support the symposium and other cultural events on campus. This years will be March 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. and will be $10 for a plate of bison tacos.

To make a tax-deductible donation for the Silent Auction, contact the Center for Tribal Studies at 918-444-4350 or tribalstudies@nsuok.edu.