Native American Heritage Month events

“The lived experiences of a basket maker”
5:30-6:30p.m. Nov. 3, LSC 328-330

Linda Aguilar is a Chumash basket-maker who uses traditional techniques to create contemporary and unique horsehair and waxed thread baskets. Aguilar’s work has been featured in many exhibitions, such as “100 of America’s Best Studio Craft Artists Since 1945” at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery and the traveling exhibits, “Changing Hands: Art Without Reservations” and “Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection.”

Native youth sexual health network

“Reproductive Justice and Environmental Violence”
6p.m. Nov. 4, LSC Longs Peak Roo

“Culturally Safe Sex Education”
12-1:30p.m. Nov. 4, LSC 324

Jessica Danforth is the founder of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN). The organization is by and for Indigenous youth that works across issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice throughout the United States and Canada. This is a collaboration with the Kathryn T. Bohannon Speaker Series.

Duhesa art gallery grand opening of “Native Now: Contemporary Arts of Today’s Native American Artists”
6:30-8p.m. Nov. 6, LSC Duhesa Gallery

Curated by Melanie Yazzie, professor of printmaking at CU Boulder, this exhibition highlights the creativity and passion of 12 contemporary Native American artists. Ceremony includes Drum Group performances and curator Melanie Yazzie

Thomas Michael Swensen,“The Alaska Native Studies Blog”
5:30-6:30p.m. Nov.10, Clark A302

The Alaska Native Studies Blog began in the summer of 2013 as a platform for exploring Native Alaskan research in a public sphere. While there are many incredible scholars pursuing work in American Indian Studies the topic of Native Alaska is one that greatly calls for more exploration. Even though Alaska Natives possess 40 percent of the nation’s tribes and over 200 other quasi-sovereign entities they are underrepresented in the academy. The blog is useful for publicly exploring native history and culture as well as making connections with scholars that share the same interests.

Native American indigenous studies scholars: A colloquium featuring CSU researchers

Nicole Kenote & Allison Goar, graduate students
12-1p.m. Nov. 10

Roe Bubar, associate professor ETST
12:30-1:30p.m. Nov. 11

Thomas Swensen, Assistant Professor ETST & Emily Moore, Assistant Professor Art
12-1p.m. Nov. 12

These sessions will highlight scholars on campus who are researching topics in Native American/Indigenous Studies. Two research topics will be featured at each session. Coffee and tea will be provided. This program is free, open to the public, and there is no need to register.

All events will take place in the Event Hall of Morgan Library.

Meet & Greet with North Star Peer Mentors
5-6:30p.m. Nov. 11, LSC room 327

Come meet the 2014-2015 North Star Peer Mentors, while enjoying board/video games, a movie, and refreshments. North Star Peer Mentor Program is a program of the Native American Cultural Center that matches incoming students with current students to guide the transition to Colorado State University.

Allyship and indigenous food reclamation: partnering with Arikara Farms
11a.m.-12p.m. Nov. 12, LSC rooms 304-306

Sapphira and Victoria are undergraduate students who worked with Ron Hall and Roe Bubar on the “Sovereignty & Food Project” to grow food for a Harvest Community Dinner. Over the summer they raised traditional and contemporary Indigenous foods that will be featured at the dinner; this presentation will focus on the work the team put into the project.

Jan Iron, “Gifts from the Heart”
6-7:30p.m. Nov. 17, LSC 328-330

Growing up, Jan Iron (Navajo) assisted her mother in making quilts at home on the reservation. Years later, with only her memory guiding her, she decided to make a quilt for her son. Since then she has made over 60 quilts, most of them as gifts for other people. This presentation will feature some of these quilts while describing the designs and the meaning behind them, and how they are connected to the recipients

Bobby Gonzalez, why natives are not “Spanish”: cultural diversity of Native Americans
6:30p.m. Nov. 18, Clark C238

Bobby Gonzalez is a nationally known multicultural speaker, storyteller and poet. Bobby draws on his Native American (Taino) and Latino (Puerto Rican) roots to offer a unique repertoire of discourses, readings and performances that celebrates his indigenous heritage.

Aspen Grille – featured traditional Native American dishes
Nov. 18- Nov. 19

Corn, sunflower seeds, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, and chili peppers are all native to the Americas and have been part of the diet of Native Americans since time immemorial. Enjoy lunch specials prepared by Chef Garrett Overlee that recognizes these gifts to today’s cuisine. For reservations please call 970-491-7006

Harvest dinner community event
6-8p.m. Nov. 20, TBA

Ron Hall and Roe Bubar, owners of Arikara Farm, initiated a “Sovereignty & Food Project” to engage Ethnic Studies students to grow food for a Harvest Community Dinner Project. Over the summer they raised traditional and contemporary Indigenous foods that will be featured at the dinner.