Up for the Challenge?

Good evening, CFA Tartans!

Happy November! This month is Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month (NAIHM).

NAIHM is a relatively young heritage month, as its ratification (similar to Native American history) was quite politicized and complicated. Its origin began as "American Indian Day" — a day fought for recognition by Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, N.Y. He argued that the Boy Scouts of America should set aside a day for the "First Americans."

In 1990, former President George H.W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including “Native American Heritage Month,” “Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”) have been issued each year since 1994.

I share this history because sharing stories and history is a significant value within Indigeneity. Several weeks ago, we were fortunate to welcome Dr. Amanda Tachine, Navajo scholar, to campus. During her engagement, she shared valuable information about Native and Indigenous cultures through storytelling and her own research scholarship.

Among the pieces of advice she shared, she challenged us with following:

• To question how one acknowledges the land (instead of verbal land acknowledgments).
• To engage with education directors from local tribes to support Native enrollment and access.
• To recruit Native scholars for positions across the university.
• To intentionally foster relationships with local tribes and nations.

For those interested in learning more about Dr. Tachine and her work, I ordered a few copies of her most recent book, “Native Presence and Sovereignty in College: Sustaining Indigenous Weapons to Defeat Systemic Monsters.” I would be delighted to lend it out to those interested.

In addition, I encourage you all to attend our program this Friday, Nov. 11, at 10:30 a.m. in Kresge Theatre. Join us in welcoming members from the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center for a performance featuring traditional Native music and dance! This hour-long performance will be followed by a Q&A session.

Please remember this month, similar to all cultural heritage months and celebrations, is to not only honor the legacy and contributions of specific communities, but also to challenge ourselves to question what we have been taught, to engage in new connections and to better our ways of engaging with others. I encourage each of you to consider this, especially as Thanksgiving and other holidays approach.

In community,

Valeria J. Martinez
Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
College of Fine Arts