University Of Alabama: UA Celebrates National Native American Heritage Month

Press release from the University of Alabama:

Jamon Smith, UA Strategic Communications, jamon.smith@ua.edu

November 4th, 2021

Throughout November, The University of Alabama is honoring the rich cultural heritage and traditions of indigenous people by celebrating National Native American Heritage Month.

The month-long celebration kicks off with an educational exhibit about Native Americans’ connection to landscapes in the Southeast, continues with events featuring stargazing, film screenings and basket weaving, and concludes with a field trip to a museum to explore the history of the Mississippian mound builders.

What? The Moundville Archaeological Park and the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are hosting an exhibition exploring the idea of movement in and on cultural landscapes through the context of Native Americans’ connection to land.

When? Monday through Friday, Nov. 1 to Dec. 17 at the Intercultural Diversity Center in The University of Alabama Student Center

What? Moundville Archaeological Park will offer stargazing and teach Native American history.

When? Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at Moundville Archaeological Park

What? The event will address the diverse cultures and traditions of Native Americans and include a demonstration by Mary Smith on the art of basket weaving as well as opportunities for people to create their own baskets. 

When? Wednesday, Nov. 10, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Intercultural Diversity Center in The University of Alabama Student Center

What? In honor of National Native American Heritage Month and Veterans Day, the Intercultural Diversity Center will continue its fall 2021 Social Justice Movie Series by showing “Hunting in Wartime,” a film about Native Americans in the village of Hoonah, Alaska, who served in the Vietnam War. 

When? Friday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Registration is required.

What? The Intercultural Diversity Center is continuing its TEDTalk Tuesday Series. This talk is about a competitive runner from the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn, Washington, who uses her platform to raise awareness about missing and murdered indigenous women.

When? Tuesday, Nov. 16 at noon at the Intercultural Diversity Center in The University of Alabama Student Center.

What? UA faculty and staff are invited to the Career Center to share their personal stories and serve as models for working to bring positive change.

When? Thursday, Nov. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon. The event is virtual. RSVP to Paige Miller, cpmiller1@ua.edu, to attend the event.

What? This exhibition highlights the relationships between the historic ceremonial sites and other contemporaneous indigenous communities in North and Central America and illustrates how ecological factors, specifically the occurrence of the “Little Ice Age” may have led to the decline and ultimate abandonment of these sites. 

When? Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 9 a.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art. The event is free for UA students, who are asked to sign up for the tour and meet at Smith Hall.

For a complete list of events, visit UA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website.

This press release was produced by the University of Alabama. The views expressed here are the author’s own.