Native American symposium to celebrate past and present
November 2, 2016
The Native American Studies Committee, along with Global Education Department has detected a flaw in COD’s community: the lack of awareness and visibility of Native Americans.
“There is a general and deeply flawed perception amongst many non-Native peoples that Native people, culture and issues generally reside in the past,” said Native American Studies Committee chair, John Paris.
For the past year, Paris, along with Global Studies committees, faculty and students have worked towards creating a Native American symposium at the college titled “Native American Identities in a Global Era.”
Beginning Nov. 2 and running until Nov. 4, students are able to view documentaries, visit panel discussions, listen to Native American-inspired music and even attend a hip hop performance amongst other things. This is all in honor to Native American Heritage Month and to expand the already diverse campus.
“As the Native American Studies Committee [we] are dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of Native American people, culture, and issues to the entire COD community,” said Paris. “We have detected a certain lack of awareness of these issues in our district and wish to help address that need with this symposium.”
The symposium has a goal to reflect the history of Native Americans and real issues happening in the world today through native eyes.
In order to maintain the authenticity of the event and to ensure every attendee walk away with a more sound awareness of the Native American voice, native voices are what drives each event. Native Americans will tell their own stories and present their own culture to the community.
“Attendees can expect to gain knowledge, enlightenment, and hopefully the development of a more Native-oriented perspective on global events, issues and the world in general,” said Paris.
The event is funded through a Funding Global Education Initiatives Grant awarded by the Global Education Department. Because of this grant, Paris and the rest of the creators were able to finance every event they had wished for the symposium
Events include: a performance from Tall Paul, a native hip-hop artist; introduction from the community organizer from the American Indian Center of Chicago, David Bender; a COD Chamber Singers performance, and scholars from North Central College, University of Wyoming and Oakton Community College.
Screenings of various documentaries include “Altars by the Lake” and “Dream People of the Amazon,” which is followed by an interview with the director himself via Skype.
