November is Native American Heritage Month, dedicated to honoring the heritage, cultures and histories of North American Indigenous peoples. During the month and beyond, MSU recognizes the sovereignty and governance of Michigan's tribes.
Michigan is home to more than 240,000 Indigenous peoples. The state’s recognized tribes are Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians, Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians and Swan Creek Black River Confederated Ojibwa Tribes of Michigan. The 12 federally recognized tribes are Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, Hannahville Indian Community, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
During this month of recognition, numerous events are happening in and around East Lansing (Nkwejong). Most events in this article were originally posted by the American Indian and Indigenous Studies program at aiis.msu.edu.
Events
Events listed are in Eastern Time and will be updated throughout the month.
Wednesday, Nov. 1
4:30 p.m. – Native American Heritage Month Wiikogewin Fall Feast
Located at the Brody Dining Hall. The Brody dinner service is featuring a Native American Heritage Month Wiikogewin Fall Feast! Learn about and taste different traditional Native American and Indigenous food. NAISO will be providing meal tickets! First come first serve.
Saturday, Nov. 4
Noon – Craft Social
Located at the Nokomis Center. Bring your beading, your knitting, your regalia projects - whatever you are working on - and hang out with fellow crafters. There are tables to work at, sewing machines, and limited craft supplies, and often expert craftspeople willing to help. Not a crafter? Just come and hang out. There is always coffee and tea and often snacks to share. Everyone is welcome!
Sunday, Nov. 5
10 a.m. – DEI Student Activism Summit: Bridging Identities: Exploring Two-Spiritedness and Queerness in Indigenous Communities
Hear from our keynote speaker, Jamie R. John. Jamie is a two-spirit trans and queer Anishinaabe and Korean-American multi-disciplinary artist. You’ll participate in interactive activities that will help you become a real agent within and beyond MSU! We hope you enjoy the session and learn a lot too! Continental Breakfast and Lunch provided!
5:30 p.m. – Ghost Supper/Dawaagig Wiikojiwin
Located at the Nokomis Center, join Nokomis’ annual Ghost Supper! This is a chance for the community to socialize and to honor relatives and friends who have walked on. Please Join Nokomis with a dish to pass, your Feast Bundle (place setting) and good thoughts and memories to share.
Tuesday, Nov. 7
3 p.m. – TIMETZALIMET Library Pop-up
Located in the Special Collections Seminar Room (Main Library: 1 West). This is a pop-up event presented by the student organization TIMETZALIMET along with the Special Collections MSU Library. There will be several books and materials from Indigenous communities from Latin America, many written in Indigenous languages.
Thursday, Nov. 9
6 p.m. – Poetry Reading, Q&A and Miinidiwin (Giveaway)
Located at the Wells Hall Atrium, 2nd Floor B Wing, this event features and celebrates Dr. Gordon Henry Jr., along with guest speakers and authors Gwen Westerman and LeAnne Howe.
Saturday, Nov. 11
Noon – Craft Social
Located at the Nokomis Center. Bring your beading, your knitting, your regalia projects - whatever you are working on - and hang out with fellow crafters. There are tables to work at, sewing machines, and limited craft supplies, and often expert craftspeople willing to help. Not a crafter? Just come and hang out. There is always coffee and tea and often snacks to share. Everyone is welcome!
Wednesday, Nov. 15
7 p.m. – Film Screening: PATROL
Located at Room 137 in Akers Hall, this event features a free private screening of the film PATROL. PATROL is about an escalating crisis in Nicaragua. Illegal cattle ranchers and miners are decimating the Indio-Maiz Biological Reserve — one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America.
Thursday, Nov. 16
4:30 p.m. – James Vukelich 7th Generation Talk
Located at the Kellog Auditorium, this event features author James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, a descendant of Turtle Mountain, a renowned international speaker, and creator of social media series ‘Ojibwe Word of the Day.’
Thursday, Nov. 17
10a.m. – Exploring Simon Pokagon’s Birch Bark Books
This event is an online webinar. A Native American Heritage Month discussion with Blaire Morseau and Fritz Swanson "Exploring Simon Pokagon's Birch Bark Books" sponsored by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.
10 a.m. – Indigenous Studies Working Group
Located in the Urban Planning and Architecture building, Room 105. This event is a hybrid Native American Heritage Month discussion with Blaire Morseau and Fritz Swanson "Exploring Simon Pokagon's Birch Bark Books" sponsored by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.
Saturday, Nov. 18
Noon – Craft Social
Located at the Nokomis Center. Bring your beading, your knitting, your regalia projects - whatever you are working on - and hang out with fellow crafters. There are tables to work at, sewing machines, and limited craft supplies, and often expert craftspeople willing to help. Not a crafter? Just come and hang out. There is always coffee and tea and often snacks to share. Everyone is welcome!
Saturday, Nov. 25
Noon – Craft Social
Located at the Nokomis Center. Bring your beading, your knitting, your regalia projects - whatever you are working on - and hang out with fellow crafters. There are tables to work at, sewing machines, and limited craft supplies, and often expert craftspeople willing to help. Not a crafter? Just come and hang out. There is always coffee and tea and often snacks to share. Everyone is welcome!
Thursday, Nov. 30
7 p.m. – Warrior Lawyers: Defenders of Sacred Justice Film Screening with Q&A
Located in CAS 145 WKAR Media Auditorium in the Communication Arts & Sciences Building, this event is a film screening followed by a panel discussion moderated by Emily Proctor, the Tribal Educator of Tribal Governance and Leadership and Community Engagement at the Emmet County Extension Office with MSU. Join the conversation over Warrior Lawyers, an inspiring and compelling one hour documentary that invites viewers into the lives of contemporary Native American role models. This event is free, but RSVP is encouraged!
To support American Indian and Indigenous Studies programming at MSU and within the local community, visit givingto.msu.edu.