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Northland College celebrates Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month in March

March 2, 2012

Northland College will host several events as part of celebrations marking Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month in March. The events promote awareness and understanding of Native American culture through a new Native American and Indigenous Cultures Center established last fall at Northland College. The events, further offerings in the Northland College Community Connections series, are free and open to the public.

"The students, staff and faculty at Northland are excited to support activities that promote and preserve all aspects of indigenous cultures," says Katrina Werchouski, Coordinator for Multicultural Programs at Northland College and Native American and Indigenous Cultures Center Fellow. "We at Northland see the events during Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month as just one example of efforts to research and facilitate cultural exchanges while upholding traditions, ceremonies, languages and arts of Native American culture in the region."

Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month will include discussions on cultural sensitivity involving members of the Northland College Native American Student Association. On March 15, he group will present on how to initiate respectful interaction with other cultures and eliminate stereotypes. In addition, Native American Awareness Days will be held March 19-23, featuring daily events that range from an Anishinaabe drum presentation, Native American Museum tours, storytelling and more. Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month will wrap up with the 38th annual Northland College Spring Powwow on March 24 and a presentation at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland on March 26 featuring Anishinaabe elder and water walker Josephine Mandamin of the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve in Canada.

For more information about Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month and to view a full listing of events, go to www.northland.edu/naicc.

The celebrations of indigenous cultures are made possible by support from various sponsors, including the Native American and Indigenous Cultures Center, Northland College Native American Student Association, Multicultural Office, Admissions Office, Alumni Office, Student Life, Campus Ministry, William P. Van Evera Endowed Lectureship series, A.D. & Mary Elizabeth Andersen Hulings Chair in the Humanities,Northland College Student Association and Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland.

The events held during Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month are coordinated by the Northland College Multicultural Office, which is supported in part by a grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation. The Otto Bremer Foundation provided grant funding in September 2011 to support the development of the new Native American and Indigenous Culture Center at Northland College.

Created in 1944, the Otto Bremer Foundation assists people in achieving full economic, civic and social participation in and for the betterment of their communities. This mission is based on the intent of founder Otto Bremer. His vision and longstanding commitment to communities during and after the Great Depression are carried forward today through the Foundation's work in the places that are homes and neighbors to Bremer banks. The Foundation strives to help build healthy, vibrant communities-communities where basic needs are met, mutual regard is prized and opportunities for economic, civic and social participation are within everyone's reach.