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Northland College celebrates Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month

February 14, 2013

Northland College will host several events as part of celebrations marking Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month in March. The events promote awareness and understanding of indigenous culture through the Native American and Indigenous Culture Center (NAICC) at Northland College. The events, offerings in the Northland College Community Connections series, are all free and open to the public.

The March events kick off with a presentation by Chester Nez. Nez is the last surviving member of the original Navajo Code Talkers from World War II. The U.S. military used a code developed by 29 Navajo marines during the war, which remains the only unbroken code in modern warfare. Nez will speak at Northland about his experiences growing up in the Checkerboard Area of the Navajo reservation and provide a look at the Navajo code.

"We're fortunate to have Chester Nez come to campus and share his experiences about his service during World War II. He demonstrates the importance of warriors in native culture and the native community's commitment to honor and service," said Kat Werchouski, Coordinator for Multicultural Programs at Northland College and Native American and Indigenous Cultures Center Fellow. "We all owe a debt of gratitude to Nez for his service to the American public, and he has done so much to preserve and protect the traditions of Navajo people. He embodies all that we aim to highlight through Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month."

Northland College will also host events that highlight tribal nations, stories, sovereignty, native dances and games. On March 9, the Aztec cultural dance group "Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc" will perform at Northland College. In addition, Native American Awareness Days will be held March 18-23. Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month will wrap up with the 39th annual Northland College Spring Powwow on March 23 and a presentation on March 29 will feature Anton Treuer, Ph.D. Treuer is author of "Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask." He will speak about Native American perspectives on maintaining cultural identity while living in mainstream society.

The NAICC and Northland College Multicultural Office coordinate the events held during Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month. They are 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 NAICC at Northland College.

The events are sponsored by the NAICC, Otto Bremer Foundation, Northland College Native American Student Association (NASA), Northland College Student Association (NCSA), Northland College Multicultural Office and in part by the Global Awareness Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

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