Texas State hosts 4th Annual Native American Cultural Conference

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
March 16, 2010

The Native American Student Association at Texas State University-San Marcos will host the 4th Fourth Annual Native American Cultural Awareness Conference 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, April 6 in the LBJ Student Center on campus.

The conference is free and open to the public.

The conference will include 12 hour-long presentations by Native Americans from all walks of life. There will also be Native American vendors, dancers, artists, and drummers in the LBJ Ballroom during the day to offer a personal, community centered interaction with the Native American culture and its peoples.

Lectures will include a broad range of topics that span the political, social, spiritual, personal, as well as creative realms.

Selected topics include:

  • “ Blood Politics” by anthropologist and University of Texas associate professor Circe Sturm
  • “Border Wall” by Lipan Apache civil rights leader, lecturer, professional nurse, professor and retired officer of the United States Army's Nursing Corps, Eloisa Tamez
  • “Native American Influence on Jazz: Breaking down the origins” by internationally recognized flutist and flute maker William Harjo, a member of the Creek Nation
  • “Ceramic Styles and the Question of Shantok” by Katherine Koebbe, a graduate student in the Department of History at Texas State and member of the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut
  • “Saving Native American History” by retired army colonel and Chickasaw tribal elder, Gene Thompson

Conference attendees are welcome to come early for a free breakfast from 8-9:20 a.m. before lectures begin. The student association will host a free catered lunch for all attendees as well, from 12:30-2 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom.

For special accommodations, please contact faculty advisor Roxana Tuff at rt15@txstate.edu, at least 48 hours before the event.

 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
 

8-9:30 a.m. BREAKFAST, Ballroom
9 a.m. Navajo Early Morning Song by Benjamin Whitewolf,  Ballroom
9:15 a.m. Welcome by Sherri Benn, Ballroom
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and
Director of Multicultural Student Affairs
9:30 a.m. Circe Sturm "Blood Politics," LBJSC 3-9.1
10:30 a.m. Gene Thompson "Saving Native American History," LBJSC 3-5.1
10:30 a.m. Greg Yawakia "Our Four Spiritual Direction," LBJSC 3-15.1
11:30 a.m. Grandmother Emma "Broken Pots," LBJSC 3-3.1
11:30 a.m. William Harjo "Native American Influence in Jazz and Blues: Breaking down the origins," LBJSC 3-9.1

12:30 a.m.-1:50 p.m. catered lunch, LBJ BALLROOM
2 p.m. Eloisa Tamez "The Border Wall," LBJSC 3-9.1
3 p.m. Cliff Queton "Red Teepee Stories," LBJSC 3-13.1
3 p.m. Dali Dupree "Creation-Creativity and the four directions of our world," LBJSC 3-5.1

4 p.m. Orvie Longhorn "Living in Two Worlds," LBJSC 3-13.1
4 p.m. Kate Koebbe "Ceramic Style and the Question of Shantok," LBJSC 3-9.1
5-5:30 p.m. Judy Cyr "Women’s Role in Tribal Nations," LBJSC 3-6.1
5:30-6:15 p.m. 45 minute break
6:15 -7 p.m. PANEL DISCUSSION IN LBJSC BALLROOM
Moderators: Ray Duncan and Lorenzo Garcia
Indian Health Services: Issues
Indian Health Care Improvement
Health Disparities
Legal Basis for Health Services
Diabetes
Urban Indian Health Program
Tribal Self Governance

OTHER ACTIVITIES GOING ON ALL DAY IN THE BALLROOM
Vendors-Dancing-Flute Music-Native American Poetry-Artwork

Jaime Betancurt, Benjamin Whitewolf, Arlene Velez - Mexica Aztec Dance and Yaki/Apache Deer

Benjamin Castillo-Chirricahua - Poetry Reading

Adam Blackwolf Sanchez - Native American Flute

Rosa Bedah and Paula Thornton - Traditional Native Womens Dance

Charles Holland - Native American Drum making
Chickasaw Community information

Little Hawk - Native American Drums

Charles Smith - Native American Wares

Native American Student Association - Information Table