Native American Heritage Month
Nov. 4, 2024
Dear Brandeis Community,
We are excited to recognize and commemorate Native American Heritage Month at Brandeis. While many people see November as the lead-up to the Thanksgiving holiday — a time for family reunions and sharing meals — for American Indian/Alaska Native communities, it is a time to honor ancestors and remember their sacrifices, as well as celebrate their vibrant communities.
According to the Native American Heritage Month website, "One of the very first proponents of an American Indian Day was Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, New York. He persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the “First Americans” and for three years they adopted such a day [1912]. In 1990 President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”) have been issued each year since 1994."
Last month, the Brandeis community came together to participate in an Indigenous Peoples Day program at the Intercultural Center to learn more about the significance of a Land Acknowledgement statement and what it signifies not only our institution but to local Native American communities. Native elders and leaders emphasized that we need to repair our relationships with Massachusett, Nipmuc, and Pawtucket peoples, the original inhabitants of this land where Brandeis is located. We will continue to have these conversations regarding how we can do so with the input of the aforementioned communities.
To continue our recognition of Native Americans, we are pleased to announce a film screening, “Rez Ball,” on November 14 in the Intercultural Center (ICC). "Rez Ball" is a movie about the resilience of a Native American basketball team that overcomes all odds to win a state championship. Many Native people use sports as a vehicle to pursue educational opportunities to embark on successful careers and be role models for their youth. A short Q&A will take place after the film and we invite you to join us for the screening and refreshments.
Film Screening of "Rez Ball"
November 14, 2024
4 - 6 p.m.
ICC Swig Lounge
In addition, we are proud to share our Native American Watercolors in the Brandeis Goldfarb Library. Beyond Brandeis, we encourage you to learn more about and support local Indigenous communities and organizations, such as the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness (MCNAA), The North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB), and individual tribal communities, including the Massachusett, Nipmuc, and Pawtucket peoples.
In celebration,
Lee Bitsóí
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging