2011 Alaska Native/Native American Heritage Month

UAA is hosting a number of Alaska Native/Native American Heritage Month events. See the list below or keep an eye out for posters around campus. For a full list of events in Anchorage, please visit the website.

'Cross Currents of the North: A Survey of the First People of Alaska'
Stop by the Commons Grand Hallway any time in November to see the new display, "Cross Currents of the North: A Survey of the First People of Alaska." Sponsored by Residence Life & Resident Advisor, Laurel Elliot-Olkinetzky. For more information, call (907) 751-7452.

Alaska Native Writers: Looking Back, Looking Forward
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 5-7 p.m., UAA Campus Bookstore
To mark the 10th anniversary of Alaska Native Heritage Month celebrations, our panel looks at Alaska Native writers of the past, present and future. Panelists include Maria Shaa Tlaa Williams, Jeane Breinig and Jack Dalton. This event is sponsored with Alaska Center for the Book.

Kick-Off Reception
Thursday, Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Student Union Cafeteria
Marilyn Balluta will give the Dena'ina Blessing with remarks by UAA Chancellor Case, special message by Margaret L. Brown, CIRI President and CEO and UAA Student Leaders, Polly Andrews and Warren Jones. Sivuqaq Dancers will perform. The Native Dress Review, hosted by Native Student Council, will also be featured. Native foods will be served. Parking in the parking lot adjacent to the Student Union Building will be free from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. to allow the greater Anchorage community to join us for this highly anticipated event.

Sharing Traditions
Thursdays, Nov. 3, 10 and 17, 7-9 p.m., Cama'i Room
Celebrate Alaska Native and Native American cultures by taking part in this program that will offer the opportunity to listen to a guest elder, learn from a guest artist or complete an arts and crafts project. To find out what is happening each week, call (907) 751-7452. Sponsored by Residence Life and ANROP.

Celebrating the Connection Between the CHAP and RRANN Programs
Friday, Nov. 4, 1-2:30 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 110
The rich history of the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) and Recruitment & Retention of Alaska Natives/Native Americans into Nursing (RRANN) beginnings will be shared in this panel discussion. Ossie Kaiaiuak, guest Yup'ik singer/songwriter/storyteller will perform. Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by RRANN. For more information, please call (907) 786-4714.

UAA's Native Arts Studio Open House
Monday, Nov. 7, 1-3 p.m., Temporary Engineering Building 2
Come visit the Native Arts Studio, located behind the Engineering Building in TEB2. Artist in residence, Donny Varnell, Haida carver will speak. Hosted by Alaska Native Studies and the Art Department. For more information, call (907) 786-4680.

Dr. Hermina Din: 'Sewing Art of the Siberian Yup'ik' Brown Bag Lunch
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 12-1 p.m., Student Union, Lyla Richards Conference Room 103
A Faculty Senate Diversity Committee Brown Bag Presentation. UAA Art Department guest presenter Dr. Hermina Din presents Sewing Art of the Siberian Yup'ik from Savoonga, Alaska.

'Native Values and Art' with artist Donny Varnell
Thursday, Nov. 10, 12-1 p.m., Native Student Services
Donny Varnell, Haida carver and a UAA artist in residence will speak on "Native Values and Art."

CANCELLED: Alaska Native Veterans Panel
Thursday, Nov. 10, 6-8 p.m., UAA/APU Consortium Library, Room 307
Event cancelled.

'The House on the Hill: New archaeological developments in the Aleutians'
Monday, Nov. 14, 5-7 p.m., UAA Campus Bookstore
Professor Diane Hanson teaches in the UAA Anthropology Department. The archaeological excavation of an upland house on Adak Island is the topic for Hanson's presentation. This event highlights new findings from a year ago. This event is held in honor of Alaska Native/American Indian Heritage Month. For more information, contact Rachel at the UAA Campus Bookstore (anre@uaa.alaska.edu or http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/bookstore).

Movie: 'This Land is Ours'
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 4-6 p.m., Mat-Su College Cafeteria
This Land is Ours is a documentary by PBS about Tlingit and Haida Indian tribes. Willy Templeton, director of Native Student Services will facilitate discussion after the movie.

Olympic Silver Medalist Henry Boucha on 'Native Values, Lifestyle, Athletics and Cultural Traditions'

Thursday, Nov. 17, 12-1 p.m., Native Student Services
Henry Boucha, a Native American (Ojibway/Chippewa) U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist, former NHL player and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee will speak on "Native Values, Lifestyle, Athletics, and Cultural Traditions." For more information, call (907) 786-4000.

'Attu, a Lost Village of the Aleutians'
Thursday, Nov. 17, 2-4 p.m., UAA Campus Bookstore
Rachel Mason presents "Return to Lost Villages of the Aleutians: 2011 Findings." During World War II the Unangan residents of the Aleutian Islands were taken by boat to internment camps in Southeast Alaska. When they returned after the war, the residents of the smallest villages, Kashega, Biorka and Makushin, were not permitted to return home. Instead they were resettled in larger communities. Residents of Attu were captured by the Japanese and interned in Japan for the remainder of the war. This presentation reports on Mason's return to Attu and her new research. Lost Villages of the Aleutians is a project of the National Park Service in partnership with other agencies, including the Ounalashka Corporation and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and descendants of the village.

Potluck
Friday, Nov. 18, 4-6 p.m., Native Student Services
Please join us for a potluck.

Storytelling
Friday, Nov. 18, 7-9 p.m., Rasmuson Hall, Room 108
Join Alaska Native storytellers Jack Dalton, Quentin Simeon, Ossie Kairaiuak and Polly Andrews to hear stories of humor, survival and cultural knowledge. For more information, call (907) 223-1368.