Reflections on Native American Heritage Month: Part Two

A continuation of last week's post by Carlie Fishgold, student intern

In total, Native American Heritage Month was able to encompass the Anthropology Department’s Lewis Henry Morgan Lecture Series; the Ganondagan Lecture Series, in partnership with the Service-Learning Center and Religious Studies Department of Nazareth College; the UR Kafka Award Reception; a UR School of Medicine/Nursing/Human Values in Health Care–sponsored lecture on tribal health care by Snoqualmie Tribal Director Dr. Theresa Maresca; and finally the series of events sponsored by the Office of Admissions. (For more information about events sponsored by departments other than Admissions, a poster is available here.)

Chris Bethmann and I spent most of the 2011 summer working as interns at the UR-hosted College Horizons program, planning and coordinating Admissions-sponsored events, negotiating budgets, contacting potential lecturers, and meeting with people in the Haudenosaunee community to hear their thoughts on how to establish a relationship with UR. One of our major concerns was to raise the Native nations flags of Native students on campus in Hirst Lounge (AKA “flag lounge”) in Wilson Commons. Including the flags of Native students with those of international students is a visual expression of the University’s recognition of Native nation sovereignty. In other words, Natives who hold citizenship with their particular tribal governments are regarded as, for example, Haudenosaunee rather than American or Canadian, if they so choose. By acknowledging the sovereignty of Native nations, UR inherently supports the honoring of tribal treaties and upholds the validity of Native nation passports, namely over US, Canadian, or Mexican passports. Admissions now permits Native applicants to identify as international students; however, they will still be qualified for aid in the same way that Canadian and Mexican applicants are. Chris and I are incredibly fortunate to have had boundless support from Dean Burdick, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Diversity Joe Latimer, Registrar Nancy Speck, and Wilson Commons Director Laura Ballou in our endeavors to make this possible. Today, you can go to Hirst Lounge and see, in the first row facing Rush Rhees Library, the Haudenosaunee, Diné (Navajo), Cherokee, Dakota-Sioux, and Muscogee flags.

On November 11, we celebrated the incorporation of Native nations flags by co-hosting a Haudenosaunee social dance with the Kappa Delta sorority. KD Danielle Chiz teamed up with Chris and me to arrange for a group of 10 Haudenosaunee singers and water drummers to perform and teach a turnout of over 100 participants under the flags. We also enjoyed traditional Haudenosaunee corn soup, and the dancing lasted nearly three hours. Seneca singer Bill Crouse remarked that he has never seen so many non-Natives participate at a social before and that he would come back any time—a major compliment to UR. It was absolutely fulfilling to see so many people laughing, dancing, singing, and learning, with the sound of voices echoing and feet stomping throughout Wilson Commons.

A few days before, Dallas Goldtooth and Ryan Red Corn of the 1491s presented some of their latest multimedia collaborative work in the Interfaith Chapel. The 1491s are a Native American sketch comedy group that releases short films on social networks such as YouTube, not only mocking Native American stereotyping but also brilliantly confronting contemporary issues in Native communities by inciting laughter through satire.

Ryan Red Corn (Osage) boasts a hand in several entrepreneurial ventures, such as Demockratees and Buffalo Nickel Creative. He also sits on the boards of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce (Tulsa, Oklahoma, Chapter) and Friends of the Osage Language. 

Dallas Goldtooth (Mdewakanton Dakota and Diné) has been making comedy films since 2008 with his brother Migizi Pensoneau under the guise of Deez Muttz. In addition to being a founding member of the 1491s, Dallas is also a representative of the Indigenous Environmental Network, a grassroots organization devoted to educating and empowering indigenous peoples on the development of environmental protection strategies and the protection of cultural practice and spiritual beliefs as human rights.

Both Ryan and Dallas were a blast to entertain during their short stay. Just one year ago, I was introduced to their work and they became my heroes; today I call them my friends. This is a perfect example of how one can pursue nearly any ambition and see it through by the supportive networks available here at UR. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of bringing Ryan and Dallas here was being able to invite the entire audience to attend a dinner after their lecture. Several Native folks from the Upstate New York area as well as non-Natives, such as my mentor and community college anthropology professor Jethro Gaede, joined us for fry bread and buffalo stew (to which Ryan said, “Buffalo in New York? That’s like Lobster in Oklahoma!”). Most importantly, Ryan and Dallas were able to connect with Rochester and UR locals while connections were made between the University and Native people. I look forward to working with UR, and with our Haudenosaunee and other Native communities out there, to cultivate and maintain a healthy relationship. Collaboration and cultural understanding are the only way we can build an extraordinary, robust, and supportive collective for indigenous students on this campus—and the only way we can draw more Native students here.

Thanks to all of our friends at Ganondagan State Historic Site for their brilliant ideas, rich network, infinite encouragement, and undying patience (especially Jeanette, Peter, Mike, Ans, and Amy). Also, many thanks and hugs to Maggie Cassie for pulling everything together, Sarah Kirchoff for the stupendous posters, Dean Burdick and Joe Latimer for their outstanding support, Ryan and Dallas for being the most inspiring goofballs I have ever met, Bill Crouse and his fantastic crew for getting over 100 people to dance, and (saving the best for last) Chris Bethmann. Chris is really the one who was and is behind all of this, and since he was away in Madrid this last semester, I promised him I would see to it that Native American Heritage Month succeeded in every way that we could possibly imagine. He is the best partner in crime anyone could ever wish for, and I hope we get to continue to work together in the future toward the betterment of UR diversity.