Indigenous peoples day was celebrated in Simpson’s Plaza with its largest turnout to date, a reflection of an increasingly connected Native American community within the University and the greater Wyoming area.
The event, organized by the Native American Education Research & Cultural Center (NAERCC), featured speeches as well as traditional music and dance with messages of resilience and growth across all tribal nations.
The celebration commenced with the reading of a land acknowledgement and statements from organizers. Reinette Tendore, Director NAERCC & Native American Program Advisor, spoke to her personal mission at the center.
“I want to make sure that our Native students feel included no matter what tribe, what background they come from. We all go through similar and unique challenges.”
Echoing the sentiment of inclusion, representatives of other Indigenous organizations including UW Students’ Keepers of the Fire, and members of the Shoshone, Arapahoe, Lakota, and Crow Tribal Nations made statements.
“Myself and Reinette represent the first generation in our family who didn’t have to attend boarding school. It’s not that far away. We still feel the effects, the trauma,” Crystal Bearing, Deputy Director of the Northern Arapaho tribal historic preservation office and direct descendant of Old Man Sage, said.
“What is needed now is to return to our ways of living, so that we can become stronger in our identities. With that strength you become, as they call it in Arapahoe, an Upright Person.”
One family present exemplified Bearing’s call to nurture the culture in the modern day. Alexis and Job Eagle, together with their four children Keegin (13), Jai’La (11), Shoni (8), and Baby Job (4), performed Fancy, Jingle dress, and healing Hoop dances before the gathered crowd.
Alexis Eagle is an undergraduate in Criminal Justice here at UW, and her husband Job is a 4th grandson of the famed Chief Washakie.
“These events are a great way to bring awareness, educate, and show our culture,” Alexis Eagle said.
“But I think one thing that could be better would be changing the land acknowledgment, putting the Shoshone first. This is our ancestral land. Many other tribes live here, but originally come from other places. This is our home.”
As the event came to a close, all present were invited to join in a traditional circle dance, physically representing a message of unity from Crystal Bearing’s earlier statement.
“Before the United States was created, there were no borders here, no countries, no states, there were just people. We have all come from somewhere, we all have a history. I encourage you all to know who you are and know where you come from, because we all have roots. Really embrace that, be proud of who you are.”
