Annual American Indian Awareness Week, including Pow Wow, April 9-14

March 15, 2007 -- An American Indian Pow Wow, a presentation on American Indian mascots in sports, and a traditional food tasting are among the highlights of the University's American Indian Awareness Week April 9-14.

The annual awareness week and Pow Wow allow the University's American Indian students to share their unique cultures with the rest of the campus and the St. Louis community.

All events are free and open to the public.

A dancer performs during the junior competition during last year's Pow Wow.

Both a political and a technical representative from Ottawa's National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) will present "Invisible Minorities: Urban First Nations Peoples," 3-5:00 p.m. April 9 in Brown Hall Lounge.

The NAFC's discussion about urban native communities will continue on April 10 during "Urban Native Community Organizing: the Canadian Experience," from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Brown Hall Lounge.

"We are very honored by the NAFC's willingness to join us and not only inform many about the existence and identity of urban native communities, but also to meet directly with our St. Louis native community," says Dana Klar, interim director of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work.

"St. Louis has a sizable, largely unseen, but certainly impassioned, urban native community, actively engaging in activities through at least five organized groups. One goal of mine is the creation of an alliance, or coalition of these groups, so that on occasion, a larger body may meet in service to all. We are hopeful that the NAFC can provide inspiration and information as to how best to achieve this goal."

On April 11, Buder Center students and staff will offer a sampling of American Indian foods from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Lopata Courtyard and the Goldfarb Student Commons.

Hugh Foley, Ph.D., associate professor of communication and fine arts at Rogers State University, will present, "Savage Country: American Indian Mascots in Sports" from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, April 12 in Louderman Hall, Room 458.

"This is a very controversial topic in the greater St. Louis region due to the retirement of Chief Illiniwek at the University of Illinois," Klar says. "Foley will address this issue on many levels, and discusses it as a multi-faceted issue, rather than one with just a clear 'right or wrong' response."

American Indian Awareness Week will culminate April 14 with the 17th annual Pow Wow, a festival of American Indian dancing, singing, drumming, arts, crafts and food.

This year's theme is "Honoring Women: They Keep the Fire Burning."

"The Pow Wow is so important to the St. Louis community," says Dawn M. Jordan, Pow Wow co-chair and first-year student at the Brown School.

"The Pow Wow is a time for us to connect with other Indian people and I think it provides a sense of belonging. Being an American Indian living in an urban area like St. Louis, many times you are the only Indian person in your workplace, school or neighborhood. For non-natives the Pow Wow is an opportunity to experience the rich heritage of the American Indian culture."

The intertribal and contest dancing will begin at 1 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Traditional arts and crafts booths will open at 10 a.m.

A special highlight this year is the Pow Wow's presentation of the returning art exhibit, "Nations On The Trail," a series of eleven elaborately painted table coverings by Nardi Hobler.

Hobler created a special edition twelfth covering that recognizes the eight resident Buder scholars. It will be exhibited for the first time during the Pow Wow.

A commemorative poster featuring this twelfth piece will be available for purchase.

The American Indian Awareness Week and Pow Wow are sponsored by the Buder Center, the American Indian Student Association, the Women's Society of Washington University and various University departments as well as businesses and organizations from the St. Louis area.

For more information, call the Buder Center at 935-4510 or go online to gwbweb.wustl.edu/buder.