AVONDALE, Arizona – Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges, will recognize Native American Heritage Month during the month of November in order to expand cultural awareness and celebrate the traditions of the people who have made the American Southwest their homeland for centuries. All events are held on the campus of EMCC at 3000 North Dysart Road in Avondale, and are free and open to the public.
For additional information about the Native American Heritage Month events at EMCC, contact Yvette Moller at [email protected] or at 623-935-8831.
Kick-Off Event
Monday, Nov. 2, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ceremonial Plaza
EMCC’s traditional kick-off of Native American Heritage Month is always a campus and community favorite. Free Indian fry bread, Indian market, cultural dances including the Hoop Dance, flute music, storytelling and student club info tables.
Film & Discussion: Smoke Signals
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: LeAndrea Sierra Lovett, EMCC Hoop of Learning Student. This independent film was directed and co-produced by Chris Eyre and with a screenplay by Sherman Alexie, based on the short story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. It is internationally acclaimed and has won numerous awards.
**** SORRY, THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN CANCELLED****
Presentation: Boarded Up: Social and Historical Interpretations of the American Indian Boarding School Era
Thursday, Nov. 5, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: Evangeline Parsons Yazzie. American Indians are the only ethnic group in the United States who, for generations, were subjected to forced education by the federal government. In the early years, Indian children were hunted down and taken by force to boarding schools, residing there for three or more years. These children were stripped of their Native identities, not being allowed to speak their native languages or practice their cultural traditions. This presentation provides historical and social interpretations of this painful era in American Indian history, examining the U.S. federal laws that put it into motion and the drastic life changes that occurred across the Indian Nations as a result.
Guest Speaker: Walking the Corn Pollen Path, Wallace Brown
Monday, Nov. 9, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Student Union
Cultural foundations, given to Wallace Brown by his grandparents, helped him weather the changing world on the Navajo Nation. Life experiences taught him the value of preserving the traditional teachings that are not available in print. Hoping to bring a restoration to his people, he began “talking culture” and found an ever-broadening audience, one who desires a greater understanding of Navajo people, the Diné. His stories teach the past, suggest the present, and create a pathway to a satisfying future. Through recurring themes rich in symbolism, we discover the Corn Pollen Path, the Navajo way of life, and aspire to continue life’s journey upon it.
Lunch Presentation: 1493
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
CTL
Presenter: Dr. Victor Begay EMCC Faculty. A discussion about the influence of Europeans on Indigenous communities. Through visual images and oral history stories, Dr. Begay will engage student and audience members to reflect on their understanding of American Indian history – 1493 – and how it affects life today. Limited seating. Free lunch is first-come, first-served.
Guest Speaker: Clan Mothers, Annabell Bowen
Thursday, Nov. 12, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: Annabell Bowen, ASU Director of American Indian Initiatives. A presentation highlighting the roles and responsibilities Clan Mothers have within the Haudenosaunee Nations.
Film & Discussion: Holocaust of the Native American Indians
Thursday, Nov. 12, 7:15 – 8:30 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: LeAndrea Sierra Lovett, EMCC Hoop of Learning Student. Joanelle Romero directed, produced, wrote and scored the music for the film that compares the Holocaust with the U.S. government’s treatment of American Indians and the lasting effects on contemporary culture. The powerful and hard-hitting documentary reveals the link between the Nazi holocaust, which claimed at least 6 million Jews, and the American Holocaust which claimed, according to conservative estimates, 19 million Indigenous People. Romero founded Spirit World Productions, a Native American television, film and music production company. She was inspired to create Spirit World Productions due to the lack of Native voice in the entertainment industry.
Presentation: Pima and Maricopa Peoples Traditional Homelands
Thursday, Nov. 19, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: Huhugham Heritage Center. A discussion on the traditional homelands of the Pima and Maricopa people. EMCC is situated on the traditional homelands and be used as a point of discussion regarding Federal Indian policy, cultural significance and traditional issues, and regulatory/statutory definitions regarding land ownership and stewardship. Located in Chandler, the center highlights both the historic and living cultures of the Akimel O’odham and the Pee Posh, recognizing and preserving the enduring traditions of the Gila River Indian Community.
Film & Discussion: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - **CANCELLED, Sorry for the inconvenience.**
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Plaza Gallery
Presenter: LeAndrea Sierra Lovett, EMCC Hoop of Learning Student. After viewing the traditional holiday Peanuts cartoon, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, created by Charles M. Schultz, a discussion will follow about the character’s stereotypes.