Events, Activities, and Meetings

CNIA is an organization dedicated to increasing awareness among non-Indians of Native culture and issues. But more importantly, we are here to help Indian students find a sense of community in which they can practice their traditions while gaining a college education. We also hope that our Indian students will find an opportunity to learn about other tribal ways of life from their fellow students.
We have meetings every 2 weeks, and all are welcome to attend, both Native and non-Native. Faculty are also welcome. Meetings are usually held on either the top floor of the Minority Student Building, or in the Student Center's Oyate Hall. We are known to mix these "business" meetings with fun things like pizza parties, so please stop by! Our next meeting will be on: Not yet announced
Upcoming Events

ANNUAL POWWOW AND PEACE RUN

CNIA sponsors a yearly powwow every May, to coincide with Cultural Heritage Week. We bring in drums and dancers from around the Midwest, representing many diverse tribal traditions. In the past two years we have had the Women's Red Drum Group attend our powwow, one of the first all women's drum groups in the Midwest. This year ('98/'99), we are also attempting to bring in youth groups from around the Midwest area who will not only come to dance, but will also tour the campus as prospective students. All are welcome to attend and particpate in our powwow; we also have a raffle for various donated items.

Also during the month of May, we put together a 1-mile "Peace Run," in which students pledge one mile of distance to the hope for peace and unity. T-shirts commemorating the event are available each year.

If you are interested in helping us plan, fund-raise, or manage the powwow or peace run, please feel free to get in contact with us at cnia@cda.morris.umn.edu We can always use more help!

For more information about powwows and dance styles, check out the Southern Powwow Webpage

NATIVE SPEAKERS AND ARTISTS

In past years, CNIA has brought up such diverse speakers as American Indian Movement co-founder Clyde Bellecourt, Fond du Lac writer Jim Northup, Jr. , and performance artists such as the American Indian Dance Theatre and hoop dancer Dallas Chief Eagle.

We have not yet planned this year's speakers for Winter or Spring Quarter, but in November we are bringing in Cliff Garbow , the current director for the American Indian Movement Patrol in South Minneapolis. Founded in 1968 as a Native group to stop police brutality, the AIM patrol has over the year evolved into a multi-purpose crime watch group for South Minneapolis minorities, and is now poised to branch out and work with such U. of Minn-Twin Cities groups as "Cop Watch" and expand beyond the South Minneapolis community. Cliff will be discussing his past problem with motivating residents of South Minneapolis to take part in groups such as AIM patrol, and his plans for the future of the patrol.

CULTURAL EVENTS

Native dance, drumming/singing, and ceremonies are very important to us. Many of the Native students at Morris are far removed from their traditions, and so we wish to provid everyone with the chance to practice their tribal ways, and learn more while they are here. We are intent on bringing up dancers and craftpeople who can show students how to make dance outfits, ceremonial items, and to teach dance steps. They will also explain the origin of various dances and their outfits. We also hope to be able to bring in medicine people to help us gain a better understanding of our traditions and practices.

CNIA will hopefully also be able bring in people such as Cornel Pewewardy and Collins Oakgrove (both are Native educators), for dinners with CNIA, providing Indian students with a chance to talk to successful and well-known Native role-models. We are also in the process of arranging trips to local powwows, in conjunction with other colleges in the Midwest, such as Macalester's Native American group, P.I.P.E.

TRIPS, CONVENTIONS, AND RECRUITING

CNIA sponsors trips for Indian students to powwows, performances, and other events. This fall, we sent students to such diverse activities as the Minnesota Indian Education Association Conference in Morton, Mn., to a hauted hayride just outside of Alexandria. Three of our students are going to Washington, D.C., to take part in a national gathering of Native college students and educators. We believe one of the best ways to help our Native students graduate is to provide them with the opportunity to meet other successful Native students and professionals.

This year, we hope to recruit from a wider range of reservations in the Midwest than in previous years; part of this strategy will be in inviting youth dance groups from various high schools to attend our powwow, and to then provide them with information and a tour of the campus while they are here.