Media Relations
Press Release:
MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Freed
561-297-3022, lfreed@fau.edu
FAU Celebrates Native American Indian
Heritage Month
BOCA RATON, FL (October 30, 2009) – Florida Atlantic University will host its celebration of Native American Indian Heritage Month with a series of events taking place at FAU’s Boca Raton, Davie and Jupiter campuses.
Native American Indian Heritage Month is sponsored by FAU’s Division of Student Affairs and co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the South Florida Storytelling Project, Student Government BSUMP and Dr. Enid Conley, an FAU alumna.
The following events will take place at FAU’s Boca Raton campus:
Opening Ceremony Festivities
Wednesday, November 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Traditions Plaza, Breezeway
Contact: Rozalia Williams at 561-297-3959
The opening ceremony festivities will include remarks by Roberto Borrero, tribal chairman of the United Confederation of Taino People and senior program coordinator for the American Museum of Natural History. Borrero will discuss “Mother Earth and the Importance of Sustainable Living” in cooperation with FAU’s GreenFest 2009 event. Native American Indians from tribes throughout Florida also will share their dancing rituals, including northern traditional, fancy, jingle, grass, southern buckskin and round dance in full regalia.
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Storyteller Lynn Moroney, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation
Wednesday, November 4 at 12:15 p.m.
Traditions Plaza, Breezeway
Contact: Caren Neile at 561-297-3959
Storyteller
Lynn Moroney is a daughter of the prairie whose ancestry and
pioneer roots are deeply woven into her stories. As a child growing
up in Oklahoma, she would gaze in wonder at the stars and
constellations that would cascade across the evening sky. Moroney
has captured those wonders and wrapped them with folk tales and
myths from all cultures. She will share her tales with sky myths
and stories of indigenous peoples during this presentation.
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Lecture by Zonnie Gorman, Historian and Daughter of an Original Navajo Code Talker of World War II
Thursday, November 5, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Marleen and Harold Forkas Alumni Center, Room 103
Contact: Kerri-Ann Nesbeth at 561-297-4037
Zonnie Gorman, the daughter of the late Dr. Carl Gorman, one of the original Navajo Code Talkers, will tell her story about her father, who devised the initial code and won a Congressional Gold Medal in 2001. Marine Navajo Code Talkers played a vital role in the Pacific campaigns during World War II. The Navajo code was the only one never broken by the Japanese and is considered to have been key in winning the war.
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Movie Screening of “Windtalkers,” Starring
Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach
Thursday, November 12, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Student Union’s Senate Chambers
Contact: Kerri-Ann Nesbeth at 561-297-4037
In “Windtalkers,” a 2002 movie directed by John Woo, marine Joe Enders (Nicolas Cage) is assigned to protect Ben Yahzee (Adam Beach), a Navajo Code Talker, as well as the Marines’ new secret weapon. Enders receives orders to protect his code talker, but if Yahzee should fall into enemy hands, he is to “protect the code at all costs.” Against the backdrop of the horrific Battle of Saipan, when capture is imminent, Enders is forced to make a decision: if he can’t protect his fellow Marine, can he bring himself to kill him to protect the code?
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Native American Museum Exhibit: “Trail of Tears, the
Journey of Survival and Success”
Wednesday, November 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Student Union lobby
Contact: Dr. Rozalia Williams at 561-297-3959
“Trail of Tears, the Journey of Survival and Success” maps the rich cultural journey of America’s first people. The traveling exhibit brings to life several important events and historical accounts which contextualize the Native American experience.
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Native American Pride Dancers
Wednesday, November 18, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Room TBA
Contact: Kerri-Ann Nesbeth at 561-297-4037
The Native Pride Dancers strive to educate and entertain audiences of all ages on the beauty, skill and majesty of American Indian music and dance. The performance is directed by Larry Yazzie.
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Celebrating Algonquin Heritage
Wednesday, November 18 at 7 p.m.
Algonquin Hall Lounge
Contact: Juan Rocha at 561-297-5200
FAU’s department of housing and residential life will host a program with its Algonquin Hall and Heritage Park Tower staff on the Algonquin Indian heritage.
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The following event will take place at FAU’s Davie
campus:
Native American Indian Heritage Display
Sunday, November 1 through Monday, November 30
Student Union
Contact: Freddie Frage at 954-236-1257
An exhibit encompassing all aspects of Native American Indian heritage, including topics such as history, culture and tradition, will be on display for the entire month of November.
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The following event will take place at FAU’s
Jupiter campus:
Storyteller Lynn Moroney, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation
Wednesday, November 4
Time TBA, Atrium Lobby
Contact: Rochelle Popp at 772-873-3441
Storyteller Lynn Moroney is a daughter of the prairie whose ancestry and pioneer roots are deeply woven into her stories. As a child growing up in Oklahoma, she would gaze in wonder at the stars and constellations that would cascade across the evening sky. Moroney has captured those wonders and wrapped them with folk tales and myths from all cultures. She will share her tales with sky myths and stories of indigenous peoples during this presentation.
-FAU-
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.
