MTU Forum, Powwow kick off Native American Heritage Month HOUGHTON ’Äì This weekend Michigan Tech’Äôs campus will be the scene of several events kicking off November as Native American Heritage month. The MTU student chapter of the Native American Association/American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) will host a Speakers’Äô Forum, the Second Annual Walt Bresette Memorial Walk/Run and the MTU Spirit of the Harvest Powwow. The Fifth Annual Native American Speakers’Äô Forum will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, in the Memorial Union Building, Isle Royale Ballrooms B-1 and B-2. The schedule of speakers is as follows: 9 a.m. ’Äì 10 a.m. ’Äì Marli Carlson, RD ’Äì Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network (UPDON) ’Äì will speak on "Native Americans and Diabetes." 10 a.m. ’Äì 11 a.m. ’Äì Debbie Parrish, President of Ojibwa Community College in Baraga, will speak on "The Tribal College Initiative." 11 a.m. ’Äì 11:50 a.m. ’Äì Earl Otchingwanigan (pronounced ’ÄòO cheeng wani gone’Äô), will talk about the birch bark canoe he built that is on display at the Smithsonian Native American Museum in New York. The video "Earl’Äôs Canoe" will be shown. 11:50 a.m. ’Äì 1:15 p.m. Speakers’Äô Forum Luncheon (invited guests only). The Keynote speaker is Michael Price of the Wiki Reserve in Canada. Price ’Äì who is the President of Leech Lake Tribal College’Äôs Math and Science Department in Cass Lake, Minn. ’Äì will speak on "Science, Technology and Tradition." 1:30 p.m ’Äì 2:30 p.m. Jefferson Ballew, NAGPRA consultant for the Pokagon Band of Potowatomi will speak on the "Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act" and protecting Indian burial grounds on private lands. The Speakers’Äô Forum is free and open to the public, with the exception of the luncheon. On Saturday morning, Nov. 4, the Second Annual Walt Bresette Memorial Walk/Run will begin at 9 a.m. at the Gates Tennis Center and continue on the Tech Trails until 11:30 a.m. The entry fee is $5.00, which includes a T-shirt for those who complete the walk. The late Walter Bresette, Ojibwa from the Red Cliff Lake Superior Band of Chippewa, was a former visiting scholar at MTU, where he taught the course Indigenous Perspectives of the Environment. "Walt Bresette walked on to the spirit world in February 1999," said Carole La Pointe, MTU Native American Outreach Coordinator. "We will always remember Walt for his activism, writings, humor and efforts to save the Lake Superior watershed and protect our basic rights of clean air and water for generations to come." All runners and participants must sign a waiver. Runners under 18 must have parent/guardian signature. For more information on the Walk/Run call Sandra at (906) 487-2791 or email her at slhartin@mtu.edu. Keweenaw Bay Native Americans harvested wild rice near Baraga in early September. Eddie Edwards of Assinins poles the canoe while White Cloud Running Water (Misty Pelcher) of Baraga , far right, of Baraga beats the rice with sticks in the traditional manner. Also seated in the canoe are Alice Brunk of Baraga and Pelcher's daughter Miino Anung Ikwe (Good Star Woman), 4. Traditional Native wild rice will be served at the Spirit of the Harvest Powwow feast at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in MTU’Äôs Gates Tennis Center. Following the Walk/Run, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Grand Entry for MTU’Äôs Fifth Annual Spirit of the Harvest Powwow begins at the Gates Tennis Center and is open to the public. Grand entries are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. A feast, including Native wild rice, will be served at 5 p.m. The Powwow is an alcohol-free activity. Head Dancers are Karlene and Donald Chosa; Host Drum is Morning Thunder of Marquette, and Co-Host Drum is Tree Town of Ann Arbor; Visiting Drums include: Buffalo Bay Singers of Odanah, Wis.; Smokey Town of Neopit, Wis.; Four Winds of Lac du Flambeau, Wis., and Bear Town of Keweenaw Bay. The Lac du Flambeau Veterans’Äô Color Guard will also perform the flag ceremonies this year. Stanley Spruce of KBIC is emcee for the powwow. A dozen Native craft and food vendors will feature Native food, crafts and jewelry for the entire day. For more information, please call Carole LaPointe at (906)487-2920 or email Carole at cllapoin@mtu.edu November 2, 2000