Northern slates events highlighting Indian heritage

A comedy performance, traditional crafts and a unity walk are among the activities the Montana State University-Northern Sweetgrass Society and the Little River Institute will be hosting this week to mark American Indian Heritage Week.

The Montana Legislature voted in 1997 to designate the fourth Friday of September as American Indian Heritage Day to recognize the cultural significance of American Indian Tribes.

Havre Public Schools held events last week, which was Northern”s homecoming week.

Every year, the Sweetgrass Society, the organization at Northern that represents Native American students, plans a week of activities at Northern that reflect American Indian culture.

“We’ve been planning since July,” Sweetgrass Society President Amy Murdock said.

All events aside from the comedy show are free, she said. All events are open to the public.

Sunday afternoon three teepees were raised on the lawn outside Northern’s Student Union Building by members of the Gros Ventre, Blackfeet and Chippewa Cree Tribes.

She said this year, Tonia Jo Hall, an indigenous entertainer and motivational speaker from North Dakota who is of the Hidatsa and Lakota tribes, will host a comedy show and a motivational speaking event.

“ We want to bring native humor to the campus,” Murdock said.

Hall will give a motivational talk 1 p.m Tuesday in Henseler Auditorium that is free. At 7 p.m she will host a comedy show in the SUB Ballroom. Murdock said the cost of admission is $5. Northern students who show a student I.D at the door will get free admission.

Other events will include

• A traditional beading class today from 1 to 5 p.m, in the Little River Institute on the second floor of the SUB in Room 308

• Diana Bigby and Hannah Has Eagle, both of the Assiniboine Tribe,will host an event where participants will play traditional American Indian games Wednesday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lawn outside the SUB.

• Willowa Sis Horn of the Assiniboine Tribe will give a star-quilt-making class Thursday noon to 4 p.m. in the Little River Institute.

• Theatre Thursday, a student group, will screen the 2007 movie “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” at 8:30 p.m Thursday in the SUB Ballroom.

• Margaret Campbell, Superintendent of Hays-Lodgepole Schools will give a presentation on American Indian education Friday 11 a.m. to noon in the SUB Ballroom.

•A Sweetgrass Society Unity Walk Run will take place Friday evening, Murdock said the run or walk will also serve to raise awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women.

The walk and run will open with remarks from Marita Growing Thunder, founder of the group Save Our Sisters will deliver opening remarks. Registration for the walk will begin at 6 p.m. and people can choose to walk or run either a 1-mile or 3-mile course at the conclusion of Growing Thunder’s remarks.

Murdock said Kira Murillo, an artist from Idaho, will be selling T-shirts at the event.