Speakers to include tribal leaders, SOU President Rick Bailey, Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham
Ashland.news staff reports
Southern Oregon University will celebrate its seventh annual Indigenous Peoples Day over two days on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 and 20, complete with a grand entry, Indigenous artisan market and various tribal speakers in addition to remarks by SOU President Rick Bailey.
This year’s celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with a “grand entry” procession of Native American dancers at the university’s Stevenson Union. A period of “welcoming” will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a $10 salmon bake lunch (cash only) at noon. Guest speakers and open sharing of songs, dances and stories will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.
The celebration continues Sunday with guest speakers and open sharing throughout the day, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Indian tacos and frybread offered by SOU’s Native American Student Union (cash only).
Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates the historic, cultural and present-day influence of Native Americans. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Honor the past, empower the present, inspire the future.”
“A lot of people don’t know that Native Americans are still here,” said Kenwani Kravitz, SOU’s Native Nations Liaison in an interview with Ashland.news.
Kravitz’ full first name is Kenwanicahee, which means “Evening Wind,” according to an interview with JPR News.
Kravitz came to Ashland from the Redding, California area, assuming her role at SOU in February. She is an enrolled tribal member of the Madesi Band of the Pit River Nation and a descendant of the Northern Wintu people, according to her SOU profile.
“Our people are still here,” she added. “We don’t always wear regalia — sometimes we do. We don’t live in teepees. We live in normal houses and drive cars and we’re educated and we’re doing good things in the world.”
SOU has formally observed Indigenous Peoples Day since 2017, after a student and the university’s Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee petitioned for the change a year earlier. The state of Oregon began recognizing the holiday in 2021.
Speakers representing various tribes, including Takelma, Pit River, Tolowa Dee-ni, Shasta, and Yurok, will be on hand.
Additionally, Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham is scheduled to speak during the two-day event.
An Indigenous artisans market and a variety of other activities will be held during both days of the celebration.
Dancers are invited to join Saturday’s grand entry procession, and Native American regalia is encouraged. Indigenous relatives are invited to bring songs, dances and stories to share during open sharing times.
Those looking for more information about the celebration can contact Kravitz, SOU’s Native Nations Liaison, at kravitzk@sou.edu or (541) 552-6937.
Hosts of SOU’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration include the university, its Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, the Native Raiders office and the Native American Student Union.
The public is invited to attend.
Email Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.
Related stories:
SOU Native Nations Liaison: ‘We have been educators since time immemorial’ (Oct. 15, 2024)
Flags honoring Oregon’s nine tribes given to SOU on Indigenous Peoples Day (Oct. 10, 2023)
Hundreds gather at SOU for Indigenous Peoples Day (Oct. 11, 2022)
SOU commemoration of Indigenous Peoples Day returns as in-person event (Oct. 8, 2022)
