First November Friday event honored Native American Heritage Month

By: Madyson Deaton

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – The University of Arkansas Multicultural Center kicked off its first November Friday event honoring Native American Heritage Month.

This cultural celebration took place outside at the Razorback Gardens serving a traditional Red Pozole lunch while Choctaw singer-songwriter Samantha Crain performed her original music set.

Red Pozole is a stew regularly served with pork or chicken and included Indigenous produced hominy ingredients. According to Bryan Hembree, director of arts and culture, in an email he explained that pozole “pre-dates European contact” and is cooked throughout Central America in multiple ways.

Later, the celebration moved to the University Recreation field showcasing the game stickball by Cherokee Nation members. Participants learned the legacy of the game and had the opportunity to join in.

The Native American Student Association collaborated with the Multicultural Center for this event to help university’s indigenous students come together, fellowship, and celebrate Native American Heritage Month.

“A lot of times Native American Heritage month ends up being about history, or painful and difficult subjects,” Summer Wilkie secondary advisor for NASA and Cherokee Nation member said. “I really wanted this to feel like a celebratory event, and something for people to show up to socialize, eat, and have a good time.”

This was one of the many events incorporated for Indigenous students on campus and in efforts to spread awareness for NASA. The Native American Student Association was created for Indigenous or non-Native students on campus to build community and to raise visibility for Native issues.

NASA was created in 2009, but in recent years the leadership and participation fluctuated. After the Spring semester of 2019, minimum activity was happening.

“No one was really pushing for the re-registration, and the deadline was in June,” Wilkie said. “I reached out to the only Native American student I knew on campus, and I explained how I knew the advisor really well and she will help us re-register.”

For the fall semester of 2021, the numbers of NASA have exceedingly grown. With a total of 981 registered tribal citizens on campus and 96 members in the RSO, Wilkie said that this is the biggest NASA has ever been when she has been involved.

Jamie Black, the president of NASA and Cherokee Nation member, said the organization is finally receiving the necessary attention and recognition it deserves. “Now we have leadership positions, and we’re getting to the place where it needs to be,” Black said.

NASA meets twice a month at the Multicultural Center in the Arkansas Union. During these meetings, members discuss potential ideas, scholarship opportunities, or upcoming events to update students on what is happening. Recently, Wilkie and Black have talked about gaining their own space for the future.

Along with the meetings and events, NASA provides a Native American Student Network for all tribal citizens on campus. Each tribal citizen receives an email providing information about the space on campus and upcoming activities for them to get involved in.

NASA continues to provide opportunities for Indigenous students, but more involvement is in the works for future years. To get involved with NASA or to know about upcoming events, follow NASA’s Instagram page, UARKNASA, or join the Groupme link located in the Instagram biography.