The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment
November 2013
The Center for Multicultural Affairs
The Enlightenment
Native American Heritage Month
November is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month. Heritage Month is a
time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to
acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also
an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general
awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically
and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens work to conquer these
challenges.
“We all come from the same root, but the
leaves are all different.”
~ John Fire Lame Deer,
Lakota
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November 2013
Stereotypes vs.
Realities
Since many people have such a limited knowledge of
Native Americans, they are considered to be among the
most misunderstood ethnic groups in the United States.
The knowledge that most people have about Native
Americans does not come from direct experience. What
people know is limited by their sources of information —
and, unfortunately, much of the information about Native
Americans is derived from popular culture and is subject
to false information and stereotyping. Presented here are
some easily recognizable myths collected and debunked
by Pride Alliance.
Myth: All Native Americans
prefer to be called Native
Americans.
Fact: Just like most cultural
groups, it depends on whom
you are asking. Terms for
Native Americans include
ʻAmerican Indian”, “Indian”,
and “Native”. While the term
“Native American” is used
most often, all of the above are
valid. Some Natives might use
all of these terms
interchangeably, while others
prefer to be referred to by their
tribe, clan or group affiliation
only. When referring to
someone or to their culture, it
is best to ask which term(s)
they prefer.
Myth: Native Americans
wasted none of their
resources.
Fact: Like any other group with
a long history, we wouldnʼt be
able to know about or study
early Native American culture if
it was not for the things that
they threw out. While they did
make a large use out of
animals for clothing, food,
weapons, etc., groups in the
past did throw out enough
trash to leave evidence for
archaeological excavation of
midden (waste/dump) pits to
be possible. This includes
unused animal bones and
pieces of animals, shell, and
other domestic waste.
Myth: Native Americans all live
on reservations
Fact: There is nothing that
confines Native Americans to
live on the reservation. Some
choose to live there, others
may leave the reservation
when they are adults and
others still might never have
stepped foot on a reservation.
Myth: Native Americans are a
vanishing race.
Fact: The population of
American Indians and Alaska
Natives is estimated to be
around 3 million. In 2010 there
were five U.S. states where
American Indians and Alaska
Natives were the largest race
or ethnic minority group. Those
states were Alaska, Montana,
North Dakota, Oklahoma and
South Dakota.
Interested in being a
Student Leader?
Interested in planning
fun, on-campus events?
Interested in learning and
teaching about Native
American Culture?
The Native American
Student Union is looking
for interested members to
re-form!
Please contact David Swift
(david.swift@fredonia.edu)
for more information!
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The Enlightenment
November 2013
Upcoming Events from the CMA:
Hillel’s Hanukkah Brunch
Saturday, November 16th, Hillel will be
hosting a Hanukkah Brunch from 11:00am1:00pm in the Williams Center Horizon Room.
Come and learn about Hanukkah, enjoy
free Hanukkah food, and engage in fun
Hanukkah activities! All are welcome - Hillel
hopes to see you there!
BSU – Game Night
Black Student Union will be hosting
Game Night on Tuesday, November
19th at 6:30pm in the Williams Center,
room S226. We will have board games,
trivia, cards, dominoes and more!
Please feel free to bring your own
games as well.
If you are up for the challenge, then do
not miss out. This event is the week
before Thanksgiving Break – the perfect
time to spend a moment with close
friends who you are grateful for, before
you depart to go spend time with family.
BSU’s Game Night will get you in good
spirit, so we invite you to come and
relax with us and have some fun before we leave to feast!
If you cannot attend Game Night, our General Body Meetings take place every other Tuesday in
the Williams Center room S226 at 6:30pm. Hope to see you there!
- Black Student Union
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The Enlightenment
November 2013
September All-Star
Courtney Loiacono is a Junior English and Women’s & Gender Studies double major from
Nissequogue, New York. She is President of the Women’s Student Union this year and
absolutely loves it. She is also the Secretary of Sigma Tau Delta and an English and Writing
tutor at the Learning Center. After graduating from SUNY Fredonia, Courtney plans on
working hard to obtain doctorates in English and Women’s & Gender Studies in order to
become a college professor. In the meantime, she will continue to be the huge feminist she is
and critique the media, literature, and society at large every day. She also loves to read, listen to
and play music, and of course scroll through Tumblr in her spare time.
The Program:
CM
A
ar
t
S
All
Each month, the students of the CMA will pick a
fellow peer who they feel has excelled at being a
student leader, is involved in multiple groups and is
active in making SUNY Fredonia a more diverse
campus.
The Requirements:
•
•
•
•
Maintain the minimum GPA
requirement for their department.
Are continuously active in the CMA, its
groups and the other groups on
campus.
Are involved and show interest in more
than one CMA group.
Desire to make Fredonia a more diverse
campus with a drive towards cultural
pluralism.
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November 2013
CMA Recommends…
Movies
• Reel Injun
• Two Spirits
• Smoke Signals
Students in the CMA
have recommended the
following media (books,
movies, magazines,
CDs, etc.) for your
viewing/reading/listenin
g pleasure! Enjoy this
month’s list of
educational media with
a Native American
focus.
• Fry Bread Babes
• Up Heartbreak Hill
• Dancing with the
Longhouse People
• Images of Indians: How
Hollywood Stereotyped
the Native American
• In the Light of
Reverence
Websites
• nativepeoples.com
• indiancountrytodaymedi
anetwork.com
• sni.org
• nmai.si.edu
• ganondagan.org
Thank you for the
contributions made by:
Black Student Union
Hillel
Women’s Student Union
Latinos Unidos
Pride Alliance
Books / Poetry
• How to Write the Great
American Indian Novel
- Sherman Alexie
Heaven – Sherman
Alexie
• Earth Song, Sky Spirit
– compiled by Clifford
E. Trafzer
• Two-Spirit People:
Native American
Gender Identity,
Sexuality and
Spirituality – SueEllen Jacobs, Wesley
Thomas and Sabine
Long (eds.)
• Pocahontas: Medicine
Woman, Spy,
Entrepreneur,
Diplomat – Paula
Gunn Allen
• Empire of the
Summer Moon:
Quanah Parker and
the Rise and Fall of
the Comanches – S.
C. Gwynne
• Black Indians: A
Hidden Heritage –
William Loren Katz
• Ceremony – Leslie
Marmon Silko
• The Lone Ranger and
Tonto Fistfight in
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November 2013
Don’t miss out on all the fun! Come to the next Latinos Unidos General Body meeting!
November 12th and November 20th at 9:00pm in Williams Center S204
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The Enlightenment
November 2013
The Center for
Multicultural Affairs
Thompson Hall E125
SUNY Fredonia
716-673-3398
Director: Jellema Stewart
Secretary: Kim Miller
Graduate Assistant: Annie Connors
“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I
know there is comfort, where we overlap.”
- Ani DiFranco
Like us on Facebook @ Fredonia CMA