Programs and Events

Explore our events for Native American Heritage Month, October 2024, below. Check back for continued program and event offerings throughout the year.

Native American Heritage Month Events 2024

Quick Menu:

Screening of the award-winning film Monkey Beach
Sunday, October 27 | 7:00-9:15 PM | PB 150

The film, based on Visiting Writer Series speaker Eden Robinson’s novel of the same name, is a supernatural mystery centering on a young Haisla woman who returns to her hometown and must try to solve the disappearance of her brother. The screening will open with a brief introduction of Haisla culture and end with a brief discussion of the film.

BCR Credit.
Free and open to the public.
Explore more information about the film here.
Questions? Contact Tom Mould: tmould@butler.edu.

Visiting Writer Series: Eden Robinson
Monday, October 28 | 7:30 PM | Shelton Auditorium, South Campus

Eden Robinson is an award-winning Indigenous writer from Canada. She is a member of  the Haisla and Heiltsuk First Nations. Eden is the author of the short story collection Traplines (1995). Traplines won the Winifred Holtby Prize for best first work of fiction and was a New York Times Notable Book. Her second book Monkey Beach (2000), a novel, was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award. Monkey Beach was awarded with the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. Eden’s third novel, Blood Sports, was published in 2006 and revisits characters from Traplines.

Eden recently finished writing the Trickster-trilogy: Son of a Trickster (2017), Trickster Drift (2018) and, Return of the Trickster (2021) all published by Knopf Canada. Son of a Trickster was shortlisted for the 2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Moreover, Son of a Trickster was a finalist of the 2020 edition of Canada Reads. Trickster Drift won the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize in 2019.

BCR Credit.
Free and open to the public, no tickets required. View more information here.
Questions? Contact Bryce Berkowitz: bberkowitz@butler.edu.

Author Q&A with Eden Robinson
Tuesday, October 29 | 9:30 AM | Collaborative Space, first floor of Irwin Library

Award-winning indigenous writer Eden Robinson will meet with students to talk about her work in a small group setting. This is a great opportunity for students to talk directly with the author.

Questions? Contact Tom Mould: tmould@butler.edu.

Día de los Muertos Celebration
November 1 | 5:00 PM | Main lobby of Irwin Library

Between November 1-4, millions of candles on altars and in cemeteries across Mexico light up in celebration of Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. Families decorate grave sites and create ofrendas (altars) at home to honor departed loved ones and guide their spirits home. A national holiday in Mexico, it has become increasingly popular in the US as well–not only in Latine communities, but also with the general public. But what are the origins of this rich and colorful tradition?

Come celebrate Día de los Muertos and the holiday’s indigenous roots at the presentation and dedication of BU’s community altar. Learn about the history and symbolism of the elements that make up a traditional ofrenda and its significance in indigenous communities today. Customary foods like pan de muerto, chocolatl, and tamales will be served.  We invite all to participate in the dedication of the altar by writing notes to departed loved ones and/or bring pictures of them.

BCR Credit.
Irwin Library will host the altar November 1-4.
Questions? Contact Ageeth Sluis: asluis@butler.edu.

“Crafting Indigenous Histories with Digital Tools” by Dr. Jennifer Guiliano, IU Indianapolis 
Wednesday, November 6 | 4:30 PM | GH 104

Discover Indiana, a project of the Public History Program at Indiana University Indianapolis, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, and the Indiana Historical Society, uses the Omeka+Curatescape platform to distribute interpretive stories about the history, architecture, culture, and people of the state of Indiana (USA) on the web. Working with eleven public libraries and nine historical societies and museums over two years, Discover Indiana assisted in the production of meaningful historical content and also shaped how organizations think about the stories they will tell in the future.

In this presentation, Dr. Guiliano highlights how the prioritization of Indigenous history in the state of Indiana challenged common narratives of state founding and community settlement. She will demonstrate how digital history offers the opportunity to augment existing cultural heritage narratives to recenter Indigenous experiences and histories.

BCR Credit.
Questions? Contact Molly Nebiolo: mnebiolo@butler.edu.

“Indigenous Fashion in the 21st Century” with model Gavi Stroemer
Tuesday, November 19 | 7:00 PM | PB156

Join us for an opportunity to learn about the Indigenous fashion scene hitting the mainstage in America from an indigenous model in the industry. Gavi Stroemer, Nakota Sioux from Sitka, Alaska, has appeared in Vogue numerous times in her career as a model and was recently interviewed for the magazine’s October’s issue. Stroemer will be sharing her personal experiences working with the industry’s top Indigenous designers such as Kayla Lookinghorse, Jammie Okuma. She will also talk about moving away from rural Alaska and her local community to NYC.

Gavi is bringing select pieces from a few of her favorite designers that will be showcased during the event (she is even being dressed for the event by Jammie Okuma herself). Come learn about the fantastic Native American artists who are contributing so significantly to the current fashion seen in NYC fashion week, LA’s Getty and Autry Museum’s show, the Swaia fashion show in New Mexico, and more.

BCR Credit.
Questions? Contact Tom Mould: tmould@butler.edu or Mattey Stroemer mstroemer@butler.edu.