UAF to host Indigenous Peoples Day celebration
October 2, 2019
The University of Alaska Fairbanks will celebrate its third annual Indigenous Peoples Day with a community celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at the Fairbanks campus.
UAF’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebration will include a day of free public events that honor Alaska Native peoples, cultures and indigenous knowledge. The theme, “Resiliency: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” will look at the past, present and future from an indigenous perspective.
“Indigenous culture, history, knowledge and perspective is critical to honor first Alaskans and remind us of the important work still underway to infuse our educational systems with indigenous curriculum, pedagogy and content,” said Evon Peter, UAF’s vice chancellor for rural, community and Native education.
The festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. with a blessing at Troth Yeddha’ Park, named for the ridge on which the Fairbanks campus sits and the future site of an indigenous studies center. The park is the green space just east of the University of Alaska Museum of the North.
Participants will walk to the Wood Center, where an opening ceremony will begin at 11:15 a.m., followed at noon by a traditional foods lunch. The afternoon will include two panel discussions and a presentation. “Yesterday,” at 12:30 p.m., will focus on groundbreakers, trailblazers and wisdom bearers, with a panel discussion about traditional learning. “Today,” at 1:45 p.m., will focus on indigenous Ph.D. graduates at UAF and their research interests and experiences. “Tomorrow,” at 3 p.m., will feature Alaska Native honorary doctorate recipients and their advice for the future. A closing ceremony will be held at 4 p.m.
Free parking is available in the Nenana lot across from the UAF Student Recreation Center. More information about Indigenous Peoples Day events are available online at http://bit.ly/uaf0930191.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Sandra Kowalski, 907-474-7089, sjkowalski@alsaka.edu