Indigenous Peoples Day

Students listen to an address during Indigenous Peoples' Day

Why do we honor Indigenous Peoples Day?

Indigenous Peoples Day honors Alaska Native people, culture and knowledge. It affords time to reflect and acknowledge the Indigenous knowledge that enhances the education provided by the university.

Indigenous Peoples Day is recognized on the second Monday of October.

In 2017, the University of Alaska Fairbanks celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day for the first time. Resolutions from students, staff and faculty groups across the University of Alaska system have unanimously supported recognizing “Indigenous Peoples Day.” Each campus hosted a culturally relevant event incorporating elements of the indigenous history of place, culture and language associated with their regions.

2023 Indigenous Peoples Day: October 9, 2023

The University of Alaska Fairbanks will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day with several events and activities across colleges, campuses and departments on Oct. 9, 2023.

Troth Yeddha' Campus (Fairbanks, Alaska)

The College of Rural and Community Development will host Wear It Wednesday on Oct. 11. Wear your qaspeqs on Wednesday and tag @uafcrcd to have your photo featured on social media.
The College of Rural and Community Development will host the annual Rock Your Moccs week from Oct. 9-13. Take a photo of your moccasins and tag @uafcrcd to have your photo featured on social media.

12 p.m. - Festival of Native Arts Frybread Taco Fundraiser - Brooks Building, Gathering Room

Parking will be available in the Nenana lot across from the Student Recreation Center.

Multiple events will occur in the Wood Center on the Troth Yeddha' Campus in Fairbanks from 2-6 p.m.

2 p.m.
- Opening remarks, blessing, invitational dance — multilevel lounge
- Informational and Indigenous art tables — multilevel lounge (continues through 6 p.m.)
3 p.m.
- Alaska Native foods tasting —main ballroom A/B
- Native games demonstration —ballroom C/D
4 p.m.
- Fish skin sewing with Brianna Gray —ballroom C/D
- Dance workshop — multilevel lounge
5 p.m.
- Closing: Troth Yeddha' Dance Group — multilevel lounge
- Skin sewing with Amy Topkok— ballroom E/F

Event Contact

Kuskokwim Campus (Bethel, Alaska)

The UAF Kuskokwim Campus and Kuskokwim Consortium Library are organizing our second annual Indigenous Peoples Day festival to be held on October 9th. As a community, and working with tribal partners, we will celebrate with eight hours of cultural activities. Festivities will kick off with a Native Foods Potluck at noon. Throughout the afternoon a panel of elders will share traditional wisdom. KYUK, the local YK Delta bilingual Yugtun/ English radio station, will share footage from the KYUK archive and discuss their archival projects documenting and making accessible to the community important cultural content. Hands-on activities including Akutaq making will be available for all ages to enjoy. The annual Indigenous Peoples Day March will kick off the evening activities, followed by an evening of Yuraq performances. This event is free, and spearheaded by the Kuskokwim Campus/ Library alongside tribal organizations and cultural groups.

Schedule of events:

12:00 p.m. - Benediction with ONC Traditional Chief Ignatius "Louie" Andrew and Native Foods Potluck
1:00 p.m. - Kenekngamceci Qanrutamceci: BeWel ~ Because We Love You discussion organized by the Center for Alaska Native Health Research
2:00 p.m. - KYUK Archival Showcase
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Hands-on akutaq making, beading, and mask making, presented by AVCP
- GBH Molly of Denali Community Science engagement and photos with Molly
- Center for Alaska Native Health Research community engagement
5:30 p.m. - Indigenous Peoples' Day March, presented by the TWC Teens Acting Against Violence
6:00 p.m. - Welcome statements with Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition’s Sophie Swope and performances by the Ayaprun and Qasgirmiut Yuraq groups. Concessions for sale by Qasgirmiut Yuraq Group

Event Contact

Event archive

2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day

2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day

Dates: October 10-14, 2022

The University of Alaska Fairbanks celebrated 2022 Indigenous Peoples' Day with several events and activities across our different colleges, campuses, and departments.

Monday, Oct. 10: The UAF Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel, AK celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a community celebration, “Kayungcallerkaanek Qaneryaramta”, at the Yupiit Piciyarait Cultural Center. Festivities included an Indigenous Peoples' Day March, a Native Foods Potluck, Yuraq performances, and more.
Monday, Oct. 10: The UAF Northwest Campus in Nome, AK hosted its annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Film Festival from in the Northwest Campus Nagozruk Conference Room.
Monday, Oct. 10: The UAF Alaska Native Language Center premiered a new film, Awake, followed by a short discussion.
Monday, Oct. 10: The UAF Festival of Native Arts hosted their annual Fry Bread Taco Fundraiser in the Brooks Building on the Troth Yeddha' Campus.
Monday, Oct. 10: Nanook Diversity and Action Center hosted a workshop on how to make beaded sun catchers with Laura Ekada in the Brooks Building Gathering Room.
The College of Rural and Community Development hosted the annual “Rock your Moccs” week from Oct. 10-14.
The College of Rural and Community Development hosted weekly “Kuspuk Wednesdays” for the month of October. Wear your kuspuks on Wednesday and tag @uafcrcd to have your photo featured on social media.
Wednesday, Oct. 12: CRCD hosted a monthly speaker series during the 2022-2023 academic year highlighting our research. This presentation in the series featured Tribal Governance faculty Michelle Demmert presenting on the impacts of the Violence Against Women Act in Alaska.

2021 Indigenous Peoples' Day

Date: Monday, October 11, 2021 (virtual)

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration took place on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. Our goal in celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day at UAF is to honor Alaska Native people, culture and knowledge.

If you are in the UAF community and your department or program honored the day - share with us! Let us know what you did and we can post it here for our community to join in. Email uaf-crcd@alaska.edu.

Indigenous Peoples' Day 2021 Keynote:
Dr. Pearl Brower

About Dr. Brower:

Dr. Brower joined the University of Alaska in August of 2021 and serves as the Senior Advisor for Alaska Native Success, Institutional Diversity and Student Engagement. Prior to joining the University team, she was the President and CEO of Brower Consulting Services, an independent consulting service around the state of Alaska. In October of 2020, Dr. Brower left the Presidency of Iḷisaġvik College, Alaska’s only Tribal College where she had been in administration at the college for 13 years, the last 8 serving as President.

About the presentation:

“October 11th has transitioned in recent years to celebrate the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. As Alaskans continue to engage in conversations around race, equity, diversity and inclusion, REDI, we look to recognize our Alaska Native Peoples for incredible accomplishments while at the same time discuss ways in which we all can set aside implicit bias and work together in cooperation and partnership for a brighter future for all Alaskans.”

IPD 2021 Keynote Recording

IPD 2021 keynote Flyer link

2020 Indigenous Peoples' Day

Date: Monday, October 12, 2020

Theme: "Resiliency Through Hope and Love."

Many thanks to our IPD event planning team for putting together a virtual program in celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration will took place on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, at 11 a.m. Our goal in celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day at UAF is to honor Alaska Native people, culture and knowledge. The year's theme was "Resiliency Through Hope and Love". We hope to continue to:

Share how the interconnectedness of Indigenous people, land and spirit — the love and the hope of a sustainable future — is what drives us to work together.
Spread public awareness of the histories, experiences and resilience of Indigenous peoples.

Keynote: Heather Kendall-Miller

Alaska Native rights attorney, Heather Kendall-Miller gave the keynote address at UAF's Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, at 11 a.m. The year's theme is "Resiliency Through Hope and Love." The event is available online at media.uaf.edu.

Kendall-Miller is Denaina Athabaskan and a tribal member of the Curyung Tribe of Dillingham, Alaska. She received her Bachelors degree from UAF in 1988 and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1991. After clerking with Chief Justice Rabinowitz of the Alaska Supreme Court, Heather received a two-year Skadden Fellowship to work for Alaska Legal Services and the Native American Rights Fund in the area of Alaska Native Rights. Heather became staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund in 1993. Her litigation experience is broad having argued before the United States Supreme Court, the D.C. Court of Appeals, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals en banc."

2020 Indigenous Peoples' Day Events

Oct12

Keynote with Heather Kendall-Miller

media.uaf.edu

11 a.m.

Oct13

Land Acknowledgement Workshop

Zoom

10 a.m.-noon

Oct13

Alaska Native Creators Panel

6 p.m.