For Native American Heritage Month in November, the universities of the California State University celebrated with a swath of cultural events, such as Powwows, workshops, art exhibits and more.
On November 30, CSUN's American Indian Student Association and
American Indian Studies Program hosted the university's
39th annual Powwow. The celebration included singers from the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, bear dancers from the Chumash Tribe, a gourd dance honoring veterans and children's activities. There were also vendors selling arts and crafts, jewelry and traditional foods.
Dancers at CSUN's 39th annual Powwow. (Photo courtesy David J. Hawkins/CSUN)
Community members at CSUN's Powwow. (Photo courtesy Sonia Gurrola/CSUN)
Cal State Long Beach kicked off the month with a celebration featuring dancing, singing, cordage making and fry bread. The university also held the CA Genocide Flag Project installation/teach-in allowing participants to create artistic demonstrations bringing awareness to the genocide of California's native people throughout history, a Día de los Muertos festival with the Purépecha community of Michoacán, a screening of the film “Smoke Signals," beading circles, Powwow 101: Social Dance workshops and career insights sessions for Native American students.
Ba’ac Garcia of the Tohono O'odham Nation performs a traditional fancy war dance during CSULB's kickoff event. (Photo courtesy Howard Freshman/Press-Telegram)
A student receives information from a resource table at the CSULB event. (Photo courtesy Howard Freshman/Press-Telegram)
The
Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute at Cal Poly Humboldt held a film and guest speaker series in its Wiyot Plaza. Feature films included “Love in the Valley" and “IN.DIG.E.NOUS Economics" with a talk by the film's Apache director Lonnie Anderson, “Spirit Rangers" with a talk by the film's Hupa voice actor Isis Rogers, and “Rez Ball."
Fresno State's
Cross-Cultural and Gender Center hosted an exhibition-style celebration to kick off the month on November 1, as well as an ED Talk on a student's internship with the Intertribal Agriculture Council, a Native Beading Workshop with expert bead artist Darlene Oliver, an American Indian Movie night and an art and mural tour in partnership with the California Climate Action Corps. In addition, the university's Native American Initiative held a one-day youth conference for 6th through 12th grade Native American students to help them access higher education by providing information on applications, admissions, financial aid and student services.
Expert bead artist Darlene Oliver leads a native beading workshop at Fresno State.
Students hand out guides for Fresno State's art and mural tour.
In line with Native American Heritage Month,
Cal State Monterey Bay announced a proposal to create a space on campus to honor Indigenous people. It would serve as a memorial as well as a place for ceremonies, meditation and education. Additionally, the university hosted an Indigenous journaling and scrapbooking session, a pine nut necklace making workshop and a screening of “Smoke Signals" during November.
A series of events at
Cal State San Bernardino offered students a chance to learn about Indigenous cultures and history. In addition to several Native Beading Circles and Indigenous Healing Circles, the university hosted a kickoff event with dancing, a book signing and panel discussion with CSUSB sociology professor and the
Center for Indigenous Peoples Studies director James Fenelon, and a Thanks-Taking Gathering reflecting on the history of Thanksgiving.
Champion Hoop Dancer Nanabah Kadenehii dances at CSUSB's Native American Heritage Month kickoff event.
CSUSB Professor James Fenelon signs a copy of his book following a panel discussion.
San Diego State's Native American Heritage Month calendar featured a Fire Ceremony with singing and dancing, a cooking demonstration at the Imperial Valley campus, a sharing event with Indigenous comedians, a hike on Kumeyaay lands and a Powwow drumming workshop—among other discussions, workshops, panels and gatherings.
At
Cal State Fullerton, the Inter-Tribal Student Council held two movie screenings during the month, while the
Native American and Indigenous Resource Center hosted a Practicing Allyship event. The center's event provided education to the campus community on how to serve as effective allies for the Native American and Indigenous community, showcased the new resource center, and featured a presentation and a screening of two episodes of the miniseries “Echo."
CSUF Native American and Indigenous Resource Center Student Assistant Erik Sandoval welcomes participants to the Practicing Allyship event. (Photo courtesy Matt Gush/CSUF)
During the month,
Sonoma State held a community lunch to honor Native American cultures and traditions, screened the film “Smoke Signals," and invited Juliana Jimenez—a Promotora de Salud (community health worker) with Botanical Bus, a bilingual mobile herb clinic—to give a lecture series on “Gender, Race, & Justice."
Cal Poly Pomona's
Native American Student Center recognized the heritage month with a series of participatory workshops including traditional beading, beading with acorns, basket weaving and herbal medicine. The university also had a Reconstructing Harvest Day Dinner reflecting on the complex histories of Thanksgiving.
A CPP student practices beading a necklace with acorns during a workshop.
A CPP student weaves a traditional basket during a workshop.
The American Indian and Indigenous Student Alliance at Cal State LA hosted a
documentary screening of “Warrior Lawyers: Defenders of Sacred Justice," accompanied by a panel discussion with filmmaker Audrey Geyer, Honorable Judge Deborah Sanchez and Cherokee attorney and playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle.
The
Native American Indigenous Student Success (NAISS) Center at San José State worked with several partners to put on events in November. This year, the Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley worked with the center and the Gathering of Academic and Indigenous Native Americans to host its annual two-day
American Indian Heritage Celebration, which included a Powwow celebration and vendors, at SJSU. NAISS's other events ranged from beading circles and an open mic night to spirit days and a spiritual run.
Students practice their craft at SJSU's beading workshop.
SJSU staff at the American Indian Heritage Celebration.
Chico State's
El Centro Resource Center, focused on support for Latinx students, held a documentary screening about the Great Indigenous Empires of the Americas.
At
CSU San Marcos, students were able to participate in myriad events for Native American Heritage Month, such as a spirit day, a veterans social, a beading workshop, a traditional bow making workshop, and movie and television show screenings, among others.
Veterans at CSU San Marcos's Honoring Native American Veterans Social. (Photo courtesy Miguel Mota/CSUSM)
Finally, Sacramento State announced the creation of its
Native American College, the first of its kind in California, during a visit to the state capitol on November 8. The first cohort of the college's students will enroll for fall 2025.
Read our
“Purposeful Partnerships" article to learn how CSUs are aiding Tribal partners in their efforts to preserve their heritage.