Texas Tech Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

Written by Michael Castellon

DATE: Nov. 13, 2006
CONTACT: Cory Chandler, cory.chandler@ttu.edu
(806) 742-2136

Texas Tech University will help celebrate National Native American Heritage Month with a weeklong slate of activities.

Jacob Galvan, a Mescalero Apache from Lubbock, will host the smudging ceremony 11:30 a.m. Tuesday (Nov. 14) at the Texas Tech Student Union Building to help Texas Tech kick off its celebration of National Native American Heritage Month.

The public is invited to participate in the ceremony, which is a ritualistic blessing to cleanse or purify a person, object or place with smoke from sacred plants and herbal resins.

Opening ceremonies also will include a traditional round dance, a Native American custom in which participants in a large circle move in rhythm to drumming in an expression of friendship and respect. Participants will receive a friendship bracelet as a “token of the mutual appreciation and respect for individual humanity.”

On Wednesday (Nov. 15), nationally known Cherokee film star Wes Studi, of “Dances with Wolves” fame will speak beginning at 7 p.m. in the Allen Theatre of the Student Union. A reception following the reception will take place at the Southwest Collection north of the Texas Tech Library.

Activities will wrap up at 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 17) as the Native American Indian Heritage Film Festival features “The Fast Runner” in the Student Union’s Escondido theatre.

A Native American Art Exhibit, showcasing paintings and pottery from the Texas Tech Southwest Collection’s private holding, will be on display throughout the week at the Student Union building

CONTACT: Jobi Martinez, assistant director, Center for Campus Life, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-2192, or jobi.martinez@ttu.edu.