Arts Alive SDSU hosts Native American Music and Dance Conference
Native American Music and Dance Conference consists of presentations, performances, and workshops to celebrate the powerful mode of storytelling among the Native and Indigenous Peoples. Local and regional Indigenous artists and scholars share their work and legacy in this first of its kind event.
The conference is being held Friday, April 8, 2022 in the SDSU Student Union, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a performance from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will be held in-person as well as live streamed via zoom. Virtual attendees can register online.
Artist in Residence and Conference Organizer Dr. Vincent Whipple shares the importance of this conference.
“This is a first of its kind event at SDSU and my hope is that the campus community will continue to hold this unique conference in the future. It is important for the community to understand that Native Americans represented at the conference are only one part of the many diverse tribal cultures that exist nationwide,” shares Whipple.
“Attendees will get an exposure to Native artistic traditions and especially to the traditions of the local Kumeyaay Nation and other California tribal people.”
The event is being held by Arts Alive SDSU, in collaboration with the Native Resource Center and the Department of American Indian Studies.
Chris Medellin, director of the Native Resource Center shares the impact of the conference on our community.
“I hope that attendees will have a greater understanding of various Native and Indigneous cultures through the presentations, panels, and demonstrations throughout the day,” said Medellin. “As a university, we have a lot to share with our communities and this event is a great way for everyone to learn something new.”
The conference will be held in three sessions. Session topics, moderators, and panelists listed below.
Session One: Native American Music, Dance, and Theater Performance
- Moderator: Randy Reinholz
- Panelists: Tracy Nelson, Vincent Whipple, Valerie Whipple
Session Two: Indigenous Women and Social Justice
- Moderator: Jennifer Clay
- Panelists: Gabriela Kovats Sanchez, Isabella Madrigal, Sophia Madrigal, Renda Madrigal
Session Three: Decolonizing California Indian History
- Moderator: Olivia Chilcote
- Panelists: Jacob Alvarado Waipuk, Jacque Nunez, Abel Silvas
The Native Resource Center at San Diego State University, residing on Kumeyaay Land, facilitates the academic and personal success of Native American and Indigenous identified students through: relevant and accessible programming and resources, services to identify and address barriers to academic achievement, community building, on and off-campus partnerships, and advocacy for the inclusion of Native American/Indigenous peoples’ unique histories, cultures, and perspectives in campus programs and curriculum.
DEPARTMENT OF AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES:
The American Indian Studies program at San Diego State University is dedicated to teaching a broad range of topics related to the study of Native American peoples, while focusing on individual elements that comprise American Indian life, heritage and culture. By using literature, art, history, and politics as touchstones, students come to understand both the individual as well as the tribal character of the Indian peoples, with emphasis given to the tribes of Southern California. Coursework also draws comparisons between American Indian life and the life of other members of American society.
