North American First People's Day celebrations at UA’s Institute for Human Science and Culture
The Institute for Human Science and Culture (IHSC), located in the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology (CCHP) at The University of Akron is extending an invitation to Northeast Ohioans to join in the celebration of Indigenous Peoples. This initiative, initially introduced by the Lippman School of Akron in 2018, designates the first Monday of October to honor and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples. This celebration has gained momentum throughout Summit County, inspiring various institutions to host events that contribute to the recognition and celebration of the First Peoples who traversed the Portage Path, a historic route connecting major waterways.
Each year, events are organized by the Portage Path Collaborative – a collective of institutions, organizations and individuals dedicated to celebrating past and present Indigenous cultures. The Collaborative includes the UA’s IHSC, the Summit County Historical Society, the Lippman Schools, Summit MetroParks, Akron Public Schools and more.
For the 2023 North American First People's Day, UA's IHSC will host a range of free and private events spanning from Sept. 29 – Oct. 5. These events will take place in various locations, including the third and fourth floors of the CCHP and in IHSC classrooms.
Events include:
- Sept. 29 – Institute curator Francisca Ugalde provides a behind-the-scenes tour of the Oak Native American Ethnographic Collection from 3-4 p.m. on the CCHP third floor.
- Sept. 29 - Featured contemporary artist, Peter Jones demonstrates the historical Hodinöhsö:ni’ (Haudenosaunee) pottery-making styles and techniques from 4-7 p.m. on the CCHP fourth floor.
- Oct. 2 – The Lippman Schools join UA on site at the IHSC to spend the morning learning about Indigenous Peoples’ ceramics, regalia and dance, language, and music from cultural experts. This event is invitation-only and is located in IHSC classrooms.
- Oct. 3 – Malinda Maynor, a historian and document film producer hosts a screening and Q&A with 30 UA undergraduate and graduate students studying cultural institutions. This event is by invitation-only and is located in IHCS classrooms on the third floor.
- Oct. 5 – Maynor presents Beyond Myths and Truths: Finding Native American Women in History which consists of a lecture and film screening followed by a Q&A session at 6-7 p.m. This event is located in IHSC classrooms on the third floor.
For more details on the events put on by IHSC click here. To view the full list of NAFPD events, click here.
Media Contact Cristine Boyd: cboyd@uakron.edu; 330-972-6476