National Native American Heritage Month Celebrated at Bowie State

University Hosted First Pow Wow

 

MEDIA CONTACT: David Thompson, dlthompson@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-4311

(BOWIE, Md.) – Members of the Kiawa, Piscataway, Lumbee, Pocomoke, Haliwa-Saponi and other Native American tribes gathered at Bowie State University for a Pow Wow to celebrate their culture during National Native American Heritage Month. It was the first Pow Wow held at the university but will not be the last according to Dr. Keadrick Peters, coordinator of multi-cultural programs.

“We’re far from home and we wanted to create a legacy,” said Noah Austin, a sophomore communications major who served as co-organizer of the event. “Our time at BSU is short but we will continue to have Pow Wows at the university for decades going forward. We feel accepted and proud.”

Pow Wows enable Native Americans to share their music, language, dance and other important aspects of their culture with others. The events also allow those who attend to socialize and develop a much better understanding of Native Americans and their heritage.

“You don’t hear about HBCUs hosting Pow Wows,” said Eva Austin, a sophomore psychology major and Noah’s sister. “We started planning this program last year. I created a flyer and posted it on Facebook to see if there was any interest in having a Pow Wow at Bowie State. It felt really good to see so many people come out and support us.”

“I thought the program was provocative and informative,” said Peters. , “This event has the potential to grow. We’re going to increase our collaboration with Native American organizations in the future to bring more attention to the importance of Pow Wows. I want to highlight Native American social issues during Black History Month and Women’s History Month because we all face similar problems that must be addressed.”

All Pow Wows need someone to manage the program and keep things flowing. Amelia Oxendine was the emcee of the event. She says Pow Wows allow Native Americans to share their rich culture with others and believes more HBCUs should host the events on their campuses.

“My job as emcee is to tell people what is going on throughout the Pow Wow,” said Oxendine. “Native Americans usually teach their children about the significance of Pow Wows from the time they are born. What’s most important is to make sure Native American culture stays alive. I believe that Native American Tribes and HBCUs should merge together to get more things done.”

Oxendine and Eva and Noah Austin are members of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe from North Carolina.

More than 50,000 people in Maryland self-identify as being at least part Native American. The largest Maryland Native American populations are in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

###

About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.