Michael Tiger, a kinesiology and communications major, danced “Fancy War” during the Native American Heritage Month Kickoff event on Nov. 4. Charlotte LoCicero | Long Beach Current

Students and faculty launched Native American Heritage Month with cultural dances, basket weaving and traditional music at the Speaker’s Platform on Nov. 4. 

The kickoff was part of a series of November events Long Beach State is organizing to celebrate the rich cultures of Native and Indigenous communities.

Program director of American Indian Studies, Theresa Gregor said the celebration was in the spirit of recognition, respect, reciprocity and resurgence. She said these are principles that guide their responsibility to each other and to the land that supports them.

The event continued with music and cultural dances. Many students participated in dances, displaying unity between the dancers and the community.

Attendees also participated in hands-on basket weaving, a nod to the Native American basket history that spans thousands of years. 

Students and faculty weaved baskets for the Native American Heritage Month Kickoff event on Nov. 4. Charlotte LoCicero | Long Beach Current

“We support the American Indian Student Council by making their presence on campus visible,” Gregor said.

The event was hosted by the American Indian Student Council, Puvungna Resource Center, Beach Pride Events and the Office of Belonging and Inclusion.

Mia Nuñez, a third-year kinesiology major and president of the American Indian Student Council, said the council is a cultural organization that gives space to Native Americans, as well as Indigenous students. 

“We have a less than 1% population on campus; the rate of Native students going into universities is low,” Nuñez said. “We want students to know that there’s open and safe spaces on higher education campuses, so they feel comfortable applying themselves in getting graduation rates up.”

Nuñez said it’s time for these communities to focus on helping Indigenous students feel comfortable in careers they are capable of achieving.

D’Andre Garmon, a second-year psychology major, said he came to the event to learn about other cultural traditions. 

“I’m a part of the Men’s Success Initiative; we just really try to make sure that we come out and we support each of the different cultural heritage months and different events that they have,” Garmon said. “We hear about settler colonialism, but here we actually learn their history, not just the history that people want to tell us about.”

Native American programs and resources on campus include: 

There will be three more events celebrating Native American Heritage Month on campus: a Puvungna Fall Celebration on Nov. 15, a Pow Wow dance workshop on Nov. 19, and a movie night on Nov. 20.