UCO to celebrate Native American Heritage Month

EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion has begun celebrating Native American Heritage Month with a series of events on campus.

Native American Heritage Month events planned throughout November include:

Native Fit Classes: 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday and Nov. 15, International House, 930 E Second St. Trainers from OKC Indian Health Clinic Wellness Center will lead an exercise class.

Fry bread Social: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Cherokee Room, Nigh University Center (NUC) 213. Enjoy networking with the UCO community over Indian tacos at this event cosponsored by the UCO Native American Faculty Staff Association.

Hand Games Tournament: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, NUC Ballroom A. Students from Oklahoma universities will compete to see who has the best Hand Game team of 2017.

Fourth Annual Miss Native American UCO Scholarship Pageant: 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, NUC Constitution Hall. Come cheer on contestants to see who will be crowned the next Miss Native American UCO. Entry is free for UCO students and $7 for others.

Author Presentation:Native Americans in Higher Ed: 12 to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 8, Carl Albert Room, NUC 300. Heather Shotton, the primary author who edited “Beyond the Asterisk: Understanding Native Students in Higher Education,” will give a presentation. Registration is required. Register at http://bit.ly/2A2Lf6T.

Stickball Exhibition: 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Plunkett Park. Learn how to play the traditional game of stickball. This event is sponsored by the Chickasaw Nation.

Movie Night — “This May Be the Last Time”: 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 10, Heritage Room, NUC.

Stomp Dance Demonstration:5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 11, Wantland Hall Gym. Join in fellowship as students have the opportunity to learn how to stomp dance. Dinner begins at 5 p.m., and dancing begins at 6 p.m.

Lessons in Leadership: Tony Dearman, director of Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of Interior, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 21, Constitution Hall.

True Meaning of Thanksgiving, noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 21, International House. Discussion regarding historical significance of Thanksgiving and how it has evolved to presentday traditions.

All events are free and most are open to the public. For a complete schedule or more information about Native American Heritage Month at Central, go to www.uco.edu/ nahm.