Stony Brook University will observe Native American Heritage Month with a public event on Wednesday, November 12. The celebration will feature a panel discussion led by faculty from the Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) program, a spoken word performance by Sumaq Kilari, and an exhibition titled “Weaving Words, Weaving Worlds: The Power of Indigenous Language in Contemporary Art.”
The event is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery in the Staller Center for the Arts. It is free and open to all members of the public. Sponsorship comes from NAIS, Diversity, Intercultural, and Community Engagement (DICE), and the Zuccaire Gallery.
Joseph M. Pierce, director of NAIS and associate professor in the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature, will moderate the panel discussion. Panelists include David Weiden from the Department of English; Valeria Meiller from Hispanic Languages and Literature; Vick Quezada from Art; and Darcey Evans from Anthropology. A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Attendees can also visit the “Weaving Words, Weaving Worlds” exhibit during the event. The exhibition highlights connections between Indigenous languages—particularly Algonquian languages spoken on Long Island—and contemporary art practices. Archival materials from Stony Brook University’s Special Collections are included to provide historical context about Indigenous peoples’ presence on Long Island. One notable item is a map produced by the Suffolk County Archaeological Association that contains more than 400 Algonquian words and cultural references.
The university’s activities for Native American Heritage Month are organized by a committee made up of faculty, staff, and students to recognize contributions made by Native and Indigenous peoples.
