Wake Forest to celebrate indigenous people

Representatives from the North Carolina Tribal Nations will be on hand as Wake Forest University unveils a plaque honoring the land on which the University now resides and the original campus.

The event will be held on Monday, Nov. 4, at 5 p.m. in the Green Room in Reynolda Hall. It is open to the public and media are invited.

The ceremony will begin with a hand drum and honoring song by Ray Silva of the Pueblo/Navajo Nation, followed by a healing song by Brenda Silva of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe.

The ceremony is expected to last an hour and is being held in conjunction with Native American Heritage Month. First-year student Mahlea Hunt and 2019 alumna Savannah Baber will give remarks. Both are members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Matthew Tooni of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will perform a flutist solo and share the Cherokee Earth Creation Story, and the acknowledgment of tribes will be given by Roo George-Warren of the Catawba Indian Nation. The welcome will be given by José Villalba, vice president of diversity and inclusion. Religion professor Ulrike Wiethaus will provide an Indigenous Land Acknowledgment.

Jonathan A. McElderry, assistant dean of students and executive director of the Intercultural Center, said the ceremony and plaque are symbolic of Wake Forest’s commitment to having a more inclusive campus. The plaque will be placed in the Tribble Courtyard outside of the ZSR Library.

“We look forward to welcoming faculty, staff, students and representatives from the North Carolina Tribal Nations for this meaningful event,” McElderry said.

The event is sponsored by the Intercultural Center, Native American Student Association, Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Division of Campus Life, Dean of Students Office, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Department for the Study of Religions, American Ethnic Studies Program and the Department of Anthropology.

Jonathan McElderry and Savannah Baber will be available for interviews after the event.

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Yesterday, representatives from the North Carolina Tribal Nations came to #WFU for a ceremony to unveil a plaque honoring the land on which the University now resides, as well as the original campus. The ceremony began with a hand drum and honoring song by Ray Silva of the Pueblo/Navajo Nation, followed by a healing song by Brenda Silva of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe. Mahlea Hunt (‘23) and Savannah Baber (‘19) gave remarks. Both are members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Matthew Tooni of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will performed a flutist solo and shared the Cherokee Earth Creation Story, and the acknowledgment of tribes was given by Roo George-Warren of the Catawba Indian Nation. This event was organized by @interculturalwfu and was held in conjunction with Native American Awareness Month. More information is at the link in our profile. wakefo.rest/36InZv5

A post shared by Wake Forest University (@wfuniversity) on Nov 5, 2019 at 3:30pm PST