Vann, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a University of Oklahoma graduate, is lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior in connection with the enforcement of the 1866 Treaty Rights of the Cherokee Indian Freedman Peoples. Her articles have been published in the Native American Times, the Muskogee Daily Phoenix and the Oklahoma Eagle.
Vann will speak Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the HSU Native American Forum adjoining the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building on “Cherokee Freedmen: Black & Indian.” Her address is part of the Native Pathways speaker series.
Dunn, honored by the Humboldt Area Foundation, is an American Indian artist of Cherokee, Muskogee Creek and Seminole descent on her father’s side and of Cajun, French Creole and Tunica-Biloxi on her mother’s side. Primarily a poet and a playwright, she has won recognition of her work by the Wordcraft Circle of Storytellers and Writers in the category of Book of the Year for poetry (Outfoxing Coyote, 2002) as well as in the Year’s Best in 1999 for her short story, “Salmon Creek Road Kill.”
In addition to Outfoxing Coyote, Dunn’s books include Through the Eye of the Deer (Aunt Lute Books, 1999); Hozho: Walking in Beauty (McGraw Hill, 2002) and Coyote Speaks (H.N. Abrams, 2008).
Dunn will deliver her keynote, “Travels to the Ghostland: Indian Survivance 101,” on Wednesday evening, Oct. 10, at 5:30 p.m. in the Native American Forum.
The Indigenous Peoples Week opening ceremony will be held on Monday, Oct. 8 at noon on the University Center Quad. A Native American Creating Community Reception will follow at 5 p.m. in the Kate Buchanan Room.
The rest of the week’s events and activities follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 9
11 – 12:30 “History and Hope” @ Goodwin Forum (Two Feathers)
12:30 – 2 Native American Civil Liberties @ Native American Forum (Rain Marshall)
5:30 – 7:30 Native Pathways Speaker Series: “Cherokee Freedmen: Black & Indian” @ Native American Forum – Marilyn Vann
Wednesday, Oct.10
Noon – 1 Quad event
3 – 4:30 “Neuro-Decolonization” @ Native American Forum (Michael Yellowbird, HSU Department of Social Work)
5:30 – 7:30 Keynote: “Travels to the Ghostland: Indian Survivance 101” @ Native American Forum – Carolyn Dunn , poetry reading
Thursday, Oct. 11
2 – 3:30 “What Is Indigenous?” @ Native American Forum
4:30 – 9 “Even the Rain” @ Native American Forum (MEChA & 7th Generation Fund)
6 – 9 “Abalone Woman” @ Gist Hall 218
Friday, Oct. 12
2 – 5 “In Whose Honor?” @ Native American Forum – Joe Giovanetti & Many Tribal Nations (Native American Baseball Players & Mascots)
9 – midnight Sabor Latino Dance Party @ Goodwin Forum (MEChA)
For a full schedule.