Red Shawl Day event raises awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous people.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
Friendsgiving, Red Shawl Day Table, pottery making all part of VWU Honors Native American History Month events
The U.S government began recognizing November as Native American Heritage Month in 1990. Virginia Wesleyan University, in keeping with its mission statement to inspire students to build meaningful lives through engagement, has provided the campus with three events dedicated to the culture and history of the Native American community.
On Monday, Nov. 18, the Student Counseling Center and Residence Life collaborated to put together the Friendsgiving & Rethinking Thanksgiving event as part of VWU Honors Native American History Month. This event showed students affordable ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in their dorms if they celebrated with their friends before leaving for break. The event also focused on fostering allyship and advocacy for the Native American community and curating holiday practices that are more inclusive and mindful.
Michelle De Rosa, the director of Counseling and Student Health, said that the Student Counseling Center hosted this event because they “believe in creating opportunities for understanding and connection and adapting traditions is one way to foster belonging and inclusivity for all.”
“Mindful celebrations help us build a community where everyone feels seen, respected, and valued,” De Rosa said. She added that “the Counseling Center and Res Life hosted the event because we care about your well-being and want to create spaces where you feel supported, connected and informed!”
Located in the Harbor Grill, the Student Health Center set up a table filled with different traditional Thanksgiving meals that can be made simply using a microwave.
These food items included stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and more. Students could taste the food themselves to see what they liked the best. Students could also scan a QR code with the recipe for each dish and a handout including substitute ingredients for students with allergies.
When asked what part of the event stood out to them the most, freshman Paige Ziegler who attended the event said that “the fact the college is trying to unite everyone for this holiday.” The event allowed for the unification of people and communities because of the information about how people can connect with the history of the Native American people and the idea of food bringing people together through celebration and culture.
The event, while strongly focusing on teaching students affordable recipes that are safe to make in a residence hall, goes deeper. The event also strongly focuses on bringing awareness to the history of Thanksgiving and the need for support for the Native American community. To do this, the event provided a pamphlet that outlined ways to decolonize Thanksgiving, bringing more honor to the Native American community during the holiday.
The pamphlet provided information about Native innovators like Deb Haaland, who is serving as the 54 United States Secretary of the Interior and is from Laguna Pueblo. A recording featuring the Tribal Council Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts, Cedric Cromwell, is also available in the pamphlet through a QR code. In this recording, Cromwell puts “The First Thanksgiving” into context, describing the issues the tribe faces in Massachusetts today.
The pamphlet also included ingredients native to Virginia to add to holiday dishes and a list of small, native-owned businesses in the community for those looking to buy gifts for friends and family. Finally, the pamphlet offered information on understanding Thanksgiving and how it is portrayed compared to what truly happened in 1621, along with websites where one can get more information and continue supporting indigenous people.
Casey Roberts, the assistant director of Residence Life at Virginia Wesleyan University, hopes that students leave the event with newfound knowledge about Native American heritage and support for the community. Roberts also said that VWU Honors Native American History Month is collaborating with the Norfolk Public Library, allowing anyone to check out a non-book resource on Native American culture and peoples and be entered to win a giveaway item. The giveaway items from the Norfolk Public Library will be sourced from the following address: https://www.wanderingbull.com.
“Though the origins of the Thanksgiving story have often been misconstrued, the modern holiday is rooted in gratitude, encouraging individuals to reflect on their blessings and express appreciation for what they have,” Roberts said. He added that it is essential to adopt mindful holiday practices because “by being mindful of the diverse backgrounds and traditions that make up our communities, we can create a more inclusive environment.” This ties back to Virginia Wesleyan University’s mission statement above.
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Off the Hook and Student Engagement brought students together to celebrate Red Shawl Day and raise awareness of the violence that the Native American community experiences, with a focus on missing Indigenous children and women. Students were welcomed to wear red to show understanding of the issue. This event occurred in the Boyd Dining Center from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The final event for VWU Honors Native American History Month occured on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Off the Hook and Student Engagement honored Native American culture through a pottery and clay-making activity, an integral part of Native American history and culture. This event took place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Harbor Grill.
By Mia Diehl
mjdiehl@vwu.edu
