UNC Asheville Celebrates Native American Heritage Month
with a Variety of Events

Traditional storytelling, lectures and an photography exhibition will highlight UNC Asheville’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month throughout November. Events are free and open to the public.

Image from "The Awakening of Turtle Island"

Lloyd Arneach

** "The Awakening of Turtle Island: Portraits of Native Americans," an award-winning exhibition of color photographs by local artist Tracey Schmidt, will be on view November 1-30 at UNC Asheville's Blowers Gallery, located on the main floor of UNC Asheville’s Ramsey Library. An opening reception will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the gallery. At 6:30 p.m. Schmidt will describe her work with museums and cultural centers. At 7:30 p.m. Amy Walker, a Cherokee-Lakota elder and subject in the exhibition, will talk about her experiences with traditional healing ceremonies and the Native lifeway.

"The Awakening of Turtle Island" has been exhibited in museums and cultural centers across the southeast since 1995. It won the Regional Designation Award in the Humanities. Images in the exhibition feature Native Americans in traditional regalia or contemporary clothing accompanied by in-depth text panels.

For information about the exhibition, call Nancy Hayes, UNC Asheville Blowers Gallery Director, 828/251-6436.

** Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach will share his traditional stories at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in UNC Asheville’s Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Arneach learned his first legends from two storytelling uncles. Presented in a humorous, informative and moving style, Arneach tells stories ranging from the "old stories" of the Cherokee to contemporary tales. He resides on the North Carolina Cherokee reservation.

** Cherokee linguist Garfield Long Jr. will examine "The Seven Clan System and the European Encroachment" at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, in UNC Asheville’s Highsmith University Union room 221. Long grew up speaking the Cherokee language. As an adult, he has conducted extensive research on his tribe’s history and language. Long works for the Office of Cultural Resources for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

** Raven Hail, an 83-year-old elder from the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, will discuss "The Cherokee Sacred Calendar of Natal Days" 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, in UNC Asheville’s Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. She is the author several books, including "The Cherokee Sacred Calendar: A Handbook of the Ancient Native American Tradition," "The Pleiades Stones: A Journey into the Unknown by Way of a Magic Crystal and the Mysterious Circle of Stones" and "The Raven Speaks: Cherokee Indian Lore in Cherokee and English."

For more information, call UNC Asheville’s Multicultural Student Programs Office at 828/232-5110.

Related Event:

• UNC Asheville Hosts Talk on "Excavations at Cullowhee Mound"

Media Contacts:

• Deirdre Wiggins, UNCA Multicultural Student Programs Director, 828/232-5110
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526