Vine Delora, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium
Dear Friends of Vine Deloria, Jr . March 1, 2006 On July 27-29, 2006 we will be holding the first Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium. This event will be held at Northwest Indian College (NWIC), Bellingham, Washington. Many of you attended the Robert K. Thomas Symposium that was held last summer at NWIC where Vine delivered the keynote address. Vine was extremely impressed with our hosts – Northwest Indian College and the Lummi Nation - the people, the facilities, and the overall support we received that combined to make this event an extremely rewarding experience for all who participated. Shortly after we returned home, he asked me to look into negotiating with NWIC to hold an annual summer symposium for the purpose of further exploring some of the many issues and ideas that he was interested in. NWIC expressed an immediate interest and we were well underway in making this symposium a reality when Vine passed away. Within the past month or so I have talked to Cheryl Crazy Bull, President of NWIC, and Rissa Wabaunsee, the Vice-President for Academic Instruction at NWIC who served as my co-coordinator for the Thomas Symposium. Both agreed that we should carry out Vine's wishes and continue with our plans to hold the symposium. I also contacted Barbara Deloria who gave her blessings to hold this event in his memory and as a way to honor his immeasurable contributions to the field of Indigenous studies. This is the origin of the first Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium. Rissa Wabaunsee (360-392-4231) and I will again serve as symposium co-coordinators. This year's symposium will focus on three general areas in which Vine's name is most closely associated: (1) Native religion and spirituality (2) Federal Indian policy and law and (3) Indigenous traditional knowledge. I might add that there is a possibility that NWIC will also be holding an education conference the weekend before our symposium. People interested in that event should contact Rissa. I am sending along with this letter a "call for papers and presentations." Please submit all abstracts to me as soon as possible. I expect that the response to this symposium will be overwhelming, so there is no guarantee that all abstracts will be accepted. I will try to the best of my ability to accommodate as many people as possible. Please send all registration materials and refer all logistical matters to Victor Soloman (360-392-4316 or e-mail: vsolomon@nwic.edu) who is Rissa's assistant. A few items along this line that you might want to know now: The best way to get to Bellingham is through Seattle – about 80 miles away. You can then rent a car, take a commuter flight, or catch a shuttle to Bellingham. You can also fly into Vancouver, but the customs process there is a nightmare. Still, Vancouver is an incredible place to visit and I hope that you find time to make a stop there while you are in the beautiful Northwest. We will again be using the Hampton Inn (Contact: Trey Campbell – 360-676-7700) as our "symposium hotel." Last year's participants had nothing but good things to say about facilities and the staff of this hotel. We will be reserving a block of rooms – please make your reservations early and tell them that you are with the Vine Deloria, Jr. Symposium. The Bellingham area is a major tourist destination in the summer (The "Gateway to North Cascades National Park") and hotel rooms will be at a premium. And finally, we will be charging a $100 registration fee for the symposium. This fee will help cover all administrative costs and three lunches, including a salmon barbeque. With the passing of Vine, Indian Country lost its brightest light and the country lost a national treasure, the likes of which we may never see again. Although he will be painfully missed by all of us, his life's work and legacy will live on in the many people he inspired during his all too brief stay on this Earth. It is our hope that this symposium will play a small role in remembering and honoring his spirit. I look forward to seeing all of you in Bellingham this summer. Respectfully, Steve Pavlik, Co-coordinator Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium
Steve Pavlik 4149 E. Waverly Street -Tucson, Arizona 85712 520 – 327-0708 - spavlik@gainusa.com
Dear Friends of Vine Deloria, Jr . March 1, 2006 On July 27-29, 2006 we will be holding the first Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium. This event will be held at Northwest Indian College (NWIC), Bellingham, Washington. Many of you attended the Robert K. Thomas Symposium that was held last summer at NWIC where Vine delivered the keynote address. Vine was extremely impressed with our hosts – Northwest Indian College and the Lummi Nation - the people, the facilities, and the overall support we received that combined to make this event an extremely rewarding experience for all who participated. Shortly after we returned home, he asked me to look into negotiating with NWIC to hold an annual summer symposium for the purpose of further exploring some of the many issues and ideas that he was interested in. NWIC expressed an immediate interest and we were well underway in making this symposium a reality when Vine passed away. Within the past month or so I have talked to Cheryl Crazy Bull, President of NWIC, and Rissa Wabaunsee, the Vice-President for Academic Instruction at NWIC who served as my co-coordinator for the Thomas Symposium. Both agreed that we should carry out Vine's wishes and continue with our plans to hold the symposium. I also contacted Barbara Deloria who gave her blessings to hold this event in his memory and as a way to honor his immeasurable contributions to the field of Indigenous studies. This is the origin of the first Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium. Rissa Wabaunsee (360-392-4231) and I will again serve as symposium co-coordinators. This year's symposium will focus on three general areas in which Vine's name is most closely associated: (1) Native religion and spirituality (2) Federal Indian policy and law and (3) Indigenous traditional knowledge. I might add that there is a possibility that NWIC will also be holding an education conference the weekend before our symposium. People interested in that event should contact Rissa. I am sending along with this letter a "call for papers and presentations." Please submit all abstracts to me as soon as possible. I expect that the response to this symposium will be overwhelming, so there is no guarantee that all abstracts will be accepted. I will try to the best of my ability to accommodate as many people as possible. Please send all registration materials and refer all logistical matters to Victor Soloman (360-392-4316 or e-mail: vsolomon@nwic.edu) who is Rissa's assistant. A few items along this line that you might want to know now: The best way to get to Bellingham is through Seattle – about 80 miles away. You can then rent a car, take a commuter flight, or catch a shuttle to Bellingham. You can also fly into Vancouver, but the customs process there is a nightmare. Still, Vancouver is an incredible place to visit and I hope that you find time to make a stop there while you are in the beautiful Northwest. We will again be using the Hampton Inn (Contact: Trey Campbell – 360-676-7700) as our "symposium hotel." Last year's participants had nothing but good things to say about facilities and the staff of this hotel. We will be reserving a block of rooms – please make your reservations early and tell them that you are with the Vine Deloria, Jr. Symposium. The Bellingham area is a major tourist destination in the summer (The "Gateway to North Cascades National Park") and hotel rooms will be at a premium. And finally, we will be charging a $100 registration fee for the symposium. This fee will help cover all administrative costs and three lunches, including a salmon barbeque. With the passing of Vine, Indian Country lost its brightest light and the country lost a national treasure, the likes of which we may never see again. Although he will be painfully missed by all of us, his life's work and legacy will live on in the many people he inspired during his all too brief stay on this Earth. It is our hope that this symposium will play a small role in remembering and honoring his spirit. I look forward to seeing all of you in Bellingham this summer. Respectfully, Steve Pavlik, Co-coordinator Vine Deloria, Jr. Indigenous Studies Symposium
Steve Pavlik 4149 E. Waverly Street -Tucson, Arizona 85712 520 – 327-0708 - spavlik@gainusa.com
posted by SCIAC | 5:14 AM
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