This post has been prepared by second-year graduate student Jennifer Kennedy.
Native American communities have always been here. Their histories, traditions, and languages are deeply rooted in this land, and their stories continue to be shared. Even today, their voices are living, breathing, and thriving in ways that we all can experience.
One of the most powerful ways we can listen and learn is through the creativity of Native storytellers. Books by Indigenous authors share rich narratives that challenge stereotypes and celebrate identity. Podcasts bring Native perspectives into our daily lives, offering humor, insight, and truth. Music carries Native experiences in a variety of genres that include both contemporary, traditional Indigenous, and a blend of the two. Movies and TV shows work in consultation with tribes and highlight Indigenous actors, writers, and directors, creating authentic stories that resonate far beyond Native communities. Indigenous artists continue to inspire with vibrant works that honor tradition while speaking to the present moment in mediums beyond canvas and sculpture such as through fashion, comic books, and even animation and video games. You’ve likely encountered such exposure without even realizing it.
When we engage with Native creators through mediums like these, we recognize that they are not extinct relics of history-they are our teachers, our fellow artists, our neighbors, and are community. Their voices remind us that Native nations have always been here, and always will be.
The IUP Annual Archaeology Open House on October 11th includes an interactive display that allows you to explore and experience Native American voices in books, podcasts, music, movies, TV, and art. Maybe you’ll even find a new favorite! To explore more beyond this interactive display simply download the PowerPoint presentation from the display or a PDF version of it below: Click here for the PowerPoint!
Click here for the PDF version!
Also, as a bonus, check out this amazing Native American Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Cookbook full of great recipes for snacks and meals of all types. Click here for the FDPIRCookbook!
Anthropology Department Land Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge that this land has long served as a site of meeting and exchange among Indigenous peoples, including the Erie, Iroquois, Lenape, Munsee, Osage, Shawnee, and the Susquehannock tribal nations. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this place, and honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land. This land was primarily Osage and Iroquois, who call themselves Haudenosaunee. The Allegheny also claimed this territory as their southern hunting lands. Additionally, the Delaware inhabited what is today Indiana County because they were pushed here through violence by the white settlers. Finally, there is the ancient Monongahela culture that is known primarily through archeological record. We join in acknowledging the elders, both past and present, as well as future generations of the Native people who are the rightful heirs to this land. We acknowledge that this place was founded upon exclusion and erasures of many Indigenous peoples. This acknowledgement demonstrates the commitment to continuing the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacy of settler colonialism. We acknowledge our responsibility of work for equity, justice, and reparations for Native peoples of this land and all the Americas.