Indigenous Peoples’ Day at COCC Shares Origins of the Powwow

Central Oregon Community College will honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day — Monday, Oct. 12 — with a presentation on the origin of the powwow and book displays at all four campuses that feature Native American authors and themes.

Join COCC ethnic studies instructor Gabriann Hall and Native American student program coordinator Jeremiah Rector for a presentation on the origin of the powwow, or cultural gathering, on the Bend campus from noon to 1 p.m. in Ochoco Hall, Room 204. No registration required.

The college’s Barber Library staff will be setting up curated collections at all four campuses — in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville — with Native American focuses.

“Also at these campus locations, there will be a paper-chain-building activity for folks to participate in,” said Jeremiah Rector, Native American student program coordinator. “Participants choose a category that focuses on an aspect of Native American culture or history and they can start or add to an existing chain.”

The activity will take place in the Coats Campus Center on the Bend campus, in the Technology Education Center on the Redmond campus, and at the main entrances of the Madras and Prineville campuses. Once the chain is complete, it will be displayed at COCC during Native American Heritage Month.

For more information on the day’s activities, contact Jeremiah Rector at jrector@cocc.edu.

COCC formally adopted a land acknowledgement in 2020 to recognize and pay respect to the original stewards of the lands on which its campuses reside. To further this recognition, COCC in 2021 formally designated the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

In advance of college events, persons needing accommodation or transportation because of a physical or mobility disability should contact campus services at 541-383-7775. For accommodation because of other disability such as hearing impairment, contact student accessibility services at sas@cocc.edu or 541-383-7583.

This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.