GIF News November 2018. Version of November 2, 2018.
Hello from the FIU Global Indigenous Forum:
Two new Indigenous courses are being offered this upcoming spring semester and a combined on-campus–study abroad course. These include historical, environmental and spirituality topics globally, in India and Ecuador. This weekend please stop at our table at the Seminole American Indian Arts Celebration on the Big Cypress reservation. Next week, join us for a lunch and learn about the Huetar of Costa Rica as well as exploring personal identities. Later in the month, Dr. Bina Sengar, visiting Fulbright Fellow from India will be comparing Indigenous assimilation policies in the India and the US. More details are below, as well as a list of South Florida community events.
Spring Courses
Ethno-History of Indigenous Communities in Global Perspectives: Emphasizing South Asia-India.
Bina Sengar, Ph.D. Fulbright Faculty Fellow from India. FIU Global Indigenous Forum. GSS.
ANT-4930 U01: Topics in Anthropology. For Undergraduates
HIS-4930: Topics in History. For Undergraduates
SYD 6901: U01. Special Topics. For Graduate Students Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11: 00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. MMC
The 21st century is looking critically and optimistically to knowledge inherent in traditional societies. The cultural-political differences and parallels in histories of indigenous communities around the globe are an integral part of knowing: ‘Who is indigenous’? How in the contemporary times are relations among indigenous regions and nation-state changing? The policy of governing ‘State’ for ‘indigenous’ are subject of interest and debate. The colonial and post-colonial ideologies on indigenous identities and state administration remains core of the United Nations policies influencing internationally solidarity of the indigenous communities. How Asian and South Asian indigenous communities could be studied in this global framework remains one of the major components of this course.
The course is designed to introduce undergraduates and graduates to engage in observations and understanding of indigeneity. Which will initiate dialogue, discussions, debate on indigenous identity, their socio-cultural-political and knowledge-based issues. The course will introduce and correlate the archival, media, scientificliterary sources and field-based data to interconnect generalizations with the research oriented concepts related to the ‘indigeneity’.
Ecuadorian Amazon: Indigenous Cultures and the Environment
On campus & Study Abroad.
Professor Juliet Eraso, Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies.
Undergraduate and graduate students:
ANT 3212 - World Ethnographies (3 credits) ANT 4332 - Latin America - Seminar on Latin America (3 credits)
NG 6339 -Latin America - Seminar on Latin America (3 credits)
Students meet weekly on the MMC campus throughout the spring semester. During Spring Break they travel to the Ecuadorian Amazon learning about indigenous knowledge and relationships with the environment. Learn how to conduct research in Cultural Anthropology working directly with Kichwa and Waorani communities while being housed in the beautiful Andes and Amazon Field School.
https://abroad.fiu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10179
New Course with Indigenous Content.
REL 3161 Spirituality and Sustainability
Mondays 11:00AM - 1:45 PM. MMC ROOM: CP-115
Prof. Thomas Pliske, Lecturer Emeritus, Dept. of Earth and Environment
Two elements common to virtually all creation traditions are the spiritual origin of humanity and a wider spiritual kinship of humans with one another, the earth and universal Nature. This course explores the world’s great spiritual traditions: Indigenous (seminal to all other traditions), Eastern (Vedic India, Buddhism, Taoism) and Western (Abrahamic: Christianity, Judaism, Islam) and Greco-Roman, seeking out the roots and threads of our contemporary concepts of sustainability and stewardship. Questions that permeate our activities are how spirituality relates to science and to our individual and collective roles in transforming our relationship to the Earth and Nature into one of greater harmony, happiness and justice. An important subjective concern is how each of us can expand, deepen and manifest our intrinsic connection with wider Nature. Individual projects, reading, service learning, short writing assignments, journals, group discussions and field experiences are all part of our work together.
More information: Thomas Pliske at plisket@fiu.edu , or Religious Studies Dept. at religion@fiu.edu
FIU EVENTS
November 5. Indigenous Lunch & Learn Presentation:
Indigenous Peoples of Costa Rica: An Introduction and Personal Journey of Self Exploration
Cesar Castillo, Past-President FIU Global Indigenous Group. Undergraduate Senior in GSS. 1pm- 2:30pm FIU MMC GC 355. Free lunch including a traditional Costa Rican Huetar dish.
Today, there are eight “recognized” indigenous groups and 24 indigenous reservations in the Central American country of Costa Rica. In the Summer of 2017 I endeavored to learn more about my own ancestral heritage, and what I experienced has defined a new way in which I see and understand my own identity. I will give an introduction to the eight indigenous groups of Costa Rica as well as the challenges they face today with an emphasis on the Huetar people. By sharing my experience in the Quitirrisi Huetar reservation through stories and photographs, I hope to create a dialogue that will spur interest in others to explore their own identity. This presentation will have a strong visual component of photographs I have taken of the Quitirrisi Huetar indigenous reservation, Huetar medicinal plants, crafts, and more. I will also lightly touch on photographic research methods and the use of photography as a research tool.
Organized by the FIU Global Indigenous Group. Co-sponsored by the FIU Global Indigenous Forum, The GSS Club- Global and Sociocultural Studies Undergraduate club, Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honor society, and the F/8 Photography Group at FIU.
November 14. Indigenous Communities-Assimilation Policies: Experiences of India and the US.
Dr. Bina Sengar, Fulbright Faculty Fellow. FIU Global Indigenous Forum, GSS.
Time: 11:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m.
Location: SASC 231-Student Lounge
Organized by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services
Learn about indigenous and ethnic communities and how India and United States, two of the largest and among the oldest democracies of the world, have significant indigenous population as part of their national demographics.
Learn more about this event at:https://globalaffairs.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2018/10/Bina-ISSS-Presentation-Oct2018yes.pdf
SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY EVENTS
November 2-3, 2018. Seminole American Indian Arts Celebration. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Indian Museum on the Seminole Indian Big Cypress Reservation hosts this annual event focusing on the traditional and contemporary arts, dance and music of the Seminole, Southeastern and other Indian tribes from across the country. A film viewing and panel discussion with the directors for More Than A Word will take place on Saturday from 5-7 pm. https://www.ahtahthiki.com/events/
December 26 to Jan 1, 2019. Miccouskee Indian Arts and Crafts Festival.
Miccosukee Indian Village in the heart of the Florida Everglades Honors the gathering tradition and brings together the South Florida community with First Nations and Aboriginal members of North America. At this weeklong event enjoy authentic foods, alligator demonstrations and the Everglades on airboat rides as well as the cultures and traditions of other tribes. More information http://www.miccosukee.com/events/
February 8 - 10. Seminole Tribal Fair. Seminole Hard Rock Arena. Hollywood Reservation.
Annual gathering of Seminole and tribes from throughout Indian Country for dance, music and arts. http://semtribefairandpowwow.com/
February 23. The Story of the Americas: What the Artifacts Tell Us. 3:00 pm
Carol Damian, Ph.D., FIU Professor Emeritus of Art History.
Co-Curator of exhibition, Culture and Change in the Early Americas.
Kislak Center at Miami Dade College Freedom Tower. Downtown, Miami.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ The mission of the FIU Global Indigenous Forum is to bring global Indigenous issues, voices and awareness to the FIU campus and world community through activities and academic programs.
Check the Global Indigenous Forum web page often at: http://indigenous.fiu.edu/
Follow us on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GIGFIU
For professional Indigenous opportunities join us on LinkedIn:http://bit.ly/FIU-GIF
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