(Washington) - Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb will be the keynote speaker at the U.S. Department of the Interior's opening ceremony of American Indian Heritage Month on November 5, 2001. The celebration will officially begin a month of acknowledgment for the contributions made by American Indians to our country. With recent events in our nation, this year's theme is entitled, "Uniting All Nations Together As One." in honor of American Indians and this nation's commitment to freedom for all people.
The event will include a prayer and the lighting of a candle ceremony to honor the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. Native dancers, a traditional drum group and singers will provide an example of the diversified American Indian culture found in the Washington, DC area. The event will culminate with a special performance by 2001 Native American Music Award nominee "Pamyua," an a capella group from Alaska, whose blend of Yup'ik and Inuit dance, song and humor reflect the rich diversity found in all the Native cultures of Alaska. Recently named as one of the ten most influential artists in the history of Alaska by the Anchorage Daily News, Pamyua performed at the opening ceremonies for the 2001 Special Winter Olympics and will be seen on television in "Diversity in America," an eight part documentary series airing this fall on PBS.
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What: |
Department of the Interior American Indian Heritage Month Opening Ceremony |
| Where: |
South Interior Auditorium, 1900 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC |
| When: |
November 5, 2001 beginning at 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. |
| POC: |
Bureau of Indian Affairs Office for Equal Opportunity Programs, (703) 235-0655 |
-BIA-
