West Virginias indigenous Native American Indians will be among the groups recognized and celebrated during WVU s upcoming Diversity Week activities Oct. 8-12.

The three-day conference, sponsored by the National Park Service and WVU s Eberly College of Arts and SciencesNative American Studies Program , begins on the last day of Diversity Week and runs through Oct. 14.

The conference will include scholarly lectures and panels, special programming for school children, an art exhibit, a poster session and field trips to Fort Necessity National Battlefield and the Friendship Hill national historic site, said WVU organizer Ellesa High.

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the rich tribal heritage we have in this area,”said High, a WVU associate professor of English.

“It also encourages the gathering and sharing of information concerning the indigenous people of our region,”she said.”Focusing on the tribes traditionally found across the Eastern Woodlands, the lectures will address both the history of these people and the issues they currently face.”

Activities, all of which take place in the Mountainlair ballrooms, begin at 9 a.m. Friday (Oct.12) with a program for elementary school students.

Students will learn about the Eastern Woodland Indian cultures through storytelling, singing and dancing, Native American dress and native crafts.

An open blessing and food sharing will take place from 1:30-2:15 p.m. Tribal chairwoman Mervin Savoy will provide the blessing. WVU President David C. Hardesty, Jr. and Joanne Hanley, superintendent of the National Park Service, also will participate.

From 2:15-5 p.m., scholarly experts will present lectures ranging from the role of the Iroquois Indians in democracy formation to European influences on the Cherokee culture.

One of the lecturers, Barbara Alice Mann, was recently a featured expert on C-SPANs”American Authors”series.

Mann, a Native American scholar and writer from northwest Ohio, will discuss”Native Americans, Archaeologists and the Mounds: In Defense of the Ancestors,”from 4:15- 5 p.m., followed by a panel discussion.

There will be a special art exhibit from 8-10 p.m. at the Benedum Gallery of the Monongalia Arts Center that will feature the works of Eastern Woodland Indians.

On Saturday (Oct. 13) there will be an early morning poster display in the ballrooms and scholarly lectures will follow throughout the day. A special highlights will include a 4-4:45 p.m. talk by Marilou Awiakta, a seventh generation Appalachian Cherokee.

Dr. Awiakta, this years Judith Gold Stitzels Scholar in Residence, will speak on”The Power of Story in Claiming and Proclaiming Our Heritage: A Cherokee/Appalachian Perspective.”A panel discussion and summary session will follow.

The conference concludes Sunday (Oct. 14) with field trips to the Friendship Hill and Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

This years conference was partially funded by the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Native American conference comes at the end of Diversity Week, which this year showcases the diversity of the Appalachian culture.

Diversity Week activities include a military breakfast to honor members of the armed services, a live taping of Mountain Stage and the Universitys traditional Women of Color Day luncheon, among other activities.

There also will be a Native American Dance Performance at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct.8, in the Creative Arts Centers Concert Theatre. Tickets are on sale by calling 293-SHOW.

For more information on the Native American Indian conference, call High, 304-293-3107 or log on tohttp://www.nps.gov/frhi/woodlannd/. For Diversity Week information, call Marsa Myers, 304-5496, or visitwww.wvu/edu~socjustfor a complete schedule of events.

All events are free and open to the public.