South Dakota Mines Honors Native American Heritage Month With Campus Events

South Dakota Mines invites the community to share in celebrating the rich history, culture and contributions of Indigenous people with a variety of campus events honoring Native American Heritage Month.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, Hardrocker Athletics will use the final football game of the season to honor its seniors and celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The football game against Adams State begins at noon, with members of the Wilde Horse Butte Tokala Intertribal Honor Guard presenting the American and tribal flags.

Along with the tribal honor guard, Gabrielle Knife, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a direct descendant of Crazy Horse, will perform the national anthem in Lakota.

In May 2023, Knife was presented with a Certificate of Commendation by the National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for her Lakota language rendition of the national anthem.

On Friday, Nov. 21, Charlie Cuny Brave Heart, a local Oglala Lakota artist, will present a cultural art workshop on making Parfleche bags, used by Plains Indian tribes to carry and store a variety of items. The event is from 5 – 7 p.m. in the lower level of the Surbeck Center.

In addition to the events celebrating Native American Heritage Month, the university’s multicultural affairs office is sponsoring a speaker this Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. in the Surbeck Center Beck Ballroom. Andrew Laszlo Jr. will share the story of his father, who was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. The elder Laszlo grew up in Papa, Hungary, and was at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the same time as Anne Frank. He came to America penniless and became a famous cinematographer, known for his work on movies including “Shogun”, “Rambo” and “First Blood.” He kept his story a secret from his family and the world for 50 years. After sharing his past, he became a famous member of the survivor community and was honored alongside Elie Wiesel at the 2004 Holocaust Days of Remembrance in the nation’s capitol.

“These activities and speakers sharing their experiences and stories give participants a chance to dive into cross-cultural learning,” said Cedric Collinge, Mines director of multicultural affairs and the sponsor of the speakers.