Studium Generale will open its Fall Quarter series with the traditional Welcome Celebration, a partnership among the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Peninsula College.
A welcome song, presented by the nəxʷsƛ̕áy̕əm̕ Song and Drum Group will be followed by a poetry reading by Dr. Duane Niatum of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. He will be introducing his newest collection of poems: Earth Vowels.
Niatum writes poems, stories and essays. He has been widely published in the US and abroad and translated into 14 languages. Earth Vowels is his ninth book of poems. The northwest landscape and legends of his ancestors help shape his writings. He has made a life-long study of art and artists, including European and American Indian art, literature and culture. For over 50 years, he has brought unique insight to his writings and publications.
All are invited to a reception in ʔaʔk̓ʷustəƞáwt̓xʷ the House of Learning, Peninsula College Longhouse, directly following the presentation.
Peninsula College recognizes and honors these traditional nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm lands. The first longhouse built on a community college campus, ʔaʔk̓ʷustəƞáwt̓xʷ was named in the nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm language and is a gathering place to teach, learn, and share cultural traditions, knowledge, and identity. ʔaʔk̓ʷustəƞáwt̓xʷ is a place to acknowledge and respect our unique differences and diversity. This annual Welcome event was founded by Lola Moses of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe in 2016, and in the past three years has featured language, culture, arts, and education.
The event is free and open to the public, beginning at 12:35 p.m. in the Little Theater, on September 26th.
For more information, contact Sadie Crowe at longhouse@pencol.edu or (360) 417- 7992.