Cottey to host Native American cultural forum and multicultural fair

Cottey College will host a Native American Cultural Forum on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Haidee and Allen Wild Center for the Arts. On Sunday, Nov. 3, students will host the annual Multicultural Festival from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Raney Dining Room.

The Native American Cultural Forum on Nov. 2 is in recognition of Native American Heritage Month (November). There will be arts and crafts vendors in the Sculpture Garden from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and an exhibit of Native American research by Cottey students, in the Weber Foyer.

The cultural forum will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Missouri Recital Hall, with a traditional Native American prayer, welcome and introductions. The speakers panels will feature four Native American women representing the Ponca Tribe, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Pueblo Tribe, and the Ojibwe Tribe. The morning session, "American Indian, Women on Native History and Culture," will begin at 9:45 a.m. The afternoon panel, "American Indian Women on Current Native Concerns," will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

On Sunday, Nov. 3, the public is invited to the annual Multicultural Festival. The festival will include a celebration of world cultures, food from around the world prepared by members of the Cottey community, and an international bazaar.

There is no admission fee for the Native American Cultural Forum on Saturday. Tickets for the Multicultural Festival are $7 for adults and $4 for children age 8 and under. Tickets will be available at the door.

The Center for the Arts is on the northeast corner of Austin and Tower streets. Raney Dining Room is in the lower level of Robertson Hall which is on the southeast corner of Austin and Tower streets. Parking for Raney Dining Room is available in the lot immediately south of Robertson. That lot is accessible off of Tower Street.

For more information on the Native American Cultural Forum, contact the Rev. Erica Sigauke at 417-667-8181, ext. 2179. For more information about the Multicultural Festival, contact Dr. Brenda Ross at 417-667-8181, ext. 2215.