American Indian History Month activities planned at Lab in April

The Laboratory will host four events and a poster exhibit in observance of American Indian History Month in April. Information for the exhibit was contributed by Lab workers from 30 pueblos and tribes from across the country. The exhibit will be on display from Thursday - April 30 in the Bradbury Science Museum downtown.

This year's American Indian History Month theme is "The Power of Language in Diversity." The talks and poster exhibit display are open to all Laboratory employees, contractors and the public.

Opening ceremonies are at 10 a.m., Tuesday in the Otowi Building siderooms at Technical Area 3. A welcome address in four tribal languages will be given by Beverly Ramsey, Risk Reduction and Environmental Stewardship (RRES) Division leader, Eastern Cherokee tribe of North Carolina; Daniel Begay of Plasma Physics (P-24), Navajo Nation; Simon Suina of Security Support (S-5), Cochiti Pueblo; and John Kaskaske, Oklahoma Kickapoo Tribe.

The opening ceremony also includes Black Eagle, recipients of the 2004 Grammy for Best Native American Music Album. Black Eagle's album, "Flying Free," was recorded in 2002 and released in March of 2003. The album received the Best Powwow Album of the Year award at the 2003 Native American Music Awards. For more information about Black Eagle, go to http://www.blackeagle1989.com/ online.

Hazel Dean-John Muhlenbruch, former director of the Seneca Language Center, Allegany Reservation in New York, will speak from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 12 in the Materials Science Laboratory Auditorium at TA-3.

Muhlenbruch's topic is "Influence of Language on Culture." Muhlenbruch received her doctorate degree in linguistics from the University of Arizona. She is now retired, but still active in efforts to preserve the Seneca language.

A panel discussion on April 22 provides a historical look at "Lost Languages-Dying Culture: Preserving Cultural Diversity through Language." The panel meets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Materials Science Laboratory Auditorium at TA-3. Panelists include Navajo Nation tribal delegate, Amos Johnson; Nambe Pueblo Gov. Tom Talache; and language/cultural preservation teacher, Debra Loretto, Jicarilla-Apache tribe.

A fourth presentation on the cognitive qualities of language is tentatively scheduled for May. It is co-sponsored by the Laboratory's Deaf Awareness group.

The talks and exhibits are sponsored by the American Indian Diversity Working Group, the Tribal Relations team in the Government Relations (GRO) Office, the Laboratory's Diversity/Affirmative Action Board and the Diversity (DVO) Office.

The talks will be simultaneously broadcast over LabNet Channel 9 and can be accessed via the Internet using Real Media Player and IPTV technology. For more information about American Indian History Month, go to the AIDWG Web site at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/dvo/aidwg/heritage.shtml online.

--Kathryn Ostic

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