JANUARY 24 EVENTS

NATIONAL FOCUS: INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

These programs will present a national view, highlighting environmental and climate change issues affecting indigenous communities across the United States, including Alaska and Hawai'i.

Polynesian Dance Productions

In this colorful presentation, Polynesian dancers from Hawai'i will share the dance and culture of their beloved homeland and other islands in the Pacific region. Polynesian Dance Productions is the only troupe on the East Coast to feature dancers who were born, raised, and trained in Hawai'i and danced professionally there.

This program is supported by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Malia Nobrega

In this multi-media presentation, Malia Nobrega will give an overview of the effects of climate change on the Hawaiian environment and indigenous Hawaiian culture. Nobrega is an active member in her local community and has participated at the Convention on Biological Diversity with the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) and the indigenous Women's Biodiversity Network (IWBN).

This program is cosponsored with the Flying Eagle Woman Fund for Peace, Justice, and Sovereignty and the Tribal Link Foundation.

Homeland

Homeland (2005 Katahdin Productions, 60 minutes) is filmed against some of America's most spectacular backdrops. From Alaska to Maine, Montana to New Mexico, this award-winning film profiles Native American activists fighting to protect Indian lands, preserve their sovereignty, and ensure the cultural survival of their peoples. The film screening is followed by a keynote address by acclaimed indigenous author and human rights advocate Winnona LaDuke.