What It Means To Be A Virginia Indian In 21st Century Topic Of Multimedia Presentation At Virginia Tech

Representatives of Virginia's eight state-recognized Indian tribes -- the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Mattaponi, Upper Mattaponi, Monacan, Nansemond, Pamunkey, and Rappahannock -- will take part in a presentation on "What It Means to be a Virginia Indian in the 21st Century" Saturday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. at Virginia Tech. The program is open to the public at no charge.

During the forum at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center, Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, an anthropoligist from William and Mary, will screen her new documentary, "In Our Own Words: Voices of Virginia Indians." Tribal representatives will lead a discussion of the film and of important issues confronting their communities today. The issues include their current campaign for federal recognition, the repatriation of ancestral remains, and the Lewis and Clark Commemorative Celebration.

The forum is being held in conjunction with the Virginia Indian Nations Summit on Higher Education. Sponsors include Virginia Tech's American Indian Studies Program, Humanities Program, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences, Office of the Provost, Office of Multicultural Affairs, American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and American Indian Culture Club, as well as the Virginia Council on Indians and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

For further information, call Sam Cook, director of the American Indian Studies Program, at (540)231-9596 or e-mail him at sacook2@vt.edu.