News

Rick Williams: ‘What my great-grandmother saw at Little Bighorn’

Clint Carroll — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:47:10 +0000

Rick Williams: ‘What my great-grandmother saw at Little Bighorn’ Clint Carroll Sun, 09/27/2026 - 13:47

View the article in the Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine here.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Center of the American West former board member Rick Williams shares family insights into the historic battle and offers thoughts on how perceptions have changed over time.

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Public Talk | Cheyenne Poet and Educator Dr. Richard E. Littlebear -- "There Wasn't a Name for It:" Cheyenne Language, Land, and Loss after Sand Creek

Cassie Sando — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 21:44:22 +0000

Public Talk | Cheyenne Poet and Educator Dr. Richard E. Littlebear -- "There Wasn't a Name for It:" Cheyenne Language, Land, and Loss after Sand Creek Cassie Sando Fri, 09/25/2026 - 15:44

"There Wasn't a Name for It:" Cheyenne Language, Land, and Loss after Sand Creek with Cheyenne Poet and Educator, Dr. Richard E. Littlebear

When: Thursday, October 15th | 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Where: Chancellor's Auditorium, CASE Building, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus or VIA ZOOM

Richard Littlebear is a Cheyenne educator, poet, and leader with a deep and far-reaching understanding of his people’s language, culture, and history. Growing up on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, he was especially influenced by his grandmother, who told him stories in Cheyenne of the massacres at Sand Creek and Washita, the momentous victory at the Greasy Grass/Little Bighorn, his people’s return to their Montana homelands after their captivity at Fort Robinson, and other momentous events.

Dr. Littlebear will reflect on his personal and tribal history, the ongoing impact of settler colonial violence and dispossession, and the continuing efforts that he and others are undertaking to save and perpetuate the Cheyenne language. Dr. Littlebear’s talk on October 15th honors Indigenous Peoples Week 2026. Held 150 years after Colorado statehood and CU’s establishment, this event invites us all to probe the vital connections linking Indigenous education and language preservation to Native American rights movements, historical reconciliation, and land return.

This event will be conversational, combining prepared remarks by Dr. Littlebear with questions moderated from audiences both in-person and via Zoom.

CNAIS is a proud co-sponsor of event. Please register for event below.

"There Wasn't a Name for It:" Cheyenne Language, Land, and Loss after Sand Creek with Cheyenne Poet and Educator, Dr. Richard E. Littlebear

When: Thursday, October 15th | 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Where: Chancellor's Auditorium, CASE Building, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus or VIA ZOOM

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��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Indigenous Peoples' Day Events Announced!

Clint Carroll — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 02:16:50 +0000

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Indigenous Peoples' Day Events Announced! Clint Carroll Sat, 09/19/2026 - 20:16

The Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, in close partnership with Leadership Support and Programming, and with generous support from the Environmental Center, presents:

“Still Here: Refusal, Remembrance, and the Future Beyond 150” -- Events Celebrating and Commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Monday, Oct. 12 and Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

This year’s theme critically reflects on 150 years of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� within the longer arc of Indigenous presence, perseverance, and survival. Learn more on the main Indigenous Peoples’ Day event webpage and download printable flyers on the CNAIS webpage.

Monday Event

Moderated Keynote and Luncheon with Zahn McClarnon, Acclaimed Lakota Actor
Monday, Oct. 12, 11:00am to 1:00pm
UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom

Students, staff, faculty, and members of the Boulder community are invited to participate in a community celebration and observance of Indigenous Peoples Day, featuring guest speaker Zahn McClarnon. McClarnon is an award-winning actor, currently starring in and executive producing AMC’s “Dark Winds.” Clint Carroll, associate professor of ethnic studies and faculty Director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, will join McClarnon in a moderated discussion.

Lunch will be served. Space will be limited and advance registration is recommended. Please contact lspevents@colorado.edu for questions about the keynote event.

Tuesday Event:

The Truth ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� 250-150 Mobile Exhibit: Uncover Colorado's Untold History
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wardenburg Walkway, North Side of Student Health Center

Wednesday Events

Join us for two panel discussions and a film screening exploring Land Back initiatives across the Américas and Indigenous-led bison restoration across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain West. Esteemed speakers will highlight shared challenges, cultural significance, Indigenous stewardship, and the ongoing work to reconnect Indigenous communities with their ancestral lands.

Panel Discussions and Luncheon: Land Back, Bison Back
Wednesday, Oct.14, 9:30am to 2:45pm
Center for Global British & Irish Studies (CBIS), Norlin Library, Room M549

Film Screening and Q&A with the Filmmakers
People of the Sacred Land: The Untold History of Colorado
Wednesday, Oct.14, 3:15pm to 4:30 pm
CASE Building, 4th Floor, Chancellor’s Hall

Featured Panelists and Speakers:

Helen Augare (Blackfeet Nation), Co-Founder and Director, Native Science Field Center, Blackfeet Community College
Luis E. Cárcamo-Huechante (Mapuche), Associate Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Cristina Coc (Q’eqchi Maya), Founder and Program Director, Julian Cho Society
Lucille Contreras (Lipan Apache), Founder and CEO, Texas Tribal Buffalo Project
Elsie DuBray (Oóhenuŋpa Lakxóta/Mandan/Hidatsa), Buffalo First
Kelsey John (Diné), Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��
Patricia Limerick, Professor of History and Director of the Applied History Initiative, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��
Libby Lunstrum, Professor of Environmental and Global Studies, Boise State University
Vanessa Racehorse (Shoshone-Bannock/Cherokee/Shoshone-Paiute), Associate Professor of Law, Colorado Law
James Rattling Leaf, Sr. (Rosebud Sioux), Commiunity Liaison, Environmental Data Science Innovation & Impact Lab, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��
Rick Williams (Oglala Lakota/Northern Cheyenne), President, People of the Sacred Land

Thursday Event:

Public Talk: Cheyenne Poet and Educator, Dr. Richard E. Littlebear

Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Chancellor's Auditorium, CASE Building (or via Zoom)
Register here.

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NAIS Graduate Certificate Student Receives Fulbright Award for Study in Aotearoa New Zealand

Clint Carroll — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:39:47 +0000

NAIS Graduate Certificate Student Receives Fulbright Award for Study in Aotearoa New Zealand Clint Carroll Tue, 09/15/2026 - 13:39

CNAIS is thrilled to share that our very own Johnette M. Martin (PhD candidate in Ethnomusicology) has been selected for the 2026–2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Award to Aotearoa New Zealand!

The Fulbright is one of the most prestigious and competitive international exchange programs in the world, supporting exceptional scholars whose work demonstrates significant academic merit, cultural engagement, and global impact. Among Fulbright applicants, New Zealand is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after and highly competitive placements, making this achievement especially distinguished.

Johnette will conduct advanced research in Aotearoa, continuing her work on Indigenous musical sovereignty and community-centered scholarship. Congratulations, Johnette, on this extraordinary honor and on representing your communities and your university with such brilliance and purpose!

Johnette says: I am honored to share that I’ve been awarded a Fulbright award to Aotearoa New Zealand. This opportunity feels both humbling and affirming. A recognition not only of my work but also of the communities, mentors, and collaborators who have shaped how I listen, think, and create. To me, the Fulbright represents a commitment to dialogue across difference: an invitation to engage music and sound as ways of building relationships, asking better questions, and learning with and from others.

What excites me most is the chance to immerse myself in new sonic worlds while contributing meaningfully through research, collaboration, and teaching. I’m especially looking forward to the unexpected moments: the conversations, rehearsals, and everyday exchanges that challenge assumptions and open new directions for my work as a Kanaka Maoli and ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᎰᏯ, Indigenous woman and scholar.

My time at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� College of Music as well as my time as part of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies has been central to this journey. The universal musician approach, grounded in curiosity, versatility, and a willingness to move across disciplines, has shaped how I approach music not just as an object of study but as a living, relational practice. That broadly-based training has prepared me to engage this next chapter with openness, rigor, and care. ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies has supported and continues to support my journey as an Indigenous woman, scholar, and member of our campus community. CNAIS is a hub for guidance and community support, which has proven to be significant and necessary while navigating the Western academic institution at every level, and was the reason I could financially start my work in Aotearoa.

I’m grateful for the guidance, support, and aloha that made this possible and excited for what lies ahead.

Johnette plans to graduate in Spring 2028 with a PhD in Indigenous Ethnomusicology with the geographic focus of Oceania and the Americas, Indigenous Knowledge and Methodologies/Pedagogies.

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2026 Native Graduation Photos

Cassie Sando — Mon, 11 May 2026 18:54:04 +0000

2026 Native Graduation Photos Cassie Sando Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:54

We had the pleasure of honoring our 2026 Graduates at Native Graduation. We are excited to share a few photos from the event!

We had the pleasure of honoring our 2026 Graduates at Native Graduation. We are excited to share some photos from the event!

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2026 Native Graduation

Cassie Sando — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:18:38 +0000

2026 Native Graduation Cassie Sando Sat, 02/28/2026 - 11:18

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
at Koenig Alumni Center
1202 University Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302

🎓 Native Graduation! 🎉

Calling all graduating Native students! Join us in celebrating your achievements at Native Graduation on Saturday, May 2 at Koenig Alumni House (6:00 - 8:00 PM)*. Don’t miss this special event honoring your journey and success.

🎓 Sign Up for Native Graduation! 🎉

If you are not a Native Grad, you can RSVP here:

RSVP for CU Staff, Faculty, Administration

Families/friends of graduates can use the above link to share positive words for their graduate or to be on the graduation mailing list, but are not required to RSVP individually.

Calling all graduating Native students! Join us in celebrating your achievements at Native Graduation on Saturday, May 2 at Koenig Alumni House (6:00 - 8:00 PM)*. Don’t miss this special event honoring your journey and success.

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Greenland: An Indigenous Nation at the Edge of the Arctic

Cassie Sando — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:46:26 +0000

Greenland: An Indigenous Nation at the Edge of the Arctic Cassie Sando Fri, 01/30/2026 - 15:46

Greenland formally is a part of Denmark, which is responsible for its defense and foreign affairs. Internally however, Greenland is self-governing since 2009. It is the only self-governing indigenous state in the Western Hemisphere. It has a land area of over 800,000 square miles (roughly the same size as Saudi Arabia), and has a population of around 57,000.

Greenlandic is the official language. This is an indigenous language, in the Inuit-Aleut language family. Greenland is the only polity in the western hemisphere where an indigenous language is the only official language (though Danish is a “recognized” and widely-known language). Greenlandic is often considered to be the only fully non-endangered indigenous language in the Western Hemisphere, as it is the community language for the vast majority of Greenlanders, and is learned by these children in the home.

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Conversations around the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cassie Sando — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:41:58 +0000

Conversations around the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cassie Sando Fri, 01/30/2026 - 15:41

"What’s happening with AI is a kind of 'digital colonialism,' in which powerful (mostly Western) tech giants are using algorithms, data and digital technologies to exert power over others, and take data without consent. But resistance is possible – and the long history of First Nations resistance demonstrates how people might go about it."

– Akhil Bhardwaj of University of Bath in his article Governments are rushing to embrace AI. They should think twice

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Native Peoples and Unlawful ICE Activity

Cassie Sando — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:52:25 +0000

Native Peoples and Unlawful ICE Activity Cassie Sando Fri, 01/23/2026 - 15:52

We are sharing this statement from the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) to highlight urgent and unlawful ICE activity impacting Native communities across Indian Country. As NARF makes clear, Native people are being racially profiled, illegally stopped, and detained in direct violation of treaty, constitutional, and civil rights. Alongside this statement, NARF offers vital resources outlining what to do if approached by ICE and how to know and assert your rights. We encourage community members, Tribal leaders, and allies to review and share these materials as an important step toward protecting our communities.

Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Resources:

Native American Rights Fund (NARF) offers vital resources outlining what to do if approached by ICE and how to know and assert your rights. We encourage community members, Tribal leaders, and allies to review and share these materials as an important step toward protecting our communities.

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CNAIS Director, Andrew Cowell, Partners with Arapaho Community to Revitalize Language

Cassie Sando — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 22:05:23 +0000

CNAIS Director, Andrew Cowell, Partners with Arapaho Community to Revitalize Language Cassie Sando Fri, 12/05/2025 - 15:05

For nearly three decades, Professor Andrew Cowell from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, and current Director of CNAIS, has partnered closely with the Northern Arapaho community to support the growth and vitality of the Arapaho language.

After arriving in Colorado in 1995, Dr. Cowell began learning from Arapaho speakers on the Wind River Reservation, building long-term relationships that shaped a shared vision for language renewal. Over many years of collaboration, community members, educators, and researchers have recorded natural conversations, documented everyday speech, and created one of the most extensive Indigenous language databases in North America.

The collaborating working is fueling a new chapter of language learning in Arapaho community. Teachers are using curricula drawn from the database to support students from early elementary through high school, and dual-language classrooms are emerging on the Wind River Reservation. For more information on this Dr. Andrew Cowell's work with the Arapaho people, please see the following articles:

For over two decade, Dr. Andrew Cowell has worked side by side with the Northern Arapaho to preserve the Arapaho language. Their efforts include creating learning resources, recording speech, and supporting educators who are inspiring the next generation of speakers.

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News

Rick Williams: ‘What my great-grandmother saw at Little Bighorn’

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Public Talk | Cheyenne Poet and Educator Dr. Richard E. Littlebear -- "There Wasn't a Name for It:" Cheyenne Language, Land, and Loss after Sand Creek

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���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ Indigenous Peoples' Day Events Announced!

“Still Here: Refusal, Remembrance, and the Future Beyond 150” -- Events Celebrating and Commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Monday, Oct. 12 and Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Monday Event

Tuesday Event:

Wednesday Events

Thursday Event:

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NAIS Graduate Certificate Student Receives Fulbright Award for Study in Aotearoa New Zealand

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2026 Native Graduation Photos

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2026 Native Graduation

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmat Koenig Alumni Center1202 University Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302

🎓 Native Graduation! 🎉

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Greenland: An Indigenous Nation at the Edge of the Arctic

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Conversations around the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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Native Peoples and Unlawful ICE Activity

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CNAIS Director, Andrew Cowell, Partners with Arapaho Community to Revitalize Language

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��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Indigenous Peoples' Day Events Announced!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
at Koenig Alumni Center
1202 University Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302