Often, symbols of diversity on a college campus are tucked away, far from visiting eyes and minds.
This is about to change at the University of Idaho with the Tribal Flag Dedication Ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Friday on the first floor of the Bruce Pitman Center.
“U of I has had a long history with tribes,” said Sydel Samuels, director of the Native American Student Center. “The flag dedication and the permanent location of those being posted at the Pitman Center is going to be able to create permanent foundation, a visual representation of our Native people on campus — that we are here.”
UI entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 10 nearby tribes in 2007, committing itself to providing services, support and initiatives on campus to help Native American students, Samuels said. The 10 flags being unveiled Friday represent those tribes.
UI President Chuck Staben will provide an introduction before the performance of an honor song and prayer to open up the ceremony. Samuels said Staben and representatives from the 10 tribes will speak on the significance of the event. Two Native American artists will also have their work displayed, he said.
“So the actual flag dedication will be important because the Native students here on campus will have a place to feel like they’re represented,” Samuels said. “I think when we have people come onto campus, they see the commitment of the university to tribal nations.”
The prominent location of the ceremony is important to Sienna Reuben, a UI senior and member of the Nez Perce tribe.
“It’s not pushed back somewhere in the corner or anything,” Reuben said. “They’re seeing it. Just letting people know that we are still here and that we have an alliance and that it’s important.”
Samuels was also happy with the permanent location of the flags, and said they may be used for ceremonies such as graduation or convocation.
“It’s visual, it’s in a busy area,” Samuels said. “It will create more questions. It will create, ‘Oh, there must be a Native Center here,’ and, you know, people come to the Native Center asking more questions.”
UI is helping Native American students with scholarships and programs, and Samuels said Staben is supportive.
“I’m excited about the direction that we’re going as a university,” Samuels said. “I think we still have a lot to do, but I feel like our students are being empowered to have a voice and to get out there and share some of our history. To say ‘University of Idaho is our campus.’”
Rueben said it’s a good feeling knowing the ceremony will take place and recognize the connection the tribes and the university share.
“When I first got here, I didn’t realize that kind of relationship they have,” Reuben said. “As I got more into it realized it’s a pretty big deal — the university is considerate of these tribes. It’s a really good feeling.”
November is Native American Heritage Month, and Reuben said the flag dedication is just one of many events.
“And it is a big deal for a lot of Native American students here, because a lot of them come from those MOU tribes too,” Reuben said. “So them seeing that their flags are posted up just makes them feel more important, more significant.”
Jack Olson can be reached at [email protected]