Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day
Montclair unveils Land Acknowledgement and new academic programming, welcomes tribes as part of on-campus event
Posted in: Native American and Indigenous Studies, News
![Red Blanket Singers](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-01.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
Montclair State University celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day on October 10 with a special on-campus event that not only highlighted thriving Indigenous cultures, but also showcased the institution’s commitment to creating hands-on learning opportunities that make a difference in the world.
Montclair welcomed the Red Blanket Singers of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe of New Jersey for a special performance as part of the early evening event, which also served as the formal unveiling of the University’s new Native American and Indigenous Studies minor and Montclair’s formal Land Acknowledgement.
![woman in blue shirt in front of crowd of onlookers](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-02.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Student at microphone reading Land Acknowledgement with other students standing to her right](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-03.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
Students from Montclair’s new course “Introduction to Native American and Indigenous Studies” read the Land Acknowledgement to begin the event, which also featured remarks from President Jonathan Koppell and recent alumna and Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape member Brianna Dagostino ’21.
![Brianna Dagostino ’21 speaking at podium for Indigenous Peoples Day.](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-04.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Professor Christopher Matthews speaking at the podium](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-05.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Red Blanket Singers in a circle with crowd watching in background](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-06.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Urie Ridgeway, emcee for the Red Blanket Singers.](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-07.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Montclair President Jonathan Koppell](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-08.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Red Blanket Singers member participating in tribal dance](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-09.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Red Blanket Singers member participating in tribal dance](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-10.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
![Red Blanket Singers member watching the ceremonies](/responsive-media/cache/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2022/11/2022-10-11_ipd-11.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg)
To see more photos, go to the gallery. Photos by University Photographer Mike Peters.