UND will celebrate American Indian culture and heritage during the annual Time Out Week April 16-20 and the Wacipi (WAH CHEE PEE) Powwow the weekend of April 20-22.

Time Out Week at UND features speakers discussing the American Indian culture and providing information on what the powwow means to Native Americans. The Wacipi Powwow – a weekend of song and dance – will be held at the Hyslop Sports Center. It includes an annual basketball tournament in which teams compete for prizes.

The Wacipi Powwow draws a crowd representing tribes from all across the United States and Canada. It provides UND’s American Indian students – the majority of whom are from North Dakota – with the opportunity to openly and respectfully express and share their cultures. It also helps make diversity and the expression of culture a valued attribute at the University and throughout the state.

Time Out Week and the Wacipi provide the Greater Grand Forks community with a unique opportunity to participate in the culturally rich and highly informative events featuring the music, dance and the colorful dance regalia of the indigenous tribes of the state and region. This event is open to the public, and is free for all UND students, children younger than five and senior citizens.

History:

The UND Indian Association (UNDIA), which sponsors Time Out week, has been in existence since 1966. The organization created this annual event because its members saw a community need for a greater understanding about their regional culture, as well as traditional and contemporary cultures. UNDIA students encouraged the campus and Greater Grand Forks community to take “Time Out” for one week each year to share in and celebrate their cultural traditions. UNDIA also sponsors numerous other campus events committed to educating the community and sharing in the celebration of the culture of American Indians in throughout North Dakota, the region and beyond.

Useful links:

• UND Indian Association: www.und.nodak.edu/org/undia/
• Powwows nationwide: www.powwows.com/