MEDIA RELEASES

Contact
Jessica Mackinnon
jmack@dom.edu
(708) 524-6289

Dominican Presents Native American Performance

Dominican University is presenting a traditional Native American dance production by the Waswagoning Dance Theatre on Saturday, October 30 at 8:00 p.m. in the Lund Auditorium, 7900 W. Division Street. Tickets for the performance are $20 and can be purchased by calling (708) 524-6942.

The production is a visual journey through time, reflecting the past and present of the Native American culture. Dancers in authentic outfits of animal furs and shields will perform to traditional background music and drumming. Each dance will be explained to educate viewers about its meaning and significance.

Conceived by Nick Hockings, a traditional pipe carrier, drum chief and cultural consultant for the Ojibwe, the performance is an extension of an authentic 17th century Ojibwe Village and outdoor museum he recreated in northern Wisconsin to preserve the Ojibwe way of life.

The production is co-sponsored by Dominican University’s Pastoral Ministry Program and the Midwest SOARRING (Save Our Ancestors Remains and Resources Indigenous Network Group) Foundation.

“We are very excited to bring this authentic performance to Dominican University,” said Kathy Heskin, associate professor of theology and director of the pastoral ministry program. “This is a natural outgrowth of the class on Native American Spirituality that we offer and the service learning trip our students take every spring to reservations in South Dakota and Montana. This production gives people an opportunity to experience and share in the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of the Native American peoples.”