American Indian students and faculty will have the opportunity to educate the ISU community about their history at the 33rd annual Symposium on the American Indian.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “Turtle Island, Sacred Island,” and will feature events Wednesday through Sunday. The theme is a reference to the name American Indians use for North America and is concurrent with this year’s topic of sacred places and environments.

Irma Wilson-White, program assistant for Minority Student Affairs, said the symposium is meant to be primarily educational, but will be entertaining as well.

“The focus of the symposium is to fill in the gaps in the schooling students receive regarding Native Americans,” White said.

Much of the history regarding Native Americans taught in public schools is based on stereotypes and avoids the contributions Native Americans have made to society, according to American Indian experts at Iowa State.

“In a lot of history books, there is very little said about American Indians, except them being conquered,” White said. “We try to show how Native Americans contribute to society through music, art, sports, film or any other medium.”

One of the major highlights of the symposium is an art exhibit in the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union by artist Carly Bordeau of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation. The exhibit includes multiple paintings and three sculptures.

Although lectures will be a significant part of the symposium this year, other events include a Native American flute music performance by Bryan Akipa of the Sisseton/Wahpeton Dakota Nation; Bordeau’s art exhibit; a film presentation; a family arts, crafts and storytelling program and an American Indian Powwow, which has been a highlight of the symposium each of the 33 years it has taken place at Iowa State.

Sidner Larson, associate professor of English and director of American Indian studies, said he is excited about the opportunities the symposium presents.

“In this world that desperately needs a sense of diversity, this is one of the best opportunities we have to face stereotypes about Native Americans,” he said.

Among the noted scholars giving presentations at the symposium are Clyde Bellecourt, of the Mississippi Band of the Anishinabe Nation/Ojibwe and Daniel Wildcat, co-director of the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan.