O-Gitch-I-Dah
Itasca Community College has a very active American Indian student organization called the O-Gitch-I-Dah Club. O-Gitch-I-Dah is an Ojibwe word which means "heroes" or "people who we depend upon to protect us." This group strives to provide peer support and promote activities to increase the understanding of American Indian culture and heritage. The O-Gitch-I-Dah Club is open to all interested persons.
The following photo depicts O Gitch I Dah members and American Indian faculty, Larry Aitken, dedicating an art print to the ICC library while also accepting an art print as a gift from DMcD productions. The library print hanging on the wall was painted by Leech Lake artist, Bob “Punk” Wakanaubo and features Ojibwe moccasins. The print being held was painted by Canadien Ojibwe spiritualist, Morrris Blanchard and features a dream involving a lynx. Other Native Heritage month activities include historical fact panels displayed in the ICC Multimedia library hallway, and an ICC library multimedia title display, both on-going throughout the month.
The group meets weekly and plans and coordinates a variety of activities including: the annual pow-wow in spring,
Fry-bread taco day when O-Gitch-I-Dah served a free lunch to ICC.
Many events are scheduled to honor National American Indian Hertiage Month in November - such as sponsoring a talk by activist, Winona LaDuke, and a concert by musician, Keith Secola.
O-Gitch-I-Dah members also help with the Indian Quiz Bowls, (www.nativequizbowl.info) which are put on throughout the state of Minnesota.
Other community activities include: raising funds to help the homeless, get out the vote drives, and assembling care packages for soldiers in Iraq. If you would like to become a member of O-Gitch-I-Dah, please call advisor Harold Annette at 218-322-2353/ harold.annette@itascacc.edu
Click here for information about ICC American Indian Studies
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Itasca Community College
1851 East Highway 169, Grand Rapids, MN 55744-3397 |
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