Allan Hancock College is offering a free lecture series focusing on Native American history through November in concurrence with Native American Heritage Month, college officials recently announced.
All lectures will be held at the forum—building C, room 40—on the Santa Maria campus. Parking is also free, and registration isn’t required.
Roger Hall, associate professor of history, will present “1491 Meets 1493: Europe Comes to the Americas (and nothing was ever the same)” on Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. This lecture will focus on the initial contact between Americans and Europeans in the late 15th century. Hall will look at native societies prior to 1492, as well as the enormous changes that occurred in North America and around the globe after the voyages of Columbus.
Other lecturers in November include Niki Sandoval, education director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, who will present “Suyuwan: To Honor and Respect” on Nov. 4; and Bob Nichols, Allan Hancock College ceramics and sculpture instructor, presenting “Rock Art: Always Regional, Occurred Everywhere” on Nov. 18.
Sandoval will address the educational experiences of five generations. From the Indian boarding school at Sherman Institute to graduate school at UC Santa Barbara, she will explore the dramatic change in educational opportunity and outcomes for her tribal community.
Nichols will explore the human impulse to create. Images left behind by earlier cultures on the ground, on canyon walls, and in caves are international in distribution, yet rock art styles and techniques are almost always specific to the regions in which they’re found.
For more information, call the Hancock Learning Resources Center librarian at 922-6966, Ext. 3322.
School Scene is compiled by Managing Editor Amy Asman. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Oct 20-27, 2011.