MONROE – The Redhawk Native American Arts Council performed traditional dances and stories during an event in an effort to educate about Indigenous Americans.
The event on Sept. 27, which was sponsored by the Middlesex County Office of Arts & History, took place at the Monroe Township Senior Center at 12 Halsey Reed Road.
Redhawk Native American Arts Council is a nonprofit that was founded and is maintained by Indigenous American artists, performers, and educators living in the tri-state area.
According to the organization, the Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting the urban Indigenous community and educating the general public about Indigenous American heritage through song, dance, theater, and other works of art and cultural forms of expression.
That education is done with a diverse group of Indigenous artists from the Americas and around the globe.
The organization offers programs through an Indigenous lens on issues that include climate change, water rights, Indigenous stereotypes, and land preservation. There is a focus on local Indigenous communities and youth.
In addition to the programs Redhawk offers, they also produce four of the largest Indigenous and Indigenous heritage celebrations in the Northeast, according to the organization.
They also have educational programs to help students and educators gain a better understanding of Indigenous American history and of the diverse cultures represented within Indigenous America.
Indigenous People’s Day is on Oct. 8. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a presidential proclamation formally recognizing the holiday.
