Image: Tacoma News Tribune, Image TNT0074I, Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
As 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, we invite you to join us for a celebration of North American Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Radboud University on October 12 and 13, 2026.
While the Declaration of Independence only references Indigenous Peoples as “merciless Indian savages,” the U.S. Constitution does not include Indigenous (and Black) people as part of the “we the people” mentioned in its preamble. However, the Constitution does legislate that the treaties made with Indigenous nations are part of the “Supreme Law of the Land” – a statement hardly heeded in the years since. Over the course of two days, we will reflect on the importance and significance of treaty rights to Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, and on how they shape Indigenous studies. We plan to explore these themes with internal and external speakers, including two eminent Indigenous guests from North America: Tanana Athabascan scholar and poet Dian Million, and Ktunaxa poet and educator Smokii Sumac.
Programme and registration
The full programme and the registration form can be found via the buttons below:
