Honoring the History and Legacy of Two-Spirit People.

We will welcome Two-Spirit Medicine Elder, Nohham Cachat-Schilliingand share their experiences and reflections on the concepts, histories, legacies and experiences of Two-Spirit people within Indigenous cultural societies. Many native cultures and languages recognize the existence of Two-Spirit people among tribes where these individuals were often revered and respected within their communities. In an effort to recognize the distinctive ways that colonialism impacted the traditions of many tribes, the term two-spirit was created in 1990 at the Indigenous lesbian and gay international gathering and was “specifically chosen to distinguish and distance Native American/First Nations people from non-Native peoples.” As a pan-Indigenous, umbrella concept, two-spirit was meant to embrace the unique and special ways that gender variant people were affirmed within some Indigenous communities.

This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office of Community and Belonging with the Zowie Banteah Cultural Center as part of our commemoration of Indigenous Heritage Month and Trans Awareness Month.