Earl Arkinson (Chippewa Cree) was raised with the Native American Church his whole life.

“When my mother was carrying me, I consumed the holy sacrament Peyote,” said Arkinson, who will discuss the history of the Native American Church as the guest speaker for the annual Simon Ortiz RED INK Indigenous Speaker Series, happening March 12-13 on the ASU Tempe campus.

With his vast knowledge of Native American religion and culture, Arkinson served three terms as President of the Native American Church of North America.

“I am also a Roadman for our way of life,” he said.

Underscoring Indigenous American experiences and perspectives, the RED INK series, sponsored by the Labriola National American Indian Data Center, a unit of the ASU Library, seeks to create and celebrate knowledge that evolves from an inclusive Indigenous worldview and that is applicable to all walks of life.

The series is led by Henry Quintero, the editor of RED INK and an assistant professor in the Department of English at ASU.

Quintero’s research focuses on Native American Church music, better known as “Peyote music.”

“Peyote music is a philosophical, musical and literary system that dates back older than any of the Abrahamic traditions, and belongs to a larger tradition of indigenous plant medicines that we utilize to navigate the human experience,” says Quintero, who is affiliated with American Indian Studies. “It’s like any other glorious representation of everything in our human experience. It’s a way of understanding interrelations with what’s around us – our earth, our families, other human beings.”

In Peyote ceremonies, the tipi plays a foundational role, from the way it’s constructed to the stories that are embedded and the relationships interwoven.

“Anyone can take a pill, anyone can take a drug,” Quintero says. “When it truly becomes a medicine, from an Indigenous perspective, is when it integrates with your life, beliefs and culture. In this way, the tipi is a kind of ‘cultural container,’ a way of utilizing time, place and space with plant medicines to facilitate the best outcome."

All are welcome inside the tipi, where Arkinson will discuss the history of the Native American Church, from 3 to 4:20 p.m., March 12-13.

In addition to the afternoon talks, all are welcome to enjoy refreshments on Wednesday, March 13 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., in room 117 of Ross-Blakely Hall.