Briar Cliff University's Siouxland Indian Child Welfare Traineeship Project will co-sponsor several free public events in March focused on the historical trauma of Indian Boarding School experiences in the Siouxland area.

At 3 p.m., Sunday, March 25, the developers of a portrayal of Indian Boarding School experiences titled "The Great Hurt: a Reader's Theatre" will participate in a roundtable discussion at the Multicultural Fair, Long Lines Center, Tyson Event Center, Sioux City. The discussion will focus on raising awareness of Native American concerns in Siouxland.

Also on March 25, "The Great Hurt: a Reader's Theatre" will be performed at 7 p.m. in the Saint Francis Center, Stark Student Center on the Briar Cliff campus.

On Monday, March 26, at 7 p.m., the drama will take place again in Farber Hall at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. Both performances will feature people from diverse backgrounds, including local community members.

The one-hour drama was first organized by artist and historian Carl Gawboy, a former teacher of Indian studies at the College of Saint Scholastica and the University of Minnesota. Gawboy is a member of the Bois Forte Band Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

On March 26, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., in the Clare Room, Stark Student Center, Briar Cliff, Dr. Suzanne L. Cross will present "Historical Trauma: Experiences of Abuse in Bureau of Indian Affairs Boarding Schools." A member of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan, Cross is associate professor of social work at Michigan State University and a consultant for the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. Following her lecture, she will participate in a lunch discussion with faculty members from the College of Saint Scholastic, Duluth, Minn. Reservations for lunches, which may be purchased for $6 at the Cliff Café, are required by calling (712) 279-5417.

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