ASU students travel abroad to share their culture

From left to right are Kishan Lara in traditional Hupa dress, Randilynn Boucher in traditional Dakota, Michelle Descheenie in traditional Diné, Juanita White in traditional Hopi, Nikki Borchardt in traditional Ute and Karen Serna in traditional Piipash (Photo courtesy of ASU).

From left to right are Kishan Lara in traditional Hupa dress, Randilynn Boucher in traditional Dakota, Michelle Descheenie in traditional Diné, Juanita White in traditional Hopi, Nikki Borchardt in traditional Ute and Karen Serna in traditional Piipash (Photo courtesy of ASU).

MESA-Some students work during the summer, others take classes or travel abroad to study. This summer, six Arizona State University students traveled to Cyprus (Turkey Republic of Northern Cyprus) May 15-20 to take part in an international multicultural festival at Eastern Mediterranean University.

The students, all women from various Native American communities, participated by demonstrating traditional Native dance, language, storytelling, singing and music. The students had to complete an application to be considered for this special trip because various skills were required to participate in the festival.

"An eclectic mix of students were selected from the 15 applications we received," said Phillip Huebner, director of American Indian Programs at the Polytechnic Campus. "A doctoral student, several who have held Miss Indian Pageant titles and a future lawyer all participated."

Students' backgrounds were quite diverse, with representation from the Navajo, Paiute, Gila River Indian (Pima, Maricopa, Akimel), Isanti Dakota/Diné, Tewa, Hopi, and Hupa/Yurok communities.

Huebner was contacted by Eastern Mediterranean University to help find qualified ASU students to represent the various Native American cultures. From the applications, he selected Juanita White, a junior in psychology at ASU West; Karen-Irene (Kimi) Serna, a senior in the American Indian Studies program, Ki-Shan Lara, a doctoral student in Education; Randilynn Boucher, a senior in American Indian Studies; Nikki Borchardt, a student in the College of Law; and Michelle Descheenie, a student in the American Indian Studies program.

Eastern Mediterranean University paid for the group's expenses.

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