Ellie Heath,
SKINS President, 308.865.8127
The members of the Student Kouncil of Intertribal Nations (SKINS), a student organization at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, will host a walk in memory of the historic Trail of Tears on Thursday, Nov. 1, at Cottonmill Park.
The Trail of Tears Walk will begin at 5 p.m. and will be guided by Jorge Chavez of Ord, a member of SKINS.
According to SKINS President Ellie Heath of Rushville, the guide will take attendees on a walk through the park. Participation in the walk is free and open to the public.
“Those who attend will have the opportunity to learn and go through a series of obstacles that mirror what Native Americans had to face on the Trail of Tears,” Heath said. “Along the walk, members of SKINS will also tell about the culture and rituals of the tribes that were a part of the Trail of Tears.”
The Trail of Tears is the name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States after the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
“Every November, SKINS, as part of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at UNK, hosts a Native American History Month,” Heath said. “Every year we plan events that can teach the community about the Native American culture. This is the second year that we have planned the Trail of Tears Walk.”
According to Heath, SKINS has planned a series of events for the month of November, including the Trail of Tears Walk, The Native Games and The Truth About Thanksgiving.
“We also plan to make and sell dream catchers at that Faculty/Student/Staff craft fair on Friday, Nov. 18, in the Nebraskan Student Union,” Heath said.
