By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer The Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) hosted a Taste of Culture event Nov. 13, a continuation of the Taste of Culture series celebrating culture through cuisine and engagement. Held in the CIE, the event started with a few words from Director Jerome Burke. He welcomed guests and introduced the event and the Taste of Culture series. “We really wanted to use it as an opportunity to highlight food. Food is a way to connect people. Just think about most of the social events that you enjoy - there’s always food at the center,” he said. He added alongside food, the conversations people have and lessons they learn in those social spaces are what they wanted to facilitate with these Taste of Culture programs. “The truth is, we are on tribal land. I know our president has been really committed to building a greater relationship with our tribal community. There have been a number of initiatives that we are very excited to do,” he added. Burke continued to describe the land acknowledgement mural recently installed in the Henry Whittemore Library. He said, “[The mural] came from a project that our own FSU students were able to work alongside members of the Nipmuc Tribe in terms of developing that mural.” Burke then invited Shani Turner, the medicine woman of the native Nipmuc Tribe, who introduced herself and Nitana Hicks Greendeer to say a prayer. “I am an employee of the National Wampanoag Tribe. I am a representative of this area, the Natick area, the Framingham area. This is native land. We are known as the freshwater people,” Turner said. Turner introduced Nitana Hicks Greendeer, who continued with a prayer before the food was served. After the prayer, Nitana Hicks Greendeer briefly thanked the Nipmuc community, Framingham State, and the members of the community who provided the food for the event. Burke presented Cameron Greendeer, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Nitana Hicks Greendeer’s husband to perform a song and drum solo. “I had the privilege of meeting him at the unveiling of our land acknowledgement mural in September,” Burke said. Cameron Greendeer said, “This month, November, is Native American Heritage Month, and I do a lot of these talks all through this month, and I always tell everyone this month is not meant for me or my family or any of our native people. “It’s really meant for you guys to get a chance to learn who we are and to learn that there’s over 570-plus nations across the United States, plus even more - that’s only federally recognized tribes,” he added. He explained there are many differences between tribal nations - they have different beliefs and cultures, though their connection to the water and land of each region is similar. His parting words were a description of the song he would sing, which he said is “traditionally known through Ho-Chunk country as a thank-you song for when you get fed.” He played the song accompanied by his hand drum, a smaller version of what would be used in a powwow. “I think it works out for Native people that we see ourselves in the schools and also as teachers in these schools,” he said. “This is a step in the right direction for Framingham State University, giving us recognition of Native people being on this land and in the community. “Just having a month is great, but I think it needs to be even more celebrated in the curriculum, and also having people like us in these buildings and institutions,” he added. Turner had a table set up with different tribal wares, including handcrafted paddles, furs, turtle shell adornments that are part of regalia used while dancing, and a turtle shell bag with a pouch sewn inside. “We want to make sure you have that connection toward your education. You have Nipmuc people here. You have different types of people here,” she said. “It’s not just Nipmuc people - there could be a friend or a neighbor that you never knew is connected within this University. “We want to make sure that our history remains in this area,” she added.