Neum Native American Student Association travels to Humboldt’s Big Time and Social Gathering

Neum Native American Student Association

Nine members of Fresno State’s Neum Native American Student Association (Neum) traveled nearly 500 miles north this spring to take part in the California Indian Big Time and Social Gathering at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

The university’s Big Time is an annual event that connects Native students, families and community members, providing an opportunity to honor and celebrate Native traditions through song and dance, food, prayer, talking circles, games, arts and crafts.

“Cal Poly Humboldt is the only CSU campus who hosts a Big Time,” said Amber Esquivel, outreach counselor for the Native American Initiative and Neum co-advisor. “Many other CSUs and UCs host a Pow Wow…our long term goal is to transition the Pow Wow at Fresno State into more of a Social Gathering similar to a Big Time.”

Participating in the Big Time at Humboldt allowed for Neum members to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to begin envisioning and building their own Big Time at Fresno State. 

This is the second year that Neum has traveled to Humboldt for the Big Time; four students participated in 2019. Neum’s visit to Humboldt was different this year not just because more students were able to attend, but also because the trip was funded by an Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) grant. 

Offered through Associated Students, Inc. (commonly known as ASI), IRA funds exist to support “out-of-class experiences for students participating in an academic program, discipline, or department where those experiences are integrally related to one of its instructional courses. Such activities are deemed essential for providing a quality educational program and constitute a vital and/or enhanced instructional experience for students.”

Esquivel, who has served as a co-advisor for Neum since 2022, said of her experience with the club, “I enjoy sharing space with students who I’ve known from my field in outreach…We don’t have a center on campus to call our own, but we make up for that with Neum. Students can be in a space with their people, take a load off, and not feel pressure to perform.”

While working toward hosting a Big Time on campus, Neum plans to co-host a private dinner this fall to honor three local Native elders who are the focus of new documentary films, screening their individual documentaries with the purpose of strengthening community bonds through art, shared experiences, and storytelling.

Sign up here to receive more information about this event and other activities hosted by Neum and the Native American Initiative. 

by MARISA MATA

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