North Idaho College is hosting a variety of events in honor of American Indian Heritage Week April 2-6. For a complete schedule of the week's activities, visit http://www.nic.edu/uploads/americanIndianHeritageWeek.pdf.

MONDAY, APRIL 2

The weeklong series of events kicks off with storytelling from Marie Poirier of the Blackfeet Tribe at 10 a.m. in the Edminster Student Union Building (SUB) Driftwood Bay Room.

A dancing exhibition by the Shooting Star Dancers of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the SUB Plaza.

Later that day, Coeur d'Alene tribal member Quanah Matheson will give a tribal history presentation from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the SUB Driftwood Bay Room.

TUESDAY, APRIL 3

A silent auction will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the SUB Driftwood Bay Room to benefit the Che'nshish Scholarship, a scholarship fund established by the American Indian Student Alliance Club through the NIC Foundation. The auction will feature artists George Flett, Jacque Rickard, Merle Big Bow, Nicole Big Bow, Valentina LaPier, Diane Bebonie, Francis "Chee Chee" Coffey, Carolene Guinn, Jimmy Zahir, Deannette White, Antonia Bancroft and more.

Various art demonstrations will be held in the SUB Lake Coeur d'Alene Room from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., including basket weaving by Walker River Paiute tribal member Jacque Rickard from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., drum making by Chippewa Cree tribal member Merle Big Bow and Laguana Pueblo tribal member Nicole Big Bow from 1-2 p.m., acrylic painting on canvas by Valentina LaPier of the Blackfeet Tribe from 2-3 p.m. and a demonstration of making contemporary handbags from 3-4 p.m. by Navajo tribal member Diane Bebonie.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4

An inter-tribal food feast with salmon, fry bread, corn and a huckleberry dessert will be available for $6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the SUB Windy Bay Lounge.

From 12:30-1:15 p.m., hoop dancers from the Tangled Roots Dance Studio will perform in the SUB Plaza.

From 1:30-2:30 p.m. Coeur d'Alene tribal member Norma Peone will give a stick game demonstration.

THURSDAY, APRIL 5

Mohican tribal member and three-time Grammy winning singer/songwriter Bill Birdsong Miller will speak from 1-2 p.m. in the SUB Coeur d'Alene Room. An accomplished painter as well as musician, Miller has collaborated with Arlo Guthrie, Tori Amos, Eddie Vedder and many others.

Birdsong will also be featured in the Intertribal Show from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $5 and are free for students with a valid student ID. Proceeds benefit the Che'nshish Scholarship at NIC. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the door.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6

From 6:30-9 p.m. in the SUB Lake Coeur d'Alene Room, there will be a free Native American craft workshop for families. The hands-on workshop is free for all ages. Families can learn how to make a dream catcher, choker necklace, pony bead necklace and more.

Navajo tribal member Millie Douglas and Coeur d'Alene tribal member Amanda Johnson will present Coyote's Storytelling with puppets for families at 7 and 8 p.m. The event is free.

The week of events are sponsored by the NIC American Indian Student Alliance and the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort. With the exception of the inter-tribal feast and show, all events are free.