While the Torres Martinez Cahuilla Bird Singers played their first song as a part of the Native American Heritage Month Celebration on Wednesday afternoon at Hahn Plaza, three dancers performed traditional moves in front of six musicians.

By the time the fifth song began, around 30 attendees joined the dancing, which was one of the main facets of the second annual event that brought over 100 people together in front of Tommy Trojan.

“Indigenous history and culture is not talked about a lot or expressed a lot, and a lot of people that I talked to didn’t even know that it was Native American Heritage Month,” said Zidane Zamorano, the Native American Student Assembly’s advocacy liaison and a junior majoring in health and human sciences. “Events like this are really good for exposure [for Native American culture].”

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Before the performers took the stage, a group of USC administrators and Native American students gave speeches to the crowd. Dineh Barragan, the director of advocacy for NASA and a sophomore majoring in environmental science, delivered a land acknowledgment. 

“The land also symbolizes the trauma and removal of my people,” Barragan said. “We as a University must increase the representation and visibility of Native students at USC. Despite being less than 1% of USC’s student body, our strong Native student body is the future.”

Dylan Goodwill, a senior assistant director of admissions at USC, said she is proud of the eight NASA seniors who are prepared to graduate in the spring.

“There is so much trauma and lots of layers when it comes to identity,” Goodwill said. “That does not mean you are less Indigenous. It means that in a colonized situation, we are not going to be seen, but we are here, and we are very proud to be here.”

Cat Broderick, a member of NASA and a senior majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing, recalled the creation of the Native American and Pasifika Lounge during her freshman year, the first Native American Heritage Month Celebration last year, and the renaming of the Center for International and Public Affairs to the Crow Center for International and Public Affairs in 2022 as progress for Native American voices on campus.

“In these three years, the Indigenous presence on campus has not only grown in numbers but fought to accomplish more than those eight little freshmen could have imagined,” Broderick said. “But when I reflect on what I am most grateful for, I think of all the laughter, support and love we have grown between us.”

The bird songs were performed using gourd rattles and repeating lyrics that emphasize the meaning of the song, Derek Duro, a member of the band, said.

“The songs that we sing are our oral history. Everything that we did was in song, and there’s no written language,” Duro said. “The songs are the links.”

Duro said he learned the songs from an elder and that the songs must be performed by those who live the lifestyle of the songs. When the band performed at Coachella in 2024, Duro declined to appear due to not wanting to mix the party nature of Coachella with the traditions of the songs, he told the Joshua Tree Voice.

“One of the biggest problems nowadays is a lot of youth are just going to powwows and fiestas, they’ll record the song and then they’ll go from there,” Duro said. “It’s somewhat meaningless.”

Amia Roach-Valandra, the director of cultural and community outreach for NASA and a senior majoring in health and human sciences, said she thinks the event is an important way to gain exposure for Native Americans on campus.

“A lot of people don’t recognize that Native people are still here,” Roach-Valandra said. “They think we’re in the past. When we host events like this, it brings that awareness that we’re still here presently.”

Arianna Carlos, a senior majoring in law, history and culture who is partially Laguna-Pueblo and Jopi Native American, said events like the celebration helped her find community with other Native Americans after moving from New Mexico.

“I was really excited [to be involved in NASA] because they actually had a space where I could connect with people who have a similar background to me,” Carlos said. “Events like this are important to bring the community together.”

Caroline Bhalla, a member of the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission and a doctoral candidate in educational leadership, said she hopes for the continued recognition of Native Americans beyond Native American Heritage Month.

“Representation is key to dismantling the harms done to Native peoples and to creating a more inclusive environment for everyone,” Bhalla said. “As we reflect on the resilience and strength of Native American communities, let’s commit to fostering understanding, respect and solidarity every day of the year, not just in November.”