External Event: American Indian Sovereignty, Law, Writing, and Self-Determination: A Northeastern University Colloquium
American Indian Sovereignty, Law, Writing, and Self-Determination: A Northeastern University Colloquium
Thursday, April 9, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT
350 Snell Library, Boston Campus and Virtual
A one-day hybrid event, consisting of two panels on American Indian law, writing, sovereignty and self-determination.
The first colloquium panel will include three speakers from the Wampanoag communities at Mashpee and Aquinnah, Massachusetts. Wampanoag panelists will speak to law, writing, sovereignty and self-determination in the context of Wampanoag language, storytelling, culture and history.
The second panel will be dedicated to discussions and interpretations of literary works, archival documents and legal philosophical texts in the context of federal Indian law. Presenters for this panel include faculty from Northeastern University and Boston area universities.
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Panelists include:
- Getty L. Lustila, Assistant Teaching Professor of Philosophy and Religion and Associate Director of the Humanities Center, Northeastern University; enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Elizabeth Maddock Dillon, Distinguished Professor of English, Northeastern University
- Linda Coombs, member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe
- Amira Madison, enrolled citizen of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah; Councilwoman on Tribal Council
- Camille Madison, citizen of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
- Alan Niles, Lecturer on English at Harvard University
- David Weeden, enrolled member/citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
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Morning Session
9:00 – 9:30 am: Meet and greet (coffee, tea and light snacks)
9:45 am: Welcome and Opening Remarks
10:00 – 11:45 am: Panel Beshig (One): Wampanoag History, Culture, Language and Storytelling
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Afternoon Session
12:00 – 1:00 pm: Lunch break with short presentations by Native American Literature, English 2490 Students
1:30 – 3:15 pm: Panel Niizh (Two): American Indian Law, Literature and the Indigenous Archive
3:30 – 4:00 pm: Open discussion
4:15 – 4:30 pm: Closing Remarks