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Noche Dorada Celebrates Indigenous Identity

This year's Noche Dorada was a celebration of America's first inhabitants—“Indigenous Identity in the Americas”. It was an event filled with cultural diversity and expression, delicious Salvadorian cuisine, amazing speakers, and salsa dancing. The event was constructed with the intent to educate the Dartmouth community on the presence of Indigenous people in the Americas. It included two well-known Indigenous scholars, Ruben Reyes and Jorge Estevez, who gave presentations on the early inhabitants of Latin America. These presentations fostered a cross-cultural dialogue on the complex intersections of identity in the Americas, and exposed the audience to the Indigenous people, not only of North America, but also of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. 
While the event was able to draw a lot of parallels from each of these communities, it also brought to surface the distinct differences that exist among Native people. Noche Dorada afforded many opportunities for the community to get actively involved through dance performances by Ballet Folklorico de Dartmouth and the Iñupiat Dance Society. It enhanced cultural awareness and gave Indigenous Dartmouth students an outlet to share their heritage and livelihood. Presenters touched on a number of issues affecting Indigenous communities. This included political instability, cultural restoration, and concerns for the future of Indigenous people. As a historically Latino fraternity, La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. takes pride in formulating this event. It instills in the organization a greater appreciation for the history, cultural development, and ancestry of Latin America. The event, and what we gained from it, strengthens our commitments to serving our respective communities and people. 

- Written by Jason Curley '13


This event received support from the Rockefeller Center Mini-Grants program.