Asanbe-Eichhorn Symposium to be held at APSU on March 20

By: Joanna "Joey" Grisham February 25, 2025

Attendees at the 2024 Asanbe Symposium, featuring keynote speaker Anna Salton Eisen. | Photo by Madison Casey

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University’s annual Asanbe-Eichhorn Symposium will take place on March 20, 2025. This year’s keynote speaker will be James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, author, digital creator, and descendant of Turtle Mountain.

Vukelich is the author of The Seven Generations and the Seven Grandfather Teachings (Birchbark Books, 2023), a contemporary interpretation of traditional Anishinaabe/Ojibwe wisdom that shares timeless principles for seeking a harmonious path. He will deliver a keynote address titled “The Seven Generations and the Seven Grandfather Teachings” during the symposium at 1 p.m. in the Morgan University Center, room 303-305. A panel discussion will follow at 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Vukelich gained profound insights while engaging in extensive conversations with Indigenous elders and language keepers throughout North America during his work on the Ojibwe Language Dictionary Project. As a dedicated proponent of mino-bimaadiziwin—the Ojibwe philosophy of living a good life—he has spent more than two decades leading community language gatherings, advising organizations on cultural initiatives, and delivering keynote speeches worldwide. His expertise has been highlighted across media platforms, including print, podcasts, radio, and television.

For more information about Vukelich and his work, visit his official website at https://www.jamesvukelich.com/.

The Asanbe-Eichhorn Symposium is sponsored by the APSU Department of Languages and Literature and the APSU Office of Institutional Culture.

For more information, contact Dr. Karen Sorenson, professor of French, at 931-221-6246 or sorensonk@apsu.edu.