BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University Athletics will celebrate Native America Heritage Month this week with several events centered around Thursday's women's basketball game vs. Biola in Carver Gym.
 
The nationally-ranked Vikings host Biola on Thursday with tip-off scheduled for 7 pm on WECU Court, with both pregame and halftime programming planned in partnership with the Lummi Nation.
 
The festivities begin Tuesday night with a student-athlete educational opportunity with Lummi Indian Business Council Vice Chairman TJ Adams hosting an event at 6:30 pm in Miller Hall 138. The Land Acknowledgement event will show a short video and host a Q&A session with Adams with an educational opportunity to learn more about the history of the Lhaq'temish People and the Lummi Nation. The video was produced by Children of the Setting Sun Productions.
 
Thursday's basketball game will feature more events to bring the WWU campus community together while celebrating Native America Heritage Month.
 
The Native American Student Union (NASU) will host a pregame event from 5-6:30 pm in the Miller Hall Collaborative Space with bingo and light refreshments. The NASU will also be tabling in the Carver Gym lobby at the basketball game to raise awareness to their club activities on campus.
 
Prior to tip-off, WWU anthropology student Raven Borsey will join the Lummi Nation Blackhawk Singers for an honor song.
 
Washington State Representative Debra Lekanoff (40th District) will serve as the Vikings honorary coach and Adams will be the guest public address announcer.
 
At halftime the Lummi Nation North Dubs girls basketball team will play an eight-minute game.
 
Following the game, members of the WWU Women's Basketball team will be available on the court for autographs and pictures.
 
A limited amount of free tickets for the event are still available to the Lummi Nation community by contacting WWU Director of Student Resilience and WWU Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Designee Dr. Brandon Joseph (brandon.joseph@wwu.edu).