Geography Awareness Week: Amplifying Native and Local Voices

WashU Libraries will host a series of events celebrating Geography Awareness Week, November 18–22.

Geography is an age-old field that aims to understand and represent the intersection of land, people, society, culture, and nature. Since the colonization of the Americas, geographic representation has been dominated by the colonizer. Any cartographer knows that maps are curated based on their own agenda and for this reason, geography (as we know it) has failed to represent Indigenous landscapes and concerns. However, a movement has emerged to advocate for Indigenous rights and interests, for the decolonization of place, and for the amplification of Indigenous stories. Efforts such as the Indigenous Mapping Collective, Tribal Marine Stewards Network, and Tribal GIS are some of those advocates. This year, WashU Libraries will focus on stories of researchers and community members who are using the lens of geography to illuminate concepts of place, influence, history, and power.

What is Geography Awareness Week?

It was established in the late 1980s to promote appreciation of the far-reaching influence of the field of geography. In the late 1990s, GIS Day was added to the Wednesday of Geography Awareness Week as a special call out to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS is a powerful technology that allows users to visualize, analyze, and interpret geospatial data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends. From mapping natural resources and managing urban infrastructure to preserving cultural landmarks, GIS helps uncover hidden trends and manage operations effectively across a variety of sectors. By integrating data from various sources, GIS enables more informed decision-making and offers a comprehensive view of complex geographic phenomena.

Geography Awareness Week Highlights

Monday, November 18: Native Space: Mapping, Expulsion, and Confinement in 19th-century North America

Balraj Gill, an Indigenous Studies Postdoctoral Fellow at WashU, will discuss Native relationships with space and place as settlers colonized and transformed Native space during the 19th century in what is called North America. This in-person talk anchors the fall meeting of WashU’s Geospatial Working Group.

Tuesday, November 19: Protecting the Cultural Resources of the Seminole Tribe

Guests from the Seminole Tribe of Florida will discuss their work in helping to protect and preserve cultural resources and tribal lands in the southwest. This presentation will take place on Zoom.

Tuesday, November 19: Faculty Book Talk with Patty Heyda

Professor Patty Heyda from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Heyda will discuss her new book, Radical Atlas of Ferguson, USA. The book delves into the structural contradictions and racial inequalities inherent in market-based planning in the American first-ring suburb, as seen through the lens of Ferguson, Missouri.

Wednesday, November 20: GIS in Indian Country

On GIS day we are honored to welcome Garet Couch, GISP, President of the National Tribal Geographic Information Support Center to WashU. His keynote will describe GIS activities in Indian Country, including defining Indian Country, exploring the geography of federally recognized tribes today, and examining the intersection of geospatial activity in Indian Country from historic to modern times.

Please visit the Geography Awareness Week page for more information and to register. Events are free and open to all.