Hello! My name is Savanna Cunningham! Academically, I am very interested in anthropology, and culture, and how people’s cultural identities shape their understanding of the world. I am also very interested in language, primarily where our words come from and how they form. And also the vast array of sounds and symbols and forms that language can take. Connected in part to this is my love of literature and poetry, I am deeply invested in reading interesting and unexpected uses of language. And how people can bridge the gap between minds and distance and time with words and stories, the way that I can read Frankenstein and feel Mary Shelley through it, converse with her in tandem with her work. Outside of academics I mostly cultivate my relationships, which are very important to me. Connection with those around me, those I love, is one of my favorite things in the world. The other thing most important to me outside of academic life is my spirituality and relationship with nature. I am an intensely spiritual person and connecting to the land, all that lives on it, and the celestial bodies above helps me understand and appreciate the world around me. I was most looking forward to learning in more detail about pre-Columbian native history and modes of remembrance and knowledge transfer. My academic experience learning about the history of native American groups has mostly been not learning about them; or perhaps taking a few moments at the beginning of the US history classes to mention that, yes, people did live here before us. My AP art history class was instrumental in giving me a deeper understanding of native history, religion, and art. It also helped me reframe the length of history and complexity of culture that existed here for millennia before Europeans arrived. Outside of academia I also have a greater knowledge of native American history from historical reenactments that both me and my siblings participated in, which had sections that told the history of native people. These were obviously not perfect, and were deeply flawed, but much of the information taught there was still quite useful. The last experience that I had that taught me about native history outside of school was my eldest sibling, who is autistic and had a special interest of native American history. They would very often tell me about things they had learned, or explain native American methods of beading or other art forms.