TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona will host a special series of sign unveiling ceremonies on Friday, September 4, 2026, honoring the four languages of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT): Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, & Navajo. These ceremonies represent an important milestone in an ongoing campus-wide initiative to elevate the visibility, recognition, and continued presence of Indigenous languages and cultural heritage within the campus community.
The events are organized by the University of Arizona’s Office of Native American Advancement & Tribal Engagement (NAATE) in collaboration with individual academic colleges. Students, faculty, staff, tribal community members, and the general public are invited to attend the progression of ceremonies throughout the day.
The schedule for the Friday ceremonies includes:
- 9:00 AM – Emil W. Haury Anthropology Building (1009 E South Campus Dr): Honoring the CRIT Chemehuevi language. The ceremony features a welcome and land acknowledgment from Levi Esquerra (Special Advisor, NAATE), a prayer by Eloy DeLeon, remarks from Clarissa Robles Parra on behalf of the Office of the Provost, and an address by CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores. Cultural sharing will feature the Salt Song(s) and Red Foot, followed by refreshments.
- 10:30 AM – Environment and Natural Resources 2 (ENR2) Building (1064 E Lowell St): Honoring the CRIT Navajo language. Hosted by Liz Petterson, Associate Director, Arizona Institute for Resilience, alongside CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, and a Navajo language representative featuring a traditional blessing and cultural demonstration.
- 1:00 PM – Forbes Building (1140 E South Campus Dr): Honoring the CRIT Hopi language with remarks from Dr. Edward Martin (Associate Dean, CALES Cooperative Extension), Professor Sheilah Nicholas, and Dean George W. Smith.
- 2:30 PM – College of Education Building (1430 E 2nd St): Honoring the CRIT Mohave language. The concluding sign unveiling of the day will include introductions by students, remarks from CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, and a final cultural demonstration.
The celebration of Indigenous culture continues into the weekend with the Native American Heritage Game on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The Arizona Wildcats will face Northern Arizona at Casino Del Sol Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 6:30 PM MST. Pre-game festivities at Bear Down Field will begin at 3:15 PM with the Bear Down Bash, featuring 18-minute cultural performances from each tribe. A traditional gift presentation will follow during the Wildcat Walk at 4:15 PM, leading up to an on-field tribal recognition ceremony during the second quarter of the football game.
For more operational schedules or to register for the unveiling events, please visit the official University of Arizona Event Page.