ESU Celebrates Native American Heritage Month with Delaware Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma

Curtis Zunigha

Posted by: Elizabeth Richardson on November 8, 2021, No Comments

East Stroudsburg University announced this year’s Native American Heritage Month keynote speaker will be Mr. Curtis Zunigha, cultural director for the Delaware Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. The program will take place via Zoom on Monday, November 15 at 6 p.m., and is open to the public at no cost.

An enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Zunigha is an acknowledged expert on Delaware/Lenape culture, language, and traditional practices. He has served his tribe over the years in many capacities of governance, program administration, and personnel management. He has served the tribe as Tribal Councilman, Election Board Chairman, Housing Authority Director, and from 1994-1998 as Chief of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. He has over 20 years of experience in tribal government, community development, cultural preservation, and telecommunications.

His multimedia experience includes writing, producing, directing, acting, narrating, and composing/performing traditional music.

Zunigha is an accomplished public speaker, workshop facilitator, and panel moderator. He is known throughout Indian Country as a master of ceremonies at cultural performances and events.

Zunigha has extensive experience working with youth groups such as the Boy Scouts of America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force.

ESU announced a formal partnership with the Delaware Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma in September 2018 (esu.edu/diversity/native-american). Through this partnership, The Delaware Tribe of Oklahoma moved its Eastern Tribal Historic Preservation Office to the campus of ESU. This partnership enables collaboration between the tribe and the University’s students, faculty and staff to work with archeologists, historians and government agencies. It helps others learn from the long and proud legacy of Indian tribes in the region in a way that supports existing programs and will lead to the development of new, interdisciplinary programs. The partnership also provides opportunities for undergraduate research and distance learning as well as the chance to share grant funding and provide student scholarships.

For more information about this event contact Ly Fleming, director of ESU’s Center for Multicultural Affairs and Inclusive Education, at (570) 422-3896 or lfleming@esu.edu.