The University of Montana has been celebrating American Indian Heritage Day since Wednesday, and although the official day of recognition is Friday, Michelle Guzman said the three-day celebration began with “Rock Your Mocs” Day.

"You'll see students wear their moccasins. Moccasins are really unique in the way that one, you know, people make their own moccasins. You can tell a lot about a person by their moccasins," Guzman said. "You can tell what tribe they are, or they have family designs on them, or something they have that's significant to them on their moccasins themselves."

Friday’s activites, Guzman said, start early in the morning and continue throughout the day.

"We start at 7 a.m. with the Sunrise Ceremony. It's just a prayer. We may have a story teller," Guzman said. "At about 8:30 a.m. or so, we'll get the tee-pee all set up, which could take a little bit of time. Then at noon, the president will do the proclamation."

The Heritage Day proclamation is followed by Native American traditional games on the Oval, led by UM Native American Studies Chair Wade Davies and continuing with the last event of the day: Stargazing in the Payne Center Stargazing Room and planetarium at 2 p.m.

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