VERMILLION - Leonard Bruguier, director of the Institute of American Indian Studies at the University of South Dakota, will present a seminar on Native American history and culture at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Wittenberg, Germany, November 10-13.

Bruguier has been invited to discuss the Native American experience on the Northern Plains to German educators during a seminar at the university's Center of U.S. Studies. The Center, founded on Reformation Day, Oct. 31, 1995, promotes a better understanding of U.S. culture, history, and politics on an academic level. The Center also provides instruction in the newest methodologies in English language studies, especially in the new German states and in Eastern Europe.

"The Center is designed to provide cultural perspectives from the rest of the world," said Bruguier. "The seminar provides an outstanding opportunity to present Native American viewpoints to a European audience and to further expose the University of South Dakota's outreach on a global scale."

While in Germany, Bruguier will provide instruction to English teachers in Native American history and culture, assist in lesson plans and curriculum development, and note available resources from the Internet. He also views the seminar as an opportunity to create a student exchange program between Martin Luther University and USD, and hopefully establish sources for study of the Native American experience in Europe.

"In addition to the European contacts in the New World, there was and is a distinct Indian presence in Europe," Bruguier said. "Beginning with the return voyages of Columbus, Indians went to Europe and started families. Explorers, scientists, and anthropologists came to this hemisphere and took part of our history back with them. There is a great store of knowledge still in Europe, and we can never complete the study of Indian-white history until we recover and examine these components."

Bruguier, who is also a member of the USD history faculty, was named director of the Institute of American Indian Studies in 1990. He received B.A. and MPAd. from USD, and a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University at Stillwater.

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5 November 1998, lrb