Award-winning actor Zahn McClarnon to headline Indigenous Peoples Day events
Award-winning film and television actor Zahn McClarnon will headlineñ’s 2026 Indigenous Peoples Day events. Clint Carroll, faculty director for the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies and associate professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies, will moderate a Monday, Oct. 12, keynote conversation with McClarnon centered on Indigenous storytelling, history and the future beyond.
Zahn McClarnon, ñ's 2026 Indigenous Peoples Day keynote speaker
The keynote conversation and ensuing luncheon will take place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom. In addition to the Oct. 12 event, ñ’s celebration includes a full day of events at multiple sites on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with two panel discussions and a film screening and community conversation.
The events are co-sponsored by the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies and the Office of Leadership Support and Programming.
“As we commemorate ñ’s 150th anniversary, we recognize that the university’s legacy sits within the longer arc of Indigenous presence, perseverance, and excellence,” said Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for leadership support and programming.“This year’s theme aims to simultaneously mark institutional history and affirm Indigenous continuance in body, tradition, art, scholarship and activism. And we are thrilled to have Zahn McClarnon with us to help shine a spotlight on issues of importance to Native and Indigenous communities.”
McClarnon currently stars in and executive produces AMC’s acclaimed series “Dark Winds,” which recently completed production of its fifth season. Based on Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee novels, the series follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest as they investigate a string of seemingly unrelated crimes, confronting outside forces, personal demons and each other along the way. The late Robert Redford, who attended ñ and founded the Sundance Film Festival, also served as an executive producer for the show’s first three seasons.
McClarnon previously gained widespread acclaim for his role as Hanzee Dent on FX’s “Fargo,” his recurring portrayal of Akecheta on HBO’s “Westworld” and as Officer Mathias on “Longmire” (A&E/Netflix). He was a series regular on National Geographic’s “Barkskins” and AMC’s “The Son” and recurred in FX’s “Reservation Dogs.” And his film credits include co-starring in the crime thriller “The Silencing” and appearing in Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “Doctor Sleep.”
The purpose of the luncheon following the conversation with McClarnon is to create space for community dialogue around the keynote and the overarching theme of this year’s events. The meal will include traditional Indigenous menu items inspired by local Indigenous chefs who trained campus catering staff.
The full agenda of events on Oct. 14 includes panels on land back and bison restoration initiatives and a screening of the film "People of the Sacred Land" about Colorado's Indigenous history. Panelists include tribal leaders and academic experts. These events provide participants with the opportunity to honor history and Indigenous wisdom, engage in critical dialogue, and build a collective and culturally sustaining vision at ñ.
Full details on event locations and registration can be found on theIndigenous Peoples Day webpage.
Keynote
- Who:Students, faculty, staff, community members
- What:ñ Indigenous Peoples Day keynote conversation featuring Zahn McClarnon
- When: Monday,Oct. 12, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
- Where:University Memorial Center, Glenn Miller Ballroom
More campus events
Oct. 14:
- “Land Back: Comparative Hemispheric Perspectives”
- Lunch and “Colorado Buffalo Collective: Bison Back, Land Back—Restoring Buffalo, Land, and Relationship”
- “Bison Back: Bringing Our Relatives Home”
- “People of the Sacred Land: Film Screening and Community Conversation”