---
title: UMD Honors Piscataway Heritage at Yahentamitsi Dining Hall Dedication
date: 2022-11-01T12:50:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/umd-honors-piscataway-heritage-at-yahentamitsi-dining-hall-dedication"
section: Articles
---
# UMD Honors Piscataway Heritage at Yahentamitsi Dining Hall Dedication

*November 1, 2022* — by [Maryland Today Staff](/author/maryland-today-staff)


> Tribal Elders, Campus Community Partnered to Develop Name of New Building

*Yahentamitsi Dedication 11012022 JC 5353 1920x1080 — University President Darryll J. Pines drapes a Maryland scarf on Piscataway Tribal Chairman Francis Gray at today’s dedication ceremony, attended by Jeremy Harley ’23, a member of the tribe. Below, the Piscataway Singers perform the Honoring Song and Unity Song on the Heritage Community Plaza.*

The University of Maryland marked the start of Native American Heritage Month today by dedicating [Yahentamitsi Dining Hall](https://dining.umd.edu/yahentamitsi-virtual-tour), the first building on campus to honor Maryland’s Native American Indian heritage.

Meaning “a place to go to eat,” the dining hall’s name honors the Piscataway People, the ancestral stewards of the land on which the university stands. The name Yahentamitsi translates to “a place to go to eat” from the extinct Algonquian language spoken by the Piscataway and was developed in partnership between UMD students, faculty and staff, including the American Indian Student Union, Piscataway elders and tribal citizens.

“This new landmark on our campus is a continuation of what I believe will be a long and fruitful friendship and collaboration with the Piscataway People, and an important acknowledgement that we are working and learning on sacred land,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “We are thrilled to welcome our campus community to Yahentamitsi.”


*Piscataway Singers perform*




**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)


**Tags:** [Multicultural Community](https://today.umd.edu/topic/multicultural-community)


**Units:** [Dining Services](https://today.umd.edu/topic/dining-services), [Division of Student Affairs](https://today.umd.edu/topic/division-student-affairs)