Wampum colloquium

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month events continue Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m., 215 McGraw Hall with a colloquium, "Broken Chains of Custody: Possessing and Dispossessing Wampum," by Margaret Bruchac, assistant professor of anthropology, University of Connecticut. The colloquium and reception that follow are open to the public. Also upcoming: a performance by Native American band Cornbred, Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. at Townhouse Community Center; storytelling with Bruchac and Saanii Atsitty, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. at Akwe:kon; and a Harvest Celebration Dinner, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Risley Dining Hall.

Moira Smiley & VOCO

The Cornell Folk Song Society presents a concert by Moira Smiley and VOCO, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m., Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. The a cappella group is known for its four-part vocal harmony, with cello, accordion, banjo and body percussion, with music from gypsy to rap, medieval to avant-garde, from American, Celtic, Irish Sean Nós, Eastern European and South African traditions. Concert tickets at Ludgate Farms, Ithaca Guitar Works, GreenStar, Autumn Leaves Bookstore, Bound for Glory, and online at http://www.cornellfolksong.org/; ticket prices: 607-279-2027 or website.

The concert is preceded by a vocal workshop in the afternoon; for information, contact Margaret Shepard, e-mail mbs19@cornell.edu.

Fall Tonic

The Hangovers, the a cappella subset of the Glee Club, presents "Fall Tonic XXXI," Nov. 13 at 8 p.m., Bailey Hall. The group performs a wide range of contemporary music, from classic rock to current rhythm and blues at major concerts, local performances and on tour at most Glee Club concerts across the country and abroad. Admission: Advance, $7; at the door, $10. Information: http://www.hangovers.com.

Colombia ambassador

Carolina Barco, Colombia's ambassador to the United States, 2006-10, and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Colombia, 2002-06, will give a talk, "Colombia and the United States: An Important Partnership," Nov. 15 at 4:30 p.m., Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. The talk is part of International Education Week, an annual event initiated in 2000 by the U.S. Departments of State and of Education, which highlights the benefits of international education. Information on this and related events: http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/news/headlines.asp?id=2475.

Rock climbing competition

The second annual rock climbing competition to benefit the 4-H program OURS, for youth residing in or nearby underserved mobile home parks in Freeville, and the Cornell outreach program YOURS, will be Nov. 15, noon-5 p.m., Lindseth Climbing Wall, Bartels Hall.

Open to the public, the competition features rock climbing challenges for five levels from beginner to expert. Registration is $10 for adult climbers, $5 for youth. Information: http://ccetompkins.org/4h/rural-youth-services/dryden-ours .

Plantations lecture

Donald Rakow, director of the Cornell Plantations and associate professor of horticulture, will present a lecture, "Cornell Plantations: A Sense of Place," Nov. 16 at 1 p.m., Boyce Thompson Institute Auditorium. Rakow will talk about public gardens that reflect their locales and local cultures. He will then focus on Cornell Plantations, its 66-year history and the many ways in which it honors its location and Cornell connection.

Rakow is co-author of "Public Garden Management," and directs the Cornell Graduate Program in Public Garden Leadership. He has led numerous study tours to the great gardens of Europe.

Alum talks about life in film

Michael Miller '74 will talk about his career in film and introduce "Raising Arizona," showing Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., Willard Straight Theatre. Miller edited this film, directed by Joel Coen and starring Holly Hunter and Nicholas Cage, as well as Coens' "Miller's Crossing" and Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World."

'Our Town'

Thornton Wilder's "Our Town," directed by Assistant Professor Melanie Dreyer-Lude, with a cast of professional teaching associates and Cornell students, will play at Cornell's Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Nov. 17-20, 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play follows the lives, loves and heartbreaks of turn-of-the-century Grover's Corners, N.H. As characters celebrate community and love, they also deal with the social injustices and hypocrisy of the time period.

As a celebration of the life of the town of Ithaca, campus and community members are invited to share their memories of the play, as well as their family's history from the play's time period, on a special website (see http://www.theatrefilmdance.cornell.edu) and on a banner in the lobby of the Schwartz Center.

Information: http://www.theatrefilmdance.cornell.edu; tickets ($10, students/seniors; $12, general): Box Office in the Schwartz Center, 12:30-4 p.m., weekdays; 607-254-ARTS; or online at http://www.schwartztickets.com.

Sustainability research

The Young Social Scientists' Sustainability Research Forum will be Nov. 17, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 423 ILR Conference Center, showcasing the research programs of younger social science faculty working on energy, environment and economic development issues. The scientists will hold 20-minute presentations on their research programs to stimulate dialogue across campus. No registration needed. Information: http://www.socialsciences.cornell.edu/YSSRF.html.

All about Medicare

Tom Formanek, Social Security Ithaca Office, will talk about social security benefits and Medicare benefits, Nov. 18, noon-1 p.m., G10 Biotechnology Building. Open to faculty and staff. Information: Mary Zielinski, 255-9662, e-mail mfd7@cornell.edu.

Food and fiber fair

The second annual Local Food and Fiber Fair will be held at Mann Library, Nov. 18, with presentations 1-2 p.m.; an open market offering a wide array of fresh, locally produced vegetables, cheeses, honey, wool and other fiber products; and displays featuring Cornell and Ithaca-area programs in support of healthy community nutrition and thriving rural economies, 2:30-6 p.m., lobby. The BBC film "A Farm for the Future" will show 6-7:30 p.m., Room 102. Information: http://www.mannlib.cornell.edu/events-exhibits.

M.H. Abrams lecture

Class of 1916 Professor Emeritus M.H. "Mike" Abrams, now in his 65th year as a Cornell English professor and a renowned figure in American literary culture, will present the lecture "The Fourth Dimension of a Poem," Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m., Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall.

Abrams was the founding editor of "The Norton Anthology of English Literature" and served as its general editor for 40 years. Abrams' publications also include "The Mirror and the Lamp: Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition" (1953). He holds numerous honors and honorary degrees. Information: http://www.arts.cornell.edu/english/news/events/.

Nobel Prize winner lecture

The 2010 Racker Lecture in Biology and Medicine and Cornell Distinguished Lecture in Cell and Molecular Biology present Mario Capecchi, professor at the University of Utah and a Nobel Prize winner in physiology and medicine in 2007, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m., Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall. His talk, "The Making of a Scientist: An Unlikely Journey," is open to the public. Information: http://mbg.cornell.edu.

Active transportation

Innovations in bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, research and advocacy are the focus of a three-day symposium, "Moving Forward," Nov. 18-20, at various locations on campus and in downtown Ithaca. All events are free and open to the public. Campus events include: lectures and panel discussion with national active transportation advocates Nov. 19, noon-2 p.m., 301 Barnes Hall; "Women and Bicycles," Nov. 19, 3:30-5 p.m., 115 W. Sibley Hall. Free and open to the public. Information: http://aap.cornell.edu/events/events_details.cfm?customel_datapageid_2742=423581.