Spontaneous Beings: The Great Lakes Confederacy, 1805-1814
About the Committee:
The year is 1805, and settler expansion into Native territory is rampant. Tensions between settlers and Native populations run high, and rumours circulate that the tentative peace is soon to be broken. Both sides have a lot to lose if peace is broken. For the Natives, it’s their entire way of life and safety, and for the colonists, it’s their access to new land, resources, and knowledge of local conditions. A confederation in the land known locally as Mishigami is thus formed, comprised of leaders and representatives from affected tribes and their colonial allies. It remains to be seen whether the Native nations will be able to secure a satisfying, lasting peace or if they will once again plunge into tumultuous warfare to stave off expansionary forces. With so much on the line, there is one thing everyone can agree on: the settlers' taking must end one way or another, whether peace is the only way or war is inevitable. Regardless of the decision, diplomacy and collective efforts are key.
A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:
Delegates,
My name is Arya Sharma, and I am one of the co-directors for Spontaneous Beings: The Great Lakes Confederacy! I am a senior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN) under UM’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, hoping to head to medical school. This is my third (and sadly final) year with MUNUM and fourth year doing Model UN at a higher institution, my first year being at MSUMUN. I was a co-director last year for Akbar’s Court and Arrow Wars before that. Beyond MUNUM, I am a part of the Bioethics Society, and I work at the Sweetland Center for Writing and Michigan Medicine as a peer writing consultant and medical assistant. Outside of school, you can find me reading, writing, or drawing! I hope that you are all as excited as I am for this committee, and feel free to reach out with any questions, conference-related or not!
My name is Neha Nair, and I am the other co-director for Spontaneous Beings: The Great Lakes Confederacy! I am a senior, majoring in Public Policy at UofM’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy with minors in Computer Science and Political Science. Following graduation, I will hopefully be attending law school! This is my third year with MUNUM; previously, I was a co-director for Akbar’s Court and a rapporteur for Arrow War. Outside of MUNUM, I compete on and am the Communication Director for the Undergraduate Moot Court Team, work as a Student Assistant for the University’s Office of the Provost, am the Vice President for the Ford Undergraduate Council, and am in a pre-law sorority. I also really enjoy reading, hanging out with my friends, and listening to music! I am so thrilled to meet all of you and make this the best conference ever. If you have any questions or concerns about the conference or otherwise, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you have questions about the committee or otherwise, we are available at aryash@umich.edu and nxnair@umich.edu.
Best,
Arya and Neha, Co-Directors of Spontaneous Beings: The Great Lakes Confederacy