Much preparation required as Arlee schools celebrate culture
Karen Peterson photo
Chris Brown, 11, works on a dream catcher.
Karen Peterson photo
Trace Mesteth, 6, gets dressed for the powwow.
Karen Peterson photo
Laurencia Starblanket, 14, dances in the contemporary jingle style.
Karen Peterson photo
Jerrickson Hosteen shares his basketball skills and a positive message.
Karen Peterson photo
Allen Pierre and Ardon McDonald, 14, present the flag during the grand entry.
Karen Peterson photo
Third-grade students play traditional games during Arlee’s cultural day.
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Trace Mesteth, 6, stood quietly while two adults dressed him from head to toe in traditional fancy dance attire for the Arlee School Powwow in the gym during Thursday’s annual cultural day.
It took his grandfather Allen Pierre hours to create the headdress with porcupine and deer hair that Trace wore, and the feathered bustle. Pierre taught Trace to dance as soon as the kindergartener learned to walk.
“I wanted to share my culture with my grandkids and everybody else’s kids as well,” he said before helping to lead the powwow in his own bear-themed outfit.
Ardon McDonald, 14, presented the American flag during the grand entry with Pierre. Then, he did a solo performance of the prairie chicken dance in dark green beaded regalia.
“I dance to keep our culture alive,” he said. “Without our culture, we are lost.”
During the morning, students in all grade levels attended workshops including identifying native plants, playing traditional games, and making crafts. Funding for the event came from the Indian Education Committee and a Johnson-O’Malley grant.
“I’ve been teaching here for 30 some years, and I don’t recall when this all got started, but it’s something we do to recognize American Indian heritage,” Native American Studies teacher Willie Wright said. “It’s gotten bigger every year.”
The event coincides with spring as a time of growth.
“Everything is blooming and growing, and we are growing in what we know specifically about American Indian Culture so that our culture continues through the generations,” she said.
McKirah Fisher, 11, made a dream catcher in one of the workshops.
“It takes all your bad dreams away,” she said of the hoop she was weaving string around to create a spider web effect.
Chris Brown, 11, enjoyed making dream catchers, although the string failed to cooperate a few times.
“This is cool, but it’s hard to do,” he said.
Junior Bradley Brazill lead a group of third graders in a game where students guessed which hand their partner was hiding a small rock.
“This is like stick game but it’s easier for younger kids,” Bradley said.
Jerrickson Hosteen, otherwise known as J-Stylez from the Navajo Nation, was invited to demonstrated his skills with a basketball and share a positive message during a school-wide assembly.
“Practice makes possible,” he said after spinning two basketballs together with the tip of his finger. “Believe in yourself and surround yourself with positive people.”
After lunch, students attended the powwow that continued until school was let out for the day.
