Dancing highlights cultural day at Arlee School
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ARLEE — Hundreds of years of tradition were the focus of last week’s American Indian Cultural Awareness Day at the Arlee School. Instead of English, math and science classes, students attended workshops on a variety of aspects of Native American culture last Thursday.
“It’s what I can do for our children,” explained Willie Wright, who teaches American Indian history and Salish in the junior high, and is the school district’s Indian curriculum coordinator.
Even in small communities, many people don’t take time to get to know their neighbors or other community members who come from different backgrounds, Wright said, and she feels that the cultural day is a great way to bridge those gaps in understanding.
“(This event is) just creating a greater awareness among our children about the rich cultural heritage of the American Indian,” she said.
The morning was filled with fun activities like playing traditional games, beading bracelets, making dream catchers and learning how to set up a teepee, while a powwow in the gymnasium was the highlight of the afternoon. Rudy King served as master of ceremonies for the powwow, and Blacklake and the newly formed Arlee drum group provided music.
“(The Arlee drum group is) just in their second week of drumming, and they’re doing a fantastic job,” Wright said.
Students were also treated to performances from the St. Ignatius American Indian Dance Troupe, a group of Mission students who demonstrated several types of native dancing. During the powwow, Arlee student Isaac Desjarlais also demonstrated the chicken dance, traditionally done as a prelude to gathering for supper, King said. And of course, all the teachers and students joined in the foot-stomping fun for several intertribal dances.
Wright thanked all the workshop leaders and presenters who helped with the cultural day, and said after three years, the annual event just keeps getting better. She organizes another smaller cultural event in the fall, too.
“In the springtime, the weather is better and it gives me more time to plan K-12 cultural activities,” Wright said.
