Sep 08, 2007 - 04:04:07 CDT
Children in Bismarck learned life lessons from a coyote and rattlesnake.The coyote taught them to be watchful and the rattlesnake taught them to be kind to other people. The animals were part of traditional stories told at the 14th annual youth day at the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow.
"The story is about doing right," said Royal Harwood, a Solheim Elementary School fifth-grader. "Now they're telling how you should never pick on anyone."
He liked the rattlesnake story told by the UTTC student Senate members and said it was cool. It was his first time at a powwow event.
The students, who came from Bismarck and surrounding area schools, also heard a flute player tell about a coyote getting a chicken dinner. Megan Skjonsby, also a Solheim student, liked the flute music.
"It was cool," she said. It doesn't sound like what she hears on the radio, and the sounds the flute made were low, she said.
Her favorite part of the youth day activities was seeing the contestants for Miss Indian Nations. The women competing for this title are Jennifer Eryka Mellette, of Fort Yates; Shere Lynn Wright, of Rosebud, S.D.; Tammara Tammie Rogers, of Crown Point, N.M.; Mary Marie Eagle, of Fort Yates; and Marcilla Cruz, of White River, Ariz.
A new Miss Indian Nations will be announced at 7 tonight at Lone Star Arena. The outgoing Miss Indian Nations is Ponka-We Victors, of Wichita, Kan.
Some dance contestants also performed for the students. Wayne Fox and his three sons did a grass dance and a foot slide, and Fox and one of his sons performed a hoop dance. Between dances, Fox explained parts of his dance attire, and the significance and history of the dances.
"Whether traditional, grass or fancy dancers, we wear headbands with medallions and beads in front of our eyes," Fox said. This part of the dance attire was started when their culture was banned and they could not practice it or share it, he said. The medallion and beads disguised the dancer, he said.
What Fox and the others are telling and showing the students could help the students later in the classroom.
"I hope they learn pieces and parts of the culture," Solheim fifth-grade teacher Michelle Kuhn said. "When we do Native American history, they can tie their experience here to what we learn there (at school)."
The event drew about 1,500 students, teachers and parents. The college sends a letter out to schools to invite them to the event, and more are always welcome, event organizer Julie Cain said.
"It's a great occasion to come out and learn about our culture," she said.
(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)
POSITIVE HAPPENINGS!!! wrote on Sep 8, 2007 9:44 AM:
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