Post by Okwes on Jan 26, 2006 14:23:26 GMT -5
Workshop hopes to rebuild Indian tribal culture
By SAMUEL R. IRWIN
Published: Jan 22, 2006
www.2theadvocate.com/news/2213876.html
Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling
Odis Sanders of Baton Rouge, who served in the U.S. Army during the
Korean War, demonstrates the Gourd Dance on Saturday at the American
Indian Heritage Workshop. The Gourd Dance is performed by Native
Americans who served in the armed forces or by approved relatives of
those armed forces members, Sanders said.
BATON ROUGE — How do you rebuild a nearly defunct culture?
Child by child, family by family and tribe by tribe, said Pat
Arnould, executive director of the Governor's Office of Indian
Affairs.
"Our culture has to be rebuilt," Arnould said. "You do that by
sharing with our children and others the way we did things. It's
interesting. Every tribe did things differently."
Arnould was speaking Saturday morning at City Park during an
educational workshop sponsored by the Louisiana Indian Education
Association.
The workshop, designed for all school-age children, Indian and non-
Indian alike, their families and any interested adults, offered
feather fan and dreamcatcher building activities for the participants.
More than 40 children and adults attended the event.
"We want to tell everyone that we're still alive, still thriving.
We're not all under the mounds," Arnould quipped. Arnould is a member
of the United Houma Nation.
Five more workshops are planned for the city. The final meeting will
allow attendees to apply what they have learned about Native American
culture, including drumming, ornamental regalia, tribal dancing, and
tribal etiquette at a powwow in July.
In addition to promoting Indian culture in Baton Rouge, Arnould said
the workshops are helping the association identify Indian children in
the parish public schools. The ultimate goal is to obtain federal
grant money for an East Baton Rouge Parish Indian Education program.
Arnould said she estimates as many as 150 school children in parish
schools are of native American heritage. She said 11 Louisiana
parishes already have established Indian education programs.
Arnould's grandson, Clayton Arnould, 7, of Prairieville meticulously
glued feathers into a leather handle and grinned. His two front baby
teeth conspicuously were absent. His sister, Sydnie, 5, also
participated in the craft activity.
Patrick Arnould, the children's father, said his personal awareness
of his cultural heritage increased 10 years ago when his mother
became involved in the state Indian Affairs Office. He wanted his
children to have a head start knowing about their culture.
"I'm trying to bring our heritage into my kids' life now and get the
awareness out to them," Patrick said. "It's something they're already
familiar with."
Pat Arnould added that the Houmas are the largest group in the state
with a tribal membership of more than 16,000.
Odis Sanders, 73, a retired policeman, represented the Choctaw Apache
of North Louisiana at Saturday's gathering.
"The heritage in my family was preserved by chance," Sanders
said. "My father was Caddo and my mother, Choctaw. My mother told us
we were Indians, but all of the things identifying us as Indian were
kept out of sight."
Sanders has been active in promoting Indian culture and heritage
since the 1970s.
Barbara Dinger and daughter-in-law, Olivia Dinger, represented the
Cherokee tribe. Olivia brought her 5-year-old daughter, Josie, to the
workshop.
Josie proclaimed her own tribal affiliation.
"I'm a Houma," Josie said. Does she know much about the Houma
tribe? "You'll have to ask my mom," she demurred.
Olivia said Josie's father is a "citizen of the Houma Nation."
Barbara said her father was very much aware of his Indian heritage,
but not encouraged.
"It wasn't something that was talked about," Barbara said. "It was
hidden, it just wasn't talked about. But a lot of things have changed
and we have come a long way in making this obvious."
Arnould said there are 11 government-recognized Indian tribes in the
state.
The Jena Band of Choctaws, Tunica Biloxi, Chitimacha, and Coushatta
groups are documented by the federal government, she said.
The Clifton Choctaw, Four Winds Tribe Cherokee Confederation, Choctaw
Apache, Adai Caddo, Biloxi Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee,
Point au Chien and the United Houma Nation have official state
sanction, Arnould said.
For more information on the workshops, call Pat Arnould at (225) 219-
7556 or visit www.indianaffairs.com.
By SAMUEL R. IRWIN
Published: Jan 22, 2006
www.2theadvocate.com/news/2213876.html
Advocate staff photo by Travis Spradling
Odis Sanders of Baton Rouge, who served in the U.S. Army during the
Korean War, demonstrates the Gourd Dance on Saturday at the American
Indian Heritage Workshop. The Gourd Dance is performed by Native
Americans who served in the armed forces or by approved relatives of
those armed forces members, Sanders said.
BATON ROUGE — How do you rebuild a nearly defunct culture?
Child by child, family by family and tribe by tribe, said Pat
Arnould, executive director of the Governor's Office of Indian
Affairs.
"Our culture has to be rebuilt," Arnould said. "You do that by
sharing with our children and others the way we did things. It's
interesting. Every tribe did things differently."
Arnould was speaking Saturday morning at City Park during an
educational workshop sponsored by the Louisiana Indian Education
Association.
The workshop, designed for all school-age children, Indian and non-
Indian alike, their families and any interested adults, offered
feather fan and dreamcatcher building activities for the participants.
More than 40 children and adults attended the event.
"We want to tell everyone that we're still alive, still thriving.
We're not all under the mounds," Arnould quipped. Arnould is a member
of the United Houma Nation.
Five more workshops are planned for the city. The final meeting will
allow attendees to apply what they have learned about Native American
culture, including drumming, ornamental regalia, tribal dancing, and
tribal etiquette at a powwow in July.
In addition to promoting Indian culture in Baton Rouge, Arnould said
the workshops are helping the association identify Indian children in
the parish public schools. The ultimate goal is to obtain federal
grant money for an East Baton Rouge Parish Indian Education program.
Arnould said she estimates as many as 150 school children in parish
schools are of native American heritage. She said 11 Louisiana
parishes already have established Indian education programs.
Arnould's grandson, Clayton Arnould, 7, of Prairieville meticulously
glued feathers into a leather handle and grinned. His two front baby
teeth conspicuously were absent. His sister, Sydnie, 5, also
participated in the craft activity.
Patrick Arnould, the children's father, said his personal awareness
of his cultural heritage increased 10 years ago when his mother
became involved in the state Indian Affairs Office. He wanted his
children to have a head start knowing about their culture.
"I'm trying to bring our heritage into my kids' life now and get the
awareness out to them," Patrick said. "It's something they're already
familiar with."
Pat Arnould added that the Houmas are the largest group in the state
with a tribal membership of more than 16,000.
Odis Sanders, 73, a retired policeman, represented the Choctaw Apache
of North Louisiana at Saturday's gathering.
"The heritage in my family was preserved by chance," Sanders
said. "My father was Caddo and my mother, Choctaw. My mother told us
we were Indians, but all of the things identifying us as Indian were
kept out of sight."
Sanders has been active in promoting Indian culture and heritage
since the 1970s.
Barbara Dinger and daughter-in-law, Olivia Dinger, represented the
Cherokee tribe. Olivia brought her 5-year-old daughter, Josie, to the
workshop.
Josie proclaimed her own tribal affiliation.
"I'm a Houma," Josie said. Does she know much about the Houma
tribe? "You'll have to ask my mom," she demurred.
Olivia said Josie's father is a "citizen of the Houma Nation."
Barbara said her father was very much aware of his Indian heritage,
but not encouraged.
"It wasn't something that was talked about," Barbara said. "It was
hidden, it just wasn't talked about. But a lot of things have changed
and we have come a long way in making this obvious."
Arnould said there are 11 government-recognized Indian tribes in the
state.
The Jena Band of Choctaws, Tunica Biloxi, Chitimacha, and Coushatta
groups are documented by the federal government, she said.
The Clifton Choctaw, Four Winds Tribe Cherokee Confederation, Choctaw
Apache, Adai Caddo, Biloxi Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee,
Point au Chien and the United Houma Nation have official state
sanction, Arnould said.
For more information on the workshops, call Pat Arnould at (225) 219-
7556 or visit www.indianaffairs.com.