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News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Gathering highlights aspects of Native American culture for LR students
Deer meat is smoked near the concession stand as hungry students watch. The smoked deer meat stand was operated by Richie Gorr and Kerry Green. Gorr provided the deer meat for the event. - Jacob Wagner photos
LR students participate in a powwow of traditional Native American dancing and drumming on the football field.
Lake Roosevelt Schools held a" Cultural Awareness Gathering" Sept. 26, the day before Native American Day, on their sunny football field in Coulee Dam.
"The goal of Cultural Awareness Gathering is to increase the knowledge of American Indian Culture, showcase our traditions and build relationships outside the classroom," said LR Indian Education Director Kim Stanger.
"The event provides several opportunities for us to display traditions for the American Indian Culture, engage in socializing beyond the classroom, and showcase the talents of students in a nontraditional setting. It encourages nonnative students and teachers to celebrate in the American Indian Culture."
Stanger said enrolled Native Americans or their descendents comprise about 60 percent of the student body at LR.
"Within the 20 years since I have been here, we have had 57 different tribes represented in our district," she said.
Activities at the event, Stanger explained, included:
• Nxa?amxcin" prayer led by our junior and senior language classes;
• a deer drying station with information on traditional ways of hunting and drying deer meat;
• soap carving, with examples provided of carving techniques used by different tribes for art, tools, and trading;
• a traditional stick game - a gambling game historically used to trade valuables, determine if tribes went to war, and to socialize; and
• a presentation on horse relay races - student racers shared their history and personal experiences with relay racing.
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