Letter to the Editor - Fort Belknap holding events for Native America Week

Editor,

Native American Week is coming soon — Sept. 24–28. The local schools of Hays-Lodge Pole, Dodson and Harlem are working together to create an amazing week of activities that has never been done before. Our Native culture and heritage is strong, and it will be celebrated in this multi-school event that will involve over 1,000 students, dozens of speakers and 100 staff. Here are some of the activities:

• Buffalo Hunt that includes a pipe ceremony, demonstration of dressing and skinning, uses of various parts of the buffalo, quartering and processing,

• Preparing traditional foods including cutting dry meat, making pemmican, and grinding cherries,

• Pow-wow Day that includes grand entry, drum groups and dancing competitions in several categories,

• Educational sessions that include Gender Roles, Healthy Relationships/ Etiquette, History, Government, Storytelling, Smudging, Sweat Lodge and a Traditional Arts Showcase,

• Games and activities including stick game, double ball, shinny, lacrosse, teepee races, braiding sweetgrass, and traditional dancing.

These hands-on learning activities will replace regular classroom learning Monday–Thursday, Sept. 24–27. There will be no school during Native American Day Sept. 28. No other students in the country will experience anything like this. This is truly a unique Fort Belknap Experience.

Sincerely,

John E. Bach Jr., Superintendent

Hays-Lodge Pole Public School District #50

Gary Weitz, Superintendent

Dodson Public Schools

Doreen Warren, Superintendent

Harlem Public Schools