Teaching tradition

Camp schools teachers on native culture

Nature walks, beginning beadwork instruction, and Salish and Kootenai language lessons were on tap for nearly 50 teachers who participated recently in second annual Flathead Reservation Culture Camp activities.

"The purpose of the camp is to familiarize school teachers with tribal history, tribal government and tribal culture so that it can enhance their teaching practice both in how they teach and what they teach - to give teachers the idea that culture and language affect the way we learn and to give teachers an experience of being a learner in a different cultural setting," explained Julie Cajune, one of the event's organizers.

(Both Cajune and Naida Lefthand organized this year's camp.)

The three-day event, held June 28-30, was open to all Reservation teachers. Teachers who participated received a $100 per day stipend for attending.

"We invited people from every school district," Cajune commented, "and I think we had every school represented."

This year, teachers were split into two groups to allow for more one-on-one interaction with cultural instructors.

Each group of teachers made a trip to the Agnes Vanderburg camp located off of Valley Creek Road southwest of Ravalli.

The Vanderburg camp, established in 1971, is a place where people go to learn language and culture, explained Eneas Vanderburg - son of the camp's founder, Agnes Vanderburg.

"(Teachers) were up there brushing up on their knowledge of Indians," Vanderburg said.

He explained that his mother started the camp to get away from modern technology - power, televisions, radios, lights - to live in a traditional way.

"The language and the culture keeps the Indians strong," he said.

Among many activities designed to promote cultural understanding, teachers constructed traditional game pieces and fish-wares, made traditional foods, tule mats and tipis, learned about drumming, singing and dance regalia, learned to "make fire the old way," took a nature walk and plant identification lesson, listened to elders' stories, received beginning beadwork and daily Salish and Kootenai language instruction.

When demonstrating the "old way" to make a fire - using friction and wood, Leslie Caye commented on the importance of being able to make a fire in the wilderness when necessary.

"Fire is definitely life," he said, "You can't get a 65 percent on this one, you've got to get 100 percent."

The cultural camp event was termed a success by Polson High School science teacher Dan O'Brien.

"I came away from the three days with a much greater appreciation of the various cultural backgrounds and needs of my students," he said, "I am delighted to say that I now

have a great Native American, handmade, fish trap that will be hanging from

the ceiling of my science classroom next fall."

O'Brien commented that he also gained and he emphasized, a "tremendous" amount of

respect for anyone who has mastered even a portion of the Kootenai or

Salish languages.

Paula Schock, a second grade teacher from St. Ignatius Schools, also enjoyed the camp.

"I had a very good time … this was the first time I'd ever been to culture camp," she said, "The Agnes Vanderburg camp is how I started off my three days. It was such a quiet peaceful retreat - no cell phones, no telephones - it was just very, very refreshing."

"It was fabulous," she added, "and just so special to have an opportunity to converse with elders on such a casual intimate level."

Schock described the elders as gentle teachers, like grandparents.

"That's what I liken it to - is working with your grandparents, that kind of nurturing and caring."

Schock commented that she was also very impressed with the fire making lesson given by Leslie Caye and the connection he described between making fire and creating life.

Schock said she hopes that the children she teaches will pick up on her attitude towards Native American culture - her reverence for it and interest in it.

The annual culture camp event has been funded the past two years through a grant from the National Science Foundation at Salish Kootenai College.

The grant monies are designated for "leadership development for master teachers."

Though grant funding runs out this year, Cajune and others are working to secure funds to continue the camp in the future.

"It's the end of our funding and I think it's one of the best things we've ever done," Cajune stated, " They (teachers) get to meet people from the Indian community that they probably never would (otherwise.)"

"I think it makes a difference in how the teachers then see students in their classroom - it personalizes Indian students in the classroom. We're hoping that it will create a greater comfort level and impact how teachers and school staff interact with Indian students and their families."