Diversity defined
Cherry Valley and Linderman Elementary students watch the musical group Tribal Waves perform as part of SKC's diversity fair. The fair was part of a week of activities designed to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
PABLO — A diversity fair and a presentation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Social Service Award highlighted Salish Kootenai College’s week-long celebration of Dr. King’s life. Coinciding with his birthday last Friday and the holiday on Monday, the free festivities focused on King’s vision and accomplishments with different events that celebrated cultural differences and diversity, as well as the use of non-violent protest.
The activities began last Tuesday with an opening message from college president Joe McDonald and an opening honor drum. Wednesday featured a rendition of King’s “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” speech by Ken Camel. SKC’s annual diversity fair took place Thursday, in addition to a nighttime awards ceremony and concert.
Thursday’s diversity fair opened with a prayer by Virgil Braverock and a musical performance by the Polynesian music team Tribal Waves, as hundreds of students from Cherry Valley and Linderman schools looked on.
Sika Ulutoa, leader of Tribal Waves, taught the children how to say hello in different Polynesian languages, and the musical troupe played a variety of songs and performed dances from different Pacific islands. Ulutoa said the group is trying to integrate Native American culture into their performances as well. The delighted children chanted and clapped in time during the performance that showcased cultures many had never been exposed to before.
After the musical performance, students visited different tables that featured hands-on activities. The children made God’s eyes, tried their hand at beading, learned about China, drew pictures and listened to Gail Burghardt’s third grade class recite King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” and other civil rights related documents and speeches.
After the fair and later Thursday night, community members gathered for the presentation of the MLK Jr. Social Service Award and a free concert.
Presented to a member of the area who fights for social justice and non-violent ways of protest, SKC’s MLK committee gave the award to Thomas “Bearhead” Swaney, a longtime community member who died of cancer in May 2009. Swaney was Tribal Council chairman for a time, and helped pave the way for the creation of SKC.
Doug Ruhmann, a professor at SKC and a member of the King week committee, said that for the first time, the award was given to someone posthumously. He said Swaney was an important figure in the community and that his “peace garden” on Post Creek Hill, which features crosses dedicated to dead American service people in Iraq was his way of protesting the United States involvement in the Iraq war.
Swaney’s cousin and SKC president Joe McDonald spoke next about growing up with Bearhead. He told the story of Swaney’s nickname, and how he returned from the Air Force with a shaved crew cut, a look someone said reminded them of a bear’s head. The nickname stuck, and he was Bearhead from then on.
“He fought in the Korean War even though he hated war,” McDonald said. “He was a man of contradiction.”
McDonald added that Bearhead “had a big growl,” but “a heart as big as he was.”
Bearhead’s four children, Kim, Ruth, Bill and Patty Stevens were in attendance, as were many grandchildren. His children accepted the award on his behalf, and each spoke a few words about their father.
“He didn’t seek fame or glory, but he stood up for what he believed in,” daughter Ruth said.