Students learn about Native American culture
Fifth grade students from St. Ignatius participate in “Run & Scream” last Thursday during activities at the People’s Center in Pablo during Native American Awareness week. (Ashley Fox/Lake County Leader)
Patrick Matt, Jr. beats on a drum after showing second grade students from Ronan a tribal dance last week at The People’s Center. (Ashley Fox/Lake County Leader)
Children and adults participated in the Social Pow Wow at Two Eagle River School in Pablo Friday afternoon. The pow wow marked the closing of Native American Awareness Week. (Ashley Fox/Lake County Leader)
Students from around the Flathead Reservation took part in celebrating culture last week in Pablo.
Most school districts attended Native American Awareness Week held at The People’s Center.
The event has been held for the last two decades, according to Marie Torosian, program director for the center.
“It’s three days out of the month that we choose to celebrate the culture and stories and languages of the Salish, Pend d’Oreilles and Kootenai tribes,” she said.
Typically taking place in the middle of September, scheduling conflicts forced organizers to push the three-day program toward the end of the month, Torosian said.Nearly 20 stations were set up where students learned traditional native games and sampled tribal food.
Stations were switched every 20 minutes so students could participate in each activity.
Torosian said that students were also taught pow wow etiquette, which was applied at a social pow wow Friday afternoon, wrapping up the week.
A group of 25 volunteers helped make the itinerary possible, she said, including students from Two Eagle River High School in Pablo.
Native American Awareness Week is funded by the Potlatch Fund grant, which Torosian said also helps fund other activities s at The People’s Center.