BACK TO THE BOOKS 1 BACK TO THE BODY JOIN NOW! GET SEVEN LOCATIONS ONE LOW PEICE! WEST EUGENE COED & WOMENS ONLY 2170W. I Itfi AVE., EUGNE 686-2633 VALLEY RIVER PLAZA FOR WOMEN 1101 VALLEY RIVER OK, NO. I Of, EUGENE 344-4200 SANTA CLARA COED & WOMENS ONLY 2025 RIVER ROAD, EUGENE 461-7834 COTTAGE GROVE FOAWOMEN I n GATEWAY PLATA, COTTAOt GAOVE 942-7427 THURSTON COED 4 WOMENS ONLY 5tJO MAIN ST., SPRINGFIELD 746-3533 EUGENE/FRANKUN BlVD. 1475 FRANKLIN 1LV0. 344-1028 GATEWAY COED i WOMENS ONLY OPEN 24 HRS. 1170 GATEWAY ST, SPRINGFIELD 726-5220 L0,000 Oaily Circulation Pick up an Emerald at 93 campus & community locations. WENDY FULLER/Emerali Native American veterans lead the Grand Entrance during the "Celebrating Traditions”festival. Performing artists, writers keep Native American traditions alive Dianna Rodgers believes a celebration of Native American culture raises awareness By Eric Collins Community Editor “Are you an Indian?” She considers the question care fully before speaking, making sure not to be too blunt, but forceful enough to make the point known. Yes, she is a Native American, a Choctaw. And, yes, Dianna Rodgers’ cul ture still exists in 1997. But on Saturday, the asker, a small, curious girl, probably like many children her age, was un aware that “Indians” still do exist. Rodgers sees this as part of the problem and gatherings such as last weekend’s Native American Arts and Cultures event as part of the solution. Nestled in Alton Baker Park for the fifth year, "Celebrating Tradi tions” is a two-day festival com bining traditional dancing, story telling, music and culture of Native American people who have historically lived across the country. Rodgers, who has served as the coordinator of performing artists for the past three years, considered the event an invitation for all peo ple to share the culture of Native Americans. She said if people have ques tions, they just need to talk to Na tive Americans because so many tribes are traditionally different. "There are 500 different ways of doing things,” Rodgers said. “Let’s just talk.” Esther Stutzman, of the Kala puya nation but raised by a Coos tribe, took questions and answers Saturday about the Kalapuya, a tribe that inhabited land from the Tualatin-Yamhill area of the Willamette Valley southward to Sutherlin. A group called the Kommemma Cultural Protection Association is currently in the process of forming a school cur riculum guide for education about the Kalapuya tribe. “No one knows we are here,” Stutzman said. “They think we’re all gone.” In the performing arena, Rodgers said she tries to accom plish a level of education by look ing for a variety of sources who have an emphasis on teaching children as well as being role mod els. She mentioned author Sidner Larson, a member of the Blackfoot tribe and an English professor at the University, as just one model of success. Performing on Saturday, actor and storyteller Robert Owens, who is of both Lakota and Chero kee descent, mixed a few ancestral back-to-the-studio sale! that’s right...summer’s over... time to set up for a creative season in your studio... - o« lol»4-r I •Oregon /Lf'&jppty 683-2787 720 East 13th Ave. upstairs in the University Center Building 8:30-7:00 Mon-Fri 10:00-5:30 Sat. 12:00-5:30 Sun stories with some modern anec dotes fused with traditional ele ments, explaining that oral tradi tion is about immediate experience and that the new tales give insight into the lives of to day’s Native Americans. Owens, who performed at the WOW Hall Thursday at 7:30 p.m., said he believed many people think Native American story telling is dead. He explained that on the contrary, the stories have simply changed with the times. "Our oral tradition is alive,” Owens said. “We have always changed and grown and adapted; we have to grow, we have to change because the world changes.” With all the talk about cultural awareness, Rodgers said pow wows are also important gathering points. “I come here to hang with Indian people,” Rodgers said. “It is important for us to spend time together.” She said Eugene is not close to any reservations and this some times causes her to lose her con nection with Native American culture—to become an “urban In dian” perse. Dean Middleton, chairperson of the event for the past three years, said next year’s event will move to the Mount Pisgah Arboretum due to conflicts with University foot ball games. No Frills Just Great Bikes & Service! FUJI • MONGOOSE • KHS All your parts & accessory needs available Mountain Blk« Specialists 687-0288 1330 WILLAMETTE