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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2005)
NOTICES Help Needed in Lincoln City Area by Juanita Whitebear The Indian Education Program in Lincoln City has begun a six-week after school program. It will be held on Tues days and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Taft High School. We are looking for volunteers to help students from fifth to 12th grade in math, reading, writing, and science. This pro gram will focus on helping students catch up and giving them extra support in the areas needed to be successful in school. The program also will include culture classes once a month. We also are looking for people to help with a variety of cultural activities, such as art, drumming, storytelling, writing, and beading. Parents must provide their own trans portation until we get on our feet. For more information or if you would Needs List like to help, please contact me at Taft High, 541-996-2115, and I will get back • Volunteer coordinator to help with transportation • Volunteer coordinator to help with getting volunteers to help with cul • tural classes Volunteer coordinator for food setup, i.e., snacks, potluck • Volunteer coordinator for help with child care. Person will be in charge of watching children. He/she will help set up movies and activities; some artwork will be available for younger children. to you. Please leave a message. Thank you. Join New Northwest Indian Storytellers Association A group of Oregon and Washing ton storytellers and cultural advisors are forming the Northwest Indian Sto rytellers Association (NISA). Its pur pose is to encourage, preserve, and strengthen traditional storytelling among tribes in Oregon and Washington. The group is especially reaching out to younger generations who want to apprentice in storytelling. NISA is sponsoring the First An nual Northwest Indian Storytellers Conference and Apprenticeship Work shop on Jan. 5-7, 2006, in Portland, Ore. Events will include a one-day ap prenticeship workshop, one-day story tellers conference, and two public storytelling events hosted by Portland area tribal and educational oiganizations. Events will be held at the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University and other venues. The Mark Spencer Hotel is providing a special $59 rate for lodging on the weekend of Jan. 5-8. This project is sponsored by Wis dom of the Elders, Inc., the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University, and the Mark Spencer Hotel, with funding from the National Endow ment for the Arts, the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, and Umpqua Bank. For more information, contact Elaine Lanegan, (Siletz) Tribal liaison, at liaison@wisdomoftheelders.org or 503-777-7140. National American Indian Heritage Month by Juanita Whitebear, LCSD Indian Education Program, Lincoln City area This history goes way back to 1915. To be given a day for the “significant con tributions the First Americans made to the establishment and growth of the United States” has resulted in November being designated for that purpose. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint resolution designating No vember as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since then. In 1997, the Lincoln County School District Board passed a similar resolution proclaiming November as “Native Ameri can Month.” The Indian Education staff is com mitted to teaching about and supporting students’ and teachers' understanding and appreciation of the history, culture, and contributions of the indigenous people of this land throughout the year. Our pro gram took this month and asked the local community to have Native articles and art work posted throughout the school dis trict in this honor. Today’s Native Americans are among the youngest segments of the population. This new generation of young people can, if empowered with the education, skills, opportunity, and encouragement they need to thrive, lead Indian Country into a future as bright and promising as our strong and extraordinary past. It's my dream to see this happen throughout the whole nation of America - to have every school district pass a simi lar resolution in honor of Native Ameri can people. If we begin to work together here in Oregon, we can make this a real ity. Please contact your local Indian Edu cation Program in your school district and take this to your local school district board. American Indians and Alaska Natives - the first Americans - have made enor mous contributions to the life of our coun try. When the first Europeans arrived on 16 • Siletz News • this continent, they did not find an empty land. They found instead a land of diverse peoples with a rich and complex system of governments, languages, religions, values, and tradition that have shaped and influenced American history and heritage. Generations of American Indians have served and sacrificed to defend our freedom and no segment of our popula tion has sent a larger percentage of its young men and women to serve in our Armed Forces. But Native Americans are not just an important part of our country’s past. They also are a vital part of today's America and will play an even more im portant role in America’s future. November should not be the only month to celebrate and recognize the in tertribal cultures and educate the public about the heritage, history, art, and tradi tions of the indigenous people of this land. But it’s a start. Parents and children enjoy activities at the Native American Student and Community Center at PSU. Join Native Infant-Toddler Playgroup in Portland by Clay Arden, Portland Area Office The Siletz Tribe would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. * ..... December 2005 ..... ■ ............ Every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Native parents and their chil dren gather at the Native American Stu dent and Community Center - Portland State University to explore, play, and de velop the children’s fine motor, language, and social skills. The atmosphere is distinctly Ameri can Indian, stressing exploration and self discovery rather than authoritarian teaching. The day starts and ends with a drumming circle. Being gently guided by a child development specialist, the infants and toddlers then are free to learn through play with their parents in areas that develop skills appropriate to their age. The areas are divided into an infant motor skills “nest,” reading and art ex ploration area, and manipulatives for sort ing and categorizing. Large and gross mo tor skills areas are available, though lim ited because of space and age parameters. This is an exciting undertaking and one that I encourage all tribal members to take advantage of. There is no cost. It’s lead by Suzie Kuerschner, who has 35 years of experience in child development, parenting, and early childhood education. Siletz Tribal members are attending, so this would be a great w ay to meet other Siletz Indian parents with infants and tod dlers within your child’s age range. For more information, contact Suzie at 503-622-1114, Tina Baldomaro at 503-257-5730, or Chuck Hunt at 503-665-5904.
