October 13, 1999
WI jí lìorUauh (fibitrUfr
Page 5
<^FocusJ>
M O N 1r ini
H E R 1I T Ä G E
A Native American
Education
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS
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•Serve as a site for culturally-
a p p ro p ria te c la sse s, le c tu re s,
workshops and conferences;
•Serve as a catalyst for increas­
ing the num ber, variety and vis­
ibility o f courses addressing N a­
tive A m erican issues at PSU;
In collaboration w ith O regon
tribes, help PSU develop a spe­
cialized curriculum in tribal lead­
ership that will be transm itted to
tribal sites using distance learn­
ing technology.
P R O J E C T D E T A IL
PSU has donated land for the
building site that lies at the south­
ern tip o f the Park Blocks, bor­
dered by In te rsta te 4 0 5 , SW
B ro a d w a y a n d SW J a c k s o n
Streets. The design for the build­
ing was prepared in consultation
with students and PSU ’s N ative
American Com m unity A dvisory,
a group formed to advise PSU on
student retention and student sup­
port services. The design team
includes Don Stastny who led the
design team that created the Mu­
seum at W arm Ssprings, David
Sloan (N avajo) who collaborated
on the design o f the Cultlural Re­
source Center for the National Mu­
seum o f the A m erican Indian at
the Sm ithsonian Institution, and
Brian M cCorm ack (N ez Perce), a
landscape designer. The building
includes the follow ing elem ents:
•Central gathering area for 200-
300 for traditional events and com­
munity functions;
•Gallery/lounge area that will
house art and historical exhibits;
computer facilities, distance learn­
ing capability; and space for study,
research, sem inars, and a library;
Recreation room for com m u­ By Ohiyesa (Charles Alexander
nity and children’s activities;
Eastman)
•Conference room for com m u­
O ur children w ere trained in
nity and children’s activities;
the natural way - they kept in
•Conference room for student close contact w ith the natural
and com m unity use;
world. In this way, they found
■Offices for N ative American themselves and becam e conscious
student groups;
o f their relationship to all o f life.
•Kitchen for preparation o f tra­ The spiritual w orld was real to
ditional meals;
them, and the splendor o f life stood
•Outdoor area with a stone fire out above all else. And beyond
pit in the shape o f a salmon; and all, and in all, was seen to dwell
R ooftop garden and H onor the Great M ystery, unsolved and
Courtyard where new graduate unsolvable, except in those things
names will be engraved.
that it is good for o n e ’s spirit to
FUNDS N E E D E D
know.
C urrently, Portland State U ni­
We taught our children
versity has secured 44% o f the by both exam ple and in­
funds necessary to build the Cen­ struction, but with em pha­
ter. A bout 1.7 m illion remains to sis on exam ple, because
be raised before the Center be­ all learning is a dead lan­
comes a reality. PSU has received guage to one who gets it
$1.3 million toward the project secondhand. Our physical
goal o f 1$3 million.
training was thorough and
There is no facility like this in intelligent, w hile as to the
the six county m etropolitan re­ moral and spiritual side
gion - an area with more than o f our teaching, I am not
15,000 Native American residents afraid to com pare it with
- and none like it in the state. The that o f any race.
N ative A merican Center will be a
We conceived the art
place o f respect, a place o f cul­ o f teaching as, first and
tural identity, and a place o f com­ forem ost, the d e v e lo p ­
mon ground — a new focus and ment o f personality; and
center for Native Americans.
we considered the funda­
Anyone who is interested in m entals o f education to
learning more about the Native be love o f the G reat M ys­
American Center can contact Donna tery, love o f nature, and
Schaeffer, Director o f University love o f people and coun­
Development at 503/725-5034.
try.
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