4 AUGUST 15, 2011
Smoke Signals
Tribal youth chooses a canoe for school project
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Photos courtesy of David Lewis
Tribal member Saghaley Ltwls, 10, whtals tha canoa ha madt around Swagla
Elamantary in Salam at tha and of last school yaar. Whan his fourth-grada
class was making modals of Oragon Trail-typa wagons, ha was ancouragad by
his f athar, Tribal mambar and Cultural Rasourcas Dapartmant Manager David
Lawis, to make a canoa instead. Making a canoe was mora appropriate for
Saghaley's Native American culture, his father said.
Saghaley Lewis' project
expands knowledge of
Oregon's Native Americans
in fourth grade
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Tribal member David Lewis's
interest in and excitement about
Tribal culture has been passed
down to his 10-year-old son, Sa
ghaley, who just finished fourth
grade and also is a member of the
Tribe.
You might call it historical suc
cess, the flip side of historical
trauma.
When the boy's fourth-grade class
at Swegle Elementary in Salem was
making models of Oregon Trail
type wagons, "We encouraged him
to make a canoe instead," said Lew
is, who is manager of the Tribe's
Cultural Resources Department.
Saghaley liked the idea right
away.
This story played out just as the
Willamette Heritage Center at the
Mill canoe exhibit was ending its
run in May.
"He looked at the exhibit as a way
to learn more about the canoes,"
David said. "He took some pictures
and then we created a small canoe
for him and he painted it.
"At first, his teacher said, 'We
don't want him to look different,'
but we said, This is inappropriate
for him as an Indian. Why not do
something more appropriate for his
culture?'
"He's presenting a different story
of history and culture to his class.
Everybody's of one mind with
pioneers and wagons; Natives used
canoes. Why can't we (as Natives)
feature that history? In public edu
cation today, there is not enough
emphasis on Native culture."
As a child, Lewis also attended
Swegle Elementary, and noted,
"Education about Oregon Indians
was nonexistent in my educational
experience. What I did get was the
history of Native people who helped
with western expansion, like Sa
cagawea, who served as a guide and
translator for the Lewis and Clark
expedition."
"So, for Oregon, for education
over the past 30 years, not much
has changed.
Tribal member Saghaley Lewis, 10,
shows off the canoe he made for
a class project last school year at
Swegle Elementary in Salem.
"It's an issue of historical, cul
tural competency for the school
district itself."
Toward the end of the school year,
when the day came for students to
wheel around their covered wagons,
Saghaley wheeled the canoe around
the school.
"Saghaley's project did stand
out," said Lewis, "and he was asked
many questions by other students.
We hope this opened up some pos
sibilities for the students that they
will explore later in their lives."
Today, the canoe sits in the Lewis
living room.
"We're very proud of being a part
of it," Lewis said. 'There is only a
small window in fourth grade for
education about Tribal history,
and we need to continue to push
for culturally diverse and relevant
education for all students." D
is$1
or can of food
POWWOW continued
from front page
(Tsuu T'ina). Head judge will be
Lara Ike (YakamaRock Creek
Wasco) and Freddie Ike Jr. (Yaka
maRock Creek Wasco) will be the
arena director.
There will be parking available
at the Uyxat Powwow Grounds for
a $1 or a donation of a can a food,
and there will be a shuttle running
from Spirit Mountain Casino to the
powwow grounds. There will be free
camping available at the powwow
grounds.
Also, pets are not allowed inside
the powwow arena. El
ire you or
is someone you love
at risk o suidde?
SUICIDE
PREVENTION
1-800-273-TALK
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
et the facts and tube
appropriate action.
(2D
II
QQ
503-879-5211
School supply gift cards available
School supply gift cards will be available from the Tribe's Youth
Education Department for Tribal youth in grades kindergarten
through 12th grade from Monday, Aug. 15, through Friday, Aug. 26,
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Parents must provide either the youth's Tribal ID card or CIB. The
gift cards cannot be mailed out. Tribal members who live out of the
area may have a family member sign for a gift card with a permis
sion note and the youth's proof of Tribal enrollment.
For more information, contact Toni Mercier at 503-879-2101 or
toni.merciergrandronde.org. D
:
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care provider and ;
j making a
difference in the
: life of a child?
; . If so please contact Amanda Mercier,
, ICW Foster Care Recruitment Specialist,
'y: at 503-879-2039 1-800-242-8196 or e-mail
" amandamerdergrandronde.org for more information
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