Dodson Schools finish Native American Week with Pow Wow

Both highlighting and punctuating Native American Week at Dodson last Thursday was a Pow Wow which featured over 20 dancers comprised of current and students and graduates.

During the week long celebration, students in the elementary school participated in many activities including building dream catchers, high school mentors worked with their younger protégés for the first time this year (they beaded headbands) and Tuesday, an activity which was particularly popular with the children was conducted.

"We cut slices of antelope, dehydrated them and made them into Jerky," according to Amber Azure, the school's fifth grade teacher. "Today (Thursday) we ate the jerky and my kids liked it."

"My kid's absolutely loved it," added Charity Hebert, the school's first and second grade teacher.

The week also included a field trip to Aaniiih Nakoda College in Harlem where students participated in the Native American Fun Run. After the run, students were taken to Snake Butte by the Fort Belknap Fish and Game and were shown the buffalo in the area.

"They heard a brief history of when the buffalo first came to Fort Belknap, letting the children know there are currently 580 head of buffalo out there right now," Azure said.

The day concluded with an Aaniiih language preservation teacher who taught students how to say words in the language including "Dodson" and "Coyotes."

"He also had them smudge with sweet grass," said Azure. "It was a full day."

Azure said the students dined on Indian Tacos, with all the fixings, on Thursday afternoon before the Pow Wow started. The high school students participated in the week's events, which included wearing traditional Native American garb and the playing of stick game.

Before the Pow Wow, in which several different dances were performed, Dodson High School graduate Wozek Chandler talked with the students about the different types of dances and all the different regalia.

"The children enjoyed the entire week," Azure said.