Take Action
In English we were assigned a project in which we were to investigate a question regarding a developing issue surrounding Native Americans. This project fits within the pillar of take action because my group created a website that would help other high school juniors (specifically in Seattle, Washington) understand current issues surrounding the preservation of Cherokee traditions. This allowed us to spread awareness throughout communities in Seattle that might not otherwise be accessing this information because their scope of Native knowledge is usually focused on the pacific northwest. This project perfectly fits within my theme because it shows some of the many changes within the Cherokee community. The slideshow contains our presentation slides, which mostly pertain to a general timeline of events for the Cherokee tribe. Here is a link to the IBL website, which gives more information on specific traditions and their modern developments.
While in New Mexico, we visited the To’hajiilee School on the Pueblo Reservation. The school educates about 500 students in grades K-12, all of whom reside on the reservation. While there, we each explored a certain part of the school, and got to share our experiences with students there. I was able to help out in their garden with the Kindergarten class, most of which is taught in the regional dialect of the Navajo language. We learned about where different kinds of corn would be traditionally planted in a garden- white corn at one cardinal point to reflect the early morning sky, then yellow, then blue, then black. We moved around the garden, digging holes and letting the five and six-year-olds plant four seeds into each one. This part of the trip fits into the category of Take Action because both sets of students were actively making an effort to bridge the gap between cultures and share their own stories. This connects to my bigger question because it shows how relationships between cultures can change for the better over time and improve with understanding, respect, and effort.