honor the earth gathering at cass lake, minnesota (13 July)
feather eaglerock (eaglerok@northernnet.com)
Thu, 4 Jul 1996 02:57:36 -0500
Cass Lake, Minnesota
On July 13 a community gathering for the children to "Honor the Earth" will
be held from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. near the old wild rice silo along US Hwy.
2 in Cass Lake. The celebration will open with a ceremony to honor
children of the community where adults will be asked to make a commitment
to taking care of the community's children.
This first annual Honor the Earth Celebration took root three years ago
when organizer, Elaine Fleming, first planted the community garden (The
Elder's Garden) near the old silo. "I went to an elder then, and asked him
to pray the garden would be a part of racial healing," said Fleming. The
garden produce, grown from native seeds, has been given away each year to
elders in the community - a gesture of racial healing.
"We want to share the Earth and what it has given to us. We want
the plants to hear the music and the celebration and how happy we are."
An addition to the site of the Elders Garden, this year, is a
traditional long house. Except for the tarp over the top of the structure,
the long house is made from and secured with all-natural materials. "This
long house will teach kids you don't always have to do things in a big
fancy way. The long house is a simple structure made of simple materials.
You just need to donate your time to make it."
Another addition to the site is a series of murals painted on the
sides of the old octagonal silo. The murals represent the theme "Honor the
Earth." Seven of the eight sides will be painted by local artists, the
eighth side will be painted by the children.
The garden, the lodge and the painted silo display native culture
as a living, breathing entity. Fleming said while the Cass Lake Museaum
displays Indian culture as a dead culture, the nearby garden and lodge
serve as a home now for artistic gatherings and for instructions. Later
this summer, the lodge will be the site for a class on traditional pottery
making. The lodge may also be the home this summer to healing circles and
to sleep outs.
"It all has to do with self-esteem and your spirit. We talk to our
children about the need to respect the Earth and the water, because the
Earth takes care of us. These activities teach children respect for the
Earth."
Activities planned include a talent show for community children,
showing of artworks created by children from the community, storytelling,
entertainment by local community people, a traditional Indian cooking
demonstration over an open fire, Vince Two Eagles, Lakota, will sing with
his 3-piece backup group from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
People are asked to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and
picnic baskets to the celebration. The celebration site will include a
tent, a stage and also chairs for the elderly.
This years celbration is sponsored by the Leech Lake Tribal
College, the Leech Lake Reservation Housing Authority, Leech Lake Gaming,
the Cass Lake-Bena School District and the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School.
For information contact Elaine at the Leech Lake Tribal College -
218-335-2828
feather eaglerock, leech lake rez
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"Indian people are still here. We are not going away. It is
time that the newcomers to this country started paying proper
respect to the elder status of the first nations."
~ Otis Halfmoon, Nez Perce
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