Photography : firstlightcreative.com

WE’RE STILL HERE :
THE FIRST AMERICANS

The Conference Day was led by
First Nations Storytellers:
Dovey Thomason, Lakota & Kiowa Apache Nations
Tim Tingle, Choctaw Nation
and Storyteller-Facilitator Susan O'Halloran

The storytellers led students and adult participants through a series of activities and stories that challenged current beliefs, attitudes and stereotypes about America's indigenous peoples.

The day began with prayer. Participants took an "Indian Quiz" which revealed how all of us are quite ignorant about the issues of our Native American brothers and sisters. Rich discussion followed the quiz as Dovey and Tim gave their answers and presented new ways of "seeing" America's First Nations.

Tim Tingle performed his story "Crossing Bok Chitto" which dramatically explored the beginnings of the blending of cultures. Through humor and pathos Tim related the colorful tale through the voices of an American Indian young girl and an African American boy.

Dovey Thomason performed her personal and moving story "My Name is Dovey". This story looked at the origin of her name and the importance of family and community to the Native American peoples.

After lunch, Susan O'Halloran presented a power-point display of the stereotyping and commercialization of Indian life and culture by the commercial mentality. Tim & Dovey responded to these distorted images with sadness
and with laughter, reminding the group to be vigilant and aware of how easy it is to "commercialize" sacred objects such as the peace pipe and the dream catcher. The holidays of Columbus Day and Thanksgiving were also "seen" through Indian and non-Indian eyes.

A panel of American Indian youth answered questions and reflected on the continuing challenge of preserving Indian history and culture in today's world. They also talked of their life on their tribe's reservation and in
Chicago today.

The Conference concluded with the student groups creating a prayer for the
closing ceremony of Blessing & Sending Forth. Each of the groups presented
an Action of Commitment that they would carry out in their own schools
based on the learnings and new insights from the Conference.

Read these Prayer-Commitments Here

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