Catholic Schools Opposing Racism (COR)

COR SUPPER
First Nations: Stories from the
Choctaw, Kiowa Apache and Lakota Nations
March 20, 2006

The last COR event of the year was held at Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, IL on Monday, March 20, 2006. Students heard stories from Tim Tingle, a member of the Choctaw nation, and Dovie Thomason, a member of the Kiowa Apache and Lakota nations. Both told stories about their experiences growing up as American Indians, their interactions with white culture, and how they’ve developed their sense of selves as indigenous people. The evening began with activities to introduce students to one another and to help students identify questions they might have about the First Nations. Christie Billups then led the group in an opening prayer inspired by the “four winds” prayer that is common to some First Nations. During the prayer, participants joined in a circle and sang and performed movements to signify their attachment to the earth, the world, and the rest of humanity.

Students then listened to a story told by Tim Tingle, which wove together stories about his grandmother, aunt and extended family as well as expressing elements of his own Choctaw nation. Tingle shared the love and community he felt as a child among his extended family, all of whom had a hand in his upbringing. His story combined elements of First Nation wisdom and contemporary family dynamics.

After Tingle performed, Dovie Thomason told a story about how she received her name, growing up “in plain sight” in white Texas, and the necessity of having family. Thomason learned the traditional stories of her people from her grandmother, the original Dovie, even as she tried to make her way in an all-white grammar school. Thomason intertwined stories of growing up with stories of her experiences as an adult trying to make sure that the stories of First Nations get heard and trying to come to terms with the death of her parents, which left her feeling like an orphan, an unheard of condition in indigenous communities.

Both Thomason and Tingle emphasized that indigenous peoples are still here, that they are not a relic from the past who still live in teepees and wigwams. Thomason and Tingle make clear that they don’t want to be someone else’s history lesson but rather living conduits of the culture of each of their nations.

Students stayed after the performance to talk to Tingle and Thomason. After the stories and discussion, students shared supper in mixed groups.

The evening included students and faculty from 8 schools in the Archdiocese, as well as some representatives from the Archdiocesan Office for Racial Justice.

The following schools were represented: Brother Rice, De La Salle Institute (both campuses), Hales Franciscan, Josephinum, Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, Queen of Peace High School, and St. Laurence High School.