The Spirit of America’s Past
The Native American Student Council aims to promote awareness about its heritage, tradition and beliefs.
To share its culture with the community, the NASC had guest speakers, dancing, a Navajo taco sale and a presentation of a film about the Bear River Massacre for the week.
Many students lined up to get authentic Navajo tacos made by the NASC. Another highlight of the week was the Star Flint Dance group that performed in the Taggart Student Center Wednesday.
The Star Flint Dance group is from Alpine, Utah. They portray tribes including Navajo, Hopi, Apache and Zuni through music and dance. They have toured throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.
Julius Chavez played the drum and sang as others danced. Before each song he explained the meaning behind it.
“We’re grateful for our culture, we’re grateful for our language,” Chavez said. Chavez said all its songs and dances have stories and purpose.
Chavez said as they shared their dances, their prayers and thoughts are with loved ones currently in Fallujah.
The dancers first performed a peace pipe dance, and then an eagle dance.
“The eagle represents wisdom above all things,” he said. “Its feathers are used in many rituals and ceremonial dances.”
The next dance was the Navajo basket dance. Chavez spoke about the Navajo wedding basket and its symbolism.
Another dance, the butterfly dance, told a story of a village that came under attack, and the butterfly that brought peace and harmony.
Before the mountain sheep dance, Chavez talked about returning to eating the things older generations ate, such as corn, beans and squash.
President of the Native American Student Council (NASC) Conan John said in addition to Native American Week they do many other activities during the year.
“We celebrate Diversity Week and have dancers come,” John, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering, said. They also sponsored a Battle of the Bands. Conan said their biggest event is the Powwow. Proceeds from the taco sale Wednesday will go toward the Powwow for March 2005.
There are about 25-30 members of the NASC.
“I joined this year because I married a Native American,” Catherine John, a freshman majoring in violin performance, said.
The goal of the NASC is to “expose ourselves to the community and campus,” Conan said.
The speakers of Native American week were Ed Galindo, a Native American and a USU alumnus, Shirley Weight-Silversmith from the Utah State Office of Education, and Larry Echohawk, J.D., a member of the Pawnee Tribe and a professor of law at Brigham Young University.
The Bear River Massacre film was shown Tuesday. According to www.onlineutah.com/ the Bear River Massacre happened in 1863. About 200 California volunteers attacked a Shoshone village of about 450. Approximately 250 Shoshone were killed. The Bear River Massacre has often been overlooked in history because it took place during the Civil War. Of six major Indian massacres, the Bear River had the most victims, and it is an important part of history.
The Native American Student Council is open to all Native Americans, the entire USU student body and non-students. For more information visit their office in Room 101 in the Animal Science Building.
-sdobson@cc.usu.edu
Star Flint Dancers, Tessie, Meagan and Kotah Garret, perform the Mountain Sheep Dance in the TSC Sunburst Lounge Wednesday as part of Native American Week. (Photo by Jessica Alexander)
Julius Chavez speaks during the Star Flint Dance group performance Wednesday. (Photo by Jessica Alexander)