Hualapai youth learn language and customs of their culture (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Hualapai youth learn language and customs of their culture

Thursday, July 26, 2007
http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=12725&TM=54429.34

KINGMAN - The Haulapai Nation preserve their culture and traditions by
passing them on to their children.

The 7th Annual Pai Language Immersion Camp being held this week at the
Hualapai Mountain Park is designed to accomplish this daunting task.

According to Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Loretta Jackson, the camp
teaches the youth of the tribe the language, traditional arts and crafts,
as well as the cultural background of their tribe.

The children wake up at 5:30 a.m. each day to greet the morning. They hike
to the highest point of camp to greet the sun and say the morning prayers.
Adults of the group teach them a morning girls' song and a morning boys'
song.

After their hike back to camp and breakfast, the tribal children are divided
into groups to learn the Hualapai language. The groups are divided by age
and skill level to allow for more effective instruction. During the
afternoon, the children are taught traditional arts and crafts. These
lessons are always interspersed with language lessons.

Lucille Watahomigie, one of several certified teachers leading the camp,
taught a group of children how to play Wisdo. Wisdo is a stick game that
helps the children learn how to count from one to 10. The game is sort of
like "Sorry" and is a good way for them to practice their vocabulary, she
said.

Beading lessons teach the words for the primary colors. The seed beads, with
the assistance of veteran teacher Jorigine Bender, are used to make doll
capes for cornhusk dolls the children will make by the end of the week.

Bender said they are making smaller versions of ceremonial capes made for
the dancers who perform during rituals.

Throughout the lessons, language and history are stressed. Jackson said it
is important to pass down the lessons history has taught the Hualapai
tribe, as well as to pass down the culture. As the modern age continues to
plow ahead, culture can get lost very quickly.

Survival in the wilderness is taught at the camp as Drake Havatone, Leroy
Kopelra and Travis Majenta help the boys make bows and arrows out of tree
branches, homemade string and reed arrows. It teaches the children about
native plants and their uses. When they grow older, Havatone said, these
lessons will help them make a real bow out of oak or hickory for hunting.

Cheryle Beecher taught children about the native plants and their
traditional uses. Her hope is that they walk away being able to recognize
and use at least six plants.

Holding this year's immersion camp in the Hualapai Mountains is poignant for
the tribe, because it is sacred ground. Elder Delores Honga said their
ancestors grew up and lived off this land. Before the Calvary came and
killed so many and forced the Hualapai tribe off of their land, the
Hualapai Mountains were their home.

When the Calvary came, many ancestors were buried in the earth of the
mountains. Artifacts and history cover this area, and teaching the youth of
today the proper respect is paramount.

The camp continues through Friday.