Lakota Educator brings Traditions to the Classroom (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Lakota Educator brings Traditions to the Classroom

By Tara W. Pretends Eagle 3/20/2007
http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8649

Sunday mornings on KILI Radio, which is located on the Pine Ridge
Reservation, the quick-witted Blues Disc Jockey, Bryant High Horse
spins Blues tunes that are heard through out Lakota Country. His good
sense of humor ironically goes well with his Blues tunes radio show. He
is always good for an on-air joke or two that usually ends with a long,
winded, Eh.

 The boisterous Disc Jockey, also the great-grandson of High Horse, is
also a teacher and guidance counselor for the Indian Education
Department in the Rapid City School District in South Dakota. During
the school week, High Horse, a member of the Rosebud Tribe [Sicangu,
Lakota], can also be heard cracking humorous one-liners in the hallways
at North Middle School. His students think he is funny and enjoy being
in his relaxed classroom atmosphere.

 Just three weeks ago, High Horse implemented a Lakota Culture and
Language Class for sixth grade students. The class is a pilot program
where all the students, both Native and non-Native signed up on their
own to be in his class. Initially, there was suppose to be only one
class but so many students signed up that a second class was added.

 High Horse was excited to teach this new class and feels his students
are starting to understand the accurate history of the Lakota people.
He sees they are eager to learn because they are asking a lot of
questions. He tries to encourage them to help each other learn as a
group. Together, they will learn about the traditional ways of the
Lakota people and understand their virtues of bravery, wisdom,
generosity and respect. As well as learn about the traditional roles,
historical timelines and the medicine wheel.

 He spoke in detail about what his role as a Lakota man is, I feel my
responsibility as a Lakota man is to teach our kids to respect each
other. And teach our boys and men to respect the women. I teach the
boys that they need to respect all women and they all have a mom,
sister or grandmother in their lives who deserves that same respect.
Lakota men need to learn how to respect Lakota women.



 He also teaches the same traditions to his students at Oglala Lakota
College where he is an Adjunct Professor of Native Psychology and
Lakota Studies.

 Native American Psychology is an entirely new field [in academia] and
includes the study of the Lakota people both past and present. It is
the study of how Natives infuse their language, cultural and
traditional philosophy into todays world. We always had Native
Psychology, but our ancestors did not record or write about it. They
just lived it. We as Lakota people, have gone through so many tragedies
that we are still on a healing journey. If we can let that pain go, I
think we can succeed, High Horse explained.

 Alot of what he was taught by his grandparents, while growing up on the
Rosebud Reservation are the teachings he passes on to his students. He
was taught the ways of his ancestors and how to speak and write
fluently in both English and Lakota. He grew up hearing that a good
education was very important. Having a mentor and role model, who also
was his uncle was a big factor in helping High Horse believe in
himself. His uncle was also his teacher, principal, basketball coach
and also stressed the importance of education

 High Horse is one of a group of educators that presently are working
toward the preservation of the Lakota Language. Everyone in the group
can speak and write fluently in Lakota and they are developing
strategies to preserve the language. He spoke proudly of the group, All
these great people with such knowledge, are all working hard to preserve
the Lakota language. I am honored to be a part of this group.

 Oyate Nawicajin is High Horses Lakota name, which means, Stands For His
People. He stands for his people through his work with the Lakota youth
and has changed lives by teaching through music, humor and education.
But it is all in a days work for this briefcase warrior. Not bad, for
the self-proclaimed, Rez boy from Rosebud, Eh?



 Professor High Horse has a Bachelors Degree in Human Services/Social
Work from Oglala Lakota College and Masters of Science Degree in
Counseling/Psychology from South Dakota State University.