Tribes Must "Take Control of Their Own Educational Destiny"

Sarah Cummins

9/21/2000 12:00:00 AM

At a recent celebration, the importance of the health and well being of infants and toddlers was stressed.

The Summer Annual Baby Celebration took place at the Elijah Elk Cultural Center on Aug. 1.

The event takes place twice a year - once in summer and once in winter. The purpose of the activities are to celebrate life. Children from birth to three-years-old are honored along with expecting mothers. About 200 people took part in the celebration.

"I want to feel the energy of these young ones," said Beaver Pelcher, Seventh Generation Program director. "I pray that none of them will ever be abused or hurt or raped."

The speakers each said they wished the infants and children health and happiness.

"We are going to need them in the future to carry on our traditions and our government," said Tribal Chief Phil Peters Sr.

Along with a Pipe Ceremony and Honor Song, the event was also celebrated through contemporary music and hoop dancing.

Anna Hon, Women, Infants and Children program coordinator, played several selections on the flute for the families present. She played "�Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" and "Amazing Grace."

Derek D'Artagnan, who is seven-years-old and going into the second grade, hoop danced at the event. This past winter, he competed in the 10th annual World Hoop Dance contest in Phoenix, Ariz.

In Native American cultures, the hoop can symbolize the continuous cycle of life and death, summer and winter, day and night, male and female, according to information from the Heard Museum. During his performance, Derek used the hoops to make shapes representing various natural creatures.

Derek's little sister, 11-week-old Virginia D'Artagnan, was one of the newborns to receive a handmade quilt from Sandy Smith at the celebration.

Smith has a long history of giving items such as quilts and dolls to young mothers. She began 20 years ago while living in Flint. She donated to a local program designed to help pregnant teens.

Smith's blankets have been sent all over the world including China, Iraq and Canada. It has become a tradition for Smith to give her blankets to new mother's who want them.

Currently, She is working with the Seventh Generation Program and the Behavioral Health Program to start classes for young women to learn how to make baby blankets.

In honor of her long-standing generosity to mothers, Peters presented her with a Pendleton blanket on behalf of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. She in turn, presented the chief with a Native American Raggedy Ann doll she created.

Giving was a major theme for this event. Mother's of newborns received Smith's handmade blankets. The infants and toddlers also received gift baskets. Other helpful items were given to the families including baby food and bottles.

Among all the blessings and gifts, guest speaker Ralph Williston of the Oklahoma Choctaw gathered the children in a circle and told them a teaching story. He told them about Little Eagle, a young boy, trying to catch a rabbit.

Williston, a former school teacher, is a professional storyteller. He visits children at schools, camps, churches and communities all over the United States. He has recently begun combining his stories with original artwork in order to create a children's book series. His goal is to preserve Native American stories for future generations.

One can visit www.little-eagle.com to find out more about Williston and his Little Eagle stories.

The Baby Celebration was sponsored by the Seventh Generation Program, Behavioral Health Program, Tribal Social Services, Parks & Recreation Department, Sowmick Senior Center, Ziibiwing Cultural Society, Tribal Childcare Services and the Nimkee Health Clinic including Maternal-Child Services, Healthy Start Program and WIC.