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[openscarf]

Yesterday while covering a children's press conference where children sent messages to the statel legislators to not close early child development centers, I learned more about Hintil Kuu Ca, a school developed for Native American children, the only one in urban California l that focuses on Native American culture. Hintil Kuu Ca means, 'the Indian's children's place' It was developed by mothers forty years ago, as they moved off reservations and into urban areas where they felt displaced. Now about only 15% of the children are Native American and there is talk of closing the school completely. They showed up yesterday at the press conference and then at the school board meeting. The dancers below are one family.

I was enthralled. The drumming, the plants they were burning, not sage, I'm not sure what and their dances which are prayers  were dedicated to open hearts, politicians making the right decisions and sharing their traditions with us. They also led the march to the school board meeting about a mile and a half away where they danced outside the building. Children inside spoke to the directors and then adult teachers got quite adamant about having to prove who they were, they knew who they were and have filled out all the government papers and their school does have Native American children and families and they will not close no matter what the state and school board says.

One of the directors broke out of the agenda which is a big no-no at these meetings and apologized for putting them on the list and said enough history had been destroyed for African Americans and brown people and she didn't want any part in destroying Native American culture and she apologized to them, she was African American. Then she and the VP of the school board who is a Native American came out in the hall and there was a lot of talking and assurances that this school would continue.

I read their FB page today and saw the pleas going out for people to show up at the two events in tribal dress. One woman made a comment about why they have to do that to prove their Native Americans, but understood.

The dancing was exciting, spiritual, meaningful and beautiful. The final facing of the four directions, we all joined in with them.

I'm really grateful I get to learn and then write about all this stuff, it's amazing for me.

I'd like to learn more about them, I think its a fascinating opportunity for me to learn more about these people and their tribes, I felt very connected to them. I took tons of pictures. I hope you enjoy them.


    

   

   

         

   

   

   

   

   

   

Comments

[sharpchick.livejournal.com]

Those are great photos.

Isn't it amazing that when a government screams "budget crunch" it inevitably goes after something that works to slash, instead of starting with non-performance?

Of course, there wouldn't be huge headlines about that, now would there?

I hope they keep the school open.

[openscarf.livejournal.com]

I think this school will stay open, they said they're going to all the Indian casinos for money and a few weeks ago, parents took over all the schools slated to lose early child care, Hintil included. I think they're just going to keep showing up and teaching and taking care of kids regardless of CA gov't sitting on millions in stimulus money slated for education but can't be used because they just fight and fight, there is no budget and school starts in 2 weeks.

There were no big headlines, not even in the site I write for. "No one" cares about education stories. At the school board meeting, the directors and superintendent stayed inside while the dancing was going on, but you could hear the drumming. Although one did show up at the press conference (3 are allowed to show up in public together, but there was only 1)

At the board meeting, most were stiff, unyielding, making sarcastic comments to each other, like, I get 15 more seconds, and then everyone sits in silence while her seconds are ticked off. Granted their hands are tied with no money, but there was no passion or feeling coming from them.

The one director who spoke "out of turn" and the VP "disrupted" the meeting further by coming into the hallway. By then the dancers were in civilian clothes and being interviewed by KPFA-the progressive radio station, but no one else, (well,me) and I only get 500 words etc., etc., etc.

At one point, the director said, "if we have to move Hintil, we will to keep it open," and the families, VP, and teachers, together said something like, you can't say relocation to Indians, they want to stay there, they've been moved enough. It was really something.

I'm glad you liked these, I thought of you while I was watching them, I think you would have felt something too.

Such a long comment, I'll probably just write another blog post. ;-)

[dadadadio.livejournal.com]

I applaud these native americans for taking the initiative to educate the 'educators' about who exactly they were displacing with their blind budget cuts. The pics are great.

On one hand it's a little sad they had to resort to dressing up in their tradition attire, but on the other it's cool they were able to rally the tribe and save their school.