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Bonnie Dunn and Denise Frebertshauser
Take a moment and let your mind wander to an evening around a campfire.
Imagine looking into the flames of the fire. Let your heart follow the
words of the chief, “Listen well, my people, for tonight we hold council.”
Does this bring about memories of an evening at your camp?
Gathering around the campfire is an extensive tradition of many camping
programs. Some camps may incorporate Native American imagery into their
campfire programs. Indian ceremonies, tom-toms, cheers, costumes, and
painted faces may be part of their traditions. But, do we really know
why we are including any of these items? What is the reasoning behind
each tradition?
Recently, many articles and discussions have condemned the use of Indian
imagery or “playing Indian” at camps throughout the United States. Why
should camps use Native American imagery in their programs? And when they
do, they need to ensure that campers (and staff) learn about Native American
history, beliefs, and culture — as well as which traditions in your camping
program are Native American and which are simply camp traditions.
When camp staff are asked the question — Do you know why you are using
specific Native American imagery? — the most typical response is “tradition.”
The second most common response is “that we are honoring the Indian ways.”
The fact is that we are not always honoring the Native American peoples’
ways. Many traditions at camp include some Native American customs mixed
among camp traditions with no distinction between the two. There are many
nations of tribes, each very different in many ways. Native Americans
are very different in their dress, religious beliefs, and customs — depending
on their tribe and where they live. Quite often we mix cultures of Native
Americans in our Indian imagery at camp — we may use Midwestern tribal
dress with Southwestern crafts, and add in Northeastern history or tribe
names. We simply put together the things we like or those customs that
work for us at the time.
Honoring Native American Wishes and Customs
If camps use Native American history/culture as a theme, they really
need to think about what they are doing and how they are doing it. They
need to be able to step past the “it’s tradition” syndrome and listen
to local Native American’s wishes. In order to determine if the use of
Indian icons at camp perpetuate the stereotyping of Native Americans or
if sacred Native American customs are being misrepresented, camps need
to ask several questions.
- Do you utilize Indian icons at camp (feathers, songs, cheers, council
rings, drums, totem poles, tipis, face paint, etc.) that perpetuate
the stereotyping of Native Americans? Can these items be presented in
a different manner to deter the trivializing of Native Americans?
- Do you use the Pipe Ceremony to start the campfire? Do you realize
that it is a very religious ceremony? Would you start your program with
a Catholic, Jewish, or another religious ceremony?
- Do you include Native American dances around the campfire or at some
time during your camp? If so, do you know if they are authentic, the
significance of the dance, or how the dance is used? Many Native American
dances are for fun, but some are to honor the dead or are for strictly
religious purposes.
- Do you “make up” Indian words or chants (“How How,” “Nichie-nichie,”
Camp “Algawa”)? Do you teach Native American language, hand signals,
or painted symbols?
- Do you know the tribes or nations that were in your area, or are
you teaching about those of another region of the country? Do you actually
teach about native people or do you just “PLAY Indian?”
- What do you know about the clothes, headdresses, shoes, etc., that
were worn by the tribe whose names you are using? Why did the tribe
whose name you are using wear feathers? How did they wear them and what
did the feathers mean to the people?
- What about face painting? Do you know why or when Native Americans
painted their faces? Did all tribes do it? If you were teaching about
African Americans, would you paint the campers’ faces black? Have you
really questioned why you do what you do, and if you would do it with
another culture or group of people?
- Are your Native American arts and crafts really Native American?
Or do they just look like Native American things? Examples — the small,
beaded headdress made with safety pins, talking or rain sticks, headdresses,
or headbands?
- Do you have tribe signs? Do they really represent the tribe you tell
the campers they represent? Do you know what each of those “tribe signs”
really means?
- Do you give tribe and/or camper awards like the “golden feather,”
“spirit sticks,” or some other award that has always been a tradition
at your camp? Have you done any research on “Indian awards and honors”?
Or are these awards merely camp awards made to look like Native American
awards?
Examine Your Program
Certainly, no camp ever knowingly shows any disrespect to Native Americans
through its camp programming. However, over the years, camps can modify
intentions, traditions, and goals without realizing that it is happening.
Just like the Native American history has, in fact, been distorted by
many different writers of American history; camp professionals may have
lost their understanding of camp as a teaching venue — a venue in which
you help your campers learn about a noble group of people — their customs,
their traditions, and their beliefs. Examine your total camp program,
your camp goals, and your camp traditions to see if the usage of Indian
lore in camp themes truly honors Native Americans.
Teaching Native American Culture at Camp
In order to teach your campers about the history and ways of the American
Indian at camp, you need to take the time to learn, plan, and understand
the Native American culture. The People of the Americas are often referred
to as “Native Americans” or “American Indians.” These people occupied
the areas from the most southern tip of South America to the most northern
tip of North America. Native people cannot be lumped together as just
one group — they should be considered more as small nations of people
of the same race. They had many similarities, but there was a variety
of languages, customs, and beliefs among the Native Americans. (Similar
to the many countries in Europe — France, England, Italy, etc.) Their
customs and culture are part of the rich heritage of our country. In the
United States their heritage is preserved today by 1.5 million American
Indian people and more than 300 federally-recognized American Indian tribes.
The history of Native Americans is also reflected in the countless names
of cities or rivers, foods, crafts, games, and legends that are a part
of the heritage of all Americans. (To find out more about the history
of individual tribes see the Recommended Books and Web Sites.)
When you choose to incorporate the importance of American Indian imagery
to accomplish the youth development mission of your camping program, take
time to examine your program and ask yourself — Why are we doing this?
Are we trivializing Native Americans? Are we perpetuating the stereotyping
of Native Americans? Are we misrepresenting sacred Native American customs?
Are we utilizing Native American icons in an educationally appropriate
manner? Is there another venue in which to achieve our program’s goals?
And then remind yourself that you are doing this for the children of yesterday,
today, and tomorrow.
Program Planning for Camp
To develop an organized, educational, creative, and enjoyable program,
you must involve camp staff, teen leaders, and campers in program schedules,
planning of classes, and activities during training sessions as well as
at camp. Set your goals, do your research, make your plans, gather your
materials, and have fun.
Before camp begins
Choose and research the tribes you plan to use, preferably those in your
area (or the area of your camp). Decide what your goals are for the camp
and your campers. Encourage your staff (and/or tribe leaders) to do a
little research about native people and the tribe whose name they plan
to use.
Things to research
- Name: Is it a “white man’s name” or a name that they use to refer
to themselves? An example of this is — the Sioux called themselves the
Lakota people; the Conoy called themselves the Piscataway people.
- Location: Where did they start (before Columbus) and where they were
moved during relocation?
- Typical symbols or designs: You may even determine the predominate
color used with a particular tribe’s symbols.
- A legend: Discover the story behind the Native American rituals.
- Living habits: Research the type of home, clothing, foods, and traditions
of the tribe.
There are many activities that you do at camp that may relate to Native
American people, especially your environmental programs. These blend very
easily into one. You cannot effectively teach about the environment unless
you teach “cycles in nature,” and you cannot teach about Native American
culture without including “cycles of life.” Remember that the native people
are considered the Keepers of the Earth. Skills like archery, fire building,
outdoor living, and crafts, were all skills of the first campers.
Things to gather
- Beads, feathers, bells, paint.
- Class items as you decide which activities you want to use.
- Campfire items such as tom-toms and/or rattles, headdresses, stories,
etc. Preplan your campfire activities before camp starts. Review your
plans with all the staff, and make a checklist of items needed.
Five-day program
The following activities are designed to create a week of fun learning
experiences that will enhance you and your campers’ understanding and
appreciation of different cultures, especially those of the native people.
A great beginning activity for the entire group would be the Beginning
of the Trail. Make sure the campers know why you are using a Native American
theme for camp, what is Native American tradition, and what is camp tradition.
There are many Native American activities that can be incorporated into
your program for the entire session such as archery, canoeing, crafts,
games, nature, etc. The Grand Council is often used as a closing activity.
The following is a suggested outline for five days of classes — approximately
one to one and a half hours per class. The week could have a theme about
animals or birds or water quality, and each day’s activities could focus
on the same theme. There are a variety of different subjects that relate
to the environment. It is nice to have a Native American food or drink
at each class — this teaches campers about how Native Americans lived
then and how they have influenced our diets today (see the Foods for Campers
sidebar above). Try to always incorporate a story — it is one of the major
methods that the elders used to teach their youngsters. It can be at the
beginning, middle, or end of the class. Native American children learned
living skills through games and everyday activities. Your campers can
eat and listen to a story at the same time, and they can learn about history
through the games and activities.
Begin your introduction with a little history. Ask the campers to gather
in a circle and teach in story form. Native American children learned
from their elders through stories and legends. You might consider having
a native food for them to snack on such as peanuts, popcorn, or berries.
Who are the native people? Share exciting things about the tribes whose
names you use at your camp. Examples include:
- The United States government’s democratic structure was patterned
in a small way after the governing body of the Iroquois League of Nations.
- The Cherokee are the only ones who actually had a written language.
- Pocahontas was a member of the Powhatan tribe.
- The Algonquins were great farmers.
Far more important for human and ecological survival are the Native American
philosophies of life — respect for the land and love of every form of
life, human and nonhuman. They believed in harmony between humans and
nature rather than conquest and destruction of nature. These are vital
characteristics of the Native American way of life. All people can and
must learn to live in harmony with the natural world and with one another.
You can discuss the medicine wheel and teach a game or craft to reinforce
skills they learned.
Request that everyone gather together in the circle to tell a story while
you offer a Native American snack. The story should lead into the activity
for the day. Today’s subject might be wildlife. “Gluscabi and the Game
Bag” or “How Fawn Got His Spots” from the Keepers of the Earth book. (The
stories referenced here are from Keepers of the Earth, but can be found
in almost any book of Native American legends.) Use these stories to teaches
about the need for food, water, and shelter for survival. The campers
could play Oh Deer and/or Hiders and Seekers/Camouflage game. The story
of the Journey of the Abenaki gives us lessons in survival with nature,
living with respect, sharing, silence, and circles. If we follow these
lessons, we will be able to live in peace with other people and in balance
with the Earth and all living creatures. Play the Predator and Prey game.
Other activities can include “Habitracking” — find and make plaster casts
of wildlife in the camp area. As you search for tracks, talk about habitats.
Gather again in the circle, introduce a new Native American food or drink,
and begin with a story. The Buffalo and the Cedar Tree and The Coming
of Corn teach lessons about plants and trees. Take a hike, learn about
planting seeds to grow food, the nutrient cycle, plant trees, adopt a
tree, and make a seven generation stewardship bracelet — seven steps toward
living in balance and harmony. This activity ties in with the Circles
of Giving and Receiving.
The story for this session could be Askami’s Story, as you talk about
waste in the past, the present, and the future. Teach them the four laws
of Mother Nature. There are many activities that relate to this theme
— create a time capsule from camp, learn about recycling, have a camp
contest to reduce and/or reuse items that would normally go in the trash.
(This could also be used as a DAY 1 lesson).
Water quality is a very important lesson for all. Kolscap and the Water
Monster and Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle are great stories that campers
love while learning a valuable lesson at the same time. You might want
to meet next to the lake and serve “ice water.” Then talk about where
water comes from, goes to, and returns. This is also a great time to do
stream exploring and a water quality test (especially for oxygen levels).
Originally published in the 2002 September/October
issue of Camping Magazine. |
