When we first got here, I didn't really know what to expect. On Saturday, the teachers had told us that some of the students had learning difficulties and attitude problems, but that didn't fully help me to know what to expect. I was in the fourth grade classroom, which was a well-behaved class. There were a few students that were challenging, but it wasn't too different than any other fourth grade class would be. Once we corrected them or pointed them in the right direction they would respond appropriately.
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| DLSBS 4th Grade Class Photo |
The three speakers that we listened to this week talked specifically about different aspects of life on the reservation. I asked Dr. Mary DesRosier what we, meaning a group of people looking to help, could do to help. She emphasized that money was not the answer. She didn't mean that the institutions here don't need money; the schools, hospitals and businesses do need money. What she meant is that a lot of the people here are living off the money they get from the government, and just giving them more money would not solve the problem of dependence. She said that what the reservation really needs is education and the motivation for the kids to get an education. Harry Barnes emphasized the need for more good paying jobs on the Rez. Right now, the kids that do get an education often go to Spokane or Cut Bank and earn significantly more beause of the lack of opportunity at home.
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| Marty's Dancing Stick Features an Eagle Talon |
Marty Martain talked about his ancestory and showed us some Native American historical artifacts. He took great pride in his knowledge of the Blackfeet culture and traditions. For example, he explained that their language would be difficult to learn because it has only 12 letters in the alphabet so every word is long. Marty also explained the complex rituals of Blackfeet spirituality. Because of the sacred nature of eagle feathers, we had to be blessed before we could handle them.
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| View from the buffalo jump |
This was the first time I've been any farther west than Wisconsin. The Montana landscape is awe-inspiring. The view that we had from the "buffalo jumps" was comparable to looking out to sea - you could see far to the horizon.
It's been a good week on the reservation, and now I'm looking forward to concluding our immersion trip with a hike through Glacier National Park.
Zolten Glasso '14
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