Kindness Defines This Community

John Wolfe '14 and Nick Walnoha '14 at the JV basketball game

Throughout the week, I have seen things on the Rez that I've never imagined before coming here.  When we first arrived in Browning, I was struck immediately by the poverty I witnessed. However, I soon came to know that the Native Americans on the Rez are some of the friendliest, most welcoming group of people that I have ever met.

For example, when we visited the Medicine Bear Shelter that serves the area's homeless, we did not know how the people would take to us. To our surprise, they were immediately friendly with us and praised our actions at the De La Salle School. I think that they really were grateful that white people were paying attention to them on the Rez, because the Blackfeet, as with other tribes, have been traditionally ignored or abused by "the white man" aka the US government. I think that this makes the residents here on the Rez appreciative of our presence. Many Native Americans are suspicious of the federal government for good reason, due to years of mistreatment they have experienced. At the shelter, I was told stories of mistreatment by the federal government, which sickened me to hear. I could not believe that the government had treated the Native Americans with such disrespect. I hope that one day the government will realize their mistakes in the past pertaining to the Native Americans, and make up for the years of suffering that they were forced to endure.

John Wolfe '14 tutors his 5th graders in math

At the school, I have been working with the 5th grade. The kids are great kids, with a strong love of basketball. They are all very smart, but they sometimes get pulled off task. For example, when I was helping someone, all they needed was a gentle nudge to work, and they would go above and beyond the expectations of the teacher. They have also touched me with their kindness and their willingness to accept us. On our first day, some of the kids acted up, while others were really shy with us. However, as the week went on, the kids started to open up with us, they asked us to eat lunch with them, and they realized that we cared about them and their success. I know now that the kids in the 5th grade class are creative, smart, and have a great senses of humor. Some of the kids are also in Kindness Club, where it is their job to do kind acts throughout the week. While we were here, they wrote letters to the teachers telling them how grateful they were for their dedication and presence here. They also visited a local nursing home where they distributed cookies they had baked and art work they had created. More important than their gifts was the opportunity the kids had to interact with their elders.

These kids will make great leaders on the reservation one day because they love their home and their community. I hope that the 5th grade students have been as affected by my presence as I have been by theirs. I will never forget my experience here, and I hope that I can one day return to the De Lasalle Blackfeet school and the beautiful Blackfeet Reservation.

John Wolfe '14

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