Dever students study American Indian culture

Without leaving the school, James A. Dever fourth-graders recently got to explore American Indian culture. The field trip came to them as students were visited by members of Journeys into American Indian Territory.

The students spent a full day learning about American Indian culture through a variety of hands-on activities. The gymnasium was transformed into a museum with Jamie Reason, an Eastern Cherokee, showing a variety of artifacts. Students got to walk through a section of a longhouse and touch a variety of animal skins including bear, deer, fox and skunk fur.

The longhouse was only about 12 feet long, far short of the homes that American Indians built which would typically be more than 100 feet. “If that was a real longhouse,” Reason said, “it would be minimum four lengths of this building.”

Teacher Rae Risolo said that in fourth-grade, students learn about Long Island and New York state history. American Indian studies is a major part of the curriculum.

Bob Vetter, an anthropologist with Journeys, taught students Atenaha, an Iroquois dice game. He explained that the game is the social version of a religious game. “This version of it can be played at any time,” he said. In fact, Vetter noted, it is still played by American Indians today.

Other activities during the Jan. 7 visit included a pottery making session in which students created a replica of an Indian bowl, singing American Indian songs and hearing Indian folklore and legends.

Because there is no traveling involved, the students get to spend a full school day learning about American Indians. Risolo said it is important that students have a different perception of the culture than what is portrayed in Cowboys and Indian movies. American Indians were very civil, she said, with a government actually quiet similar to democracy in the United States.

In hearing about the American Indian form of government, students learned how they chose their leaders. Then, students got to pick their own leader based on who had the characteristics to best succeed in that role. “It’s not always the most popular person who gets picked,” Risolo said. “It’s the person who has the best qualities.”

Risolo said this is the third year that the Journeys program has come to the Dever School. She said 68 students got to explore American Indian culture this year through this interactive experience.

“It truly is a full, comprehensive day of all things American Indian,” Risolo said. “We’ve gotten great feedback from the kids who have already experienced this.”