A Gathering of Cultures
Every year across the nation Native
Americans gather for powwows which are celebrations of their traditions and
heritage. Powwows are a time to renew old friendships and create new
ones. Modern clothes and ways are put aside for sharing the historic
traditions of each culture. In traditional dress participants parade, dance,
sing, and share stories of the past. Traditional values such as generosity
and honesty are kept alive and passed on to new generations. The powwow links
the past to the present and is a time of renewal.
The Task
Members
of many tribes will be attending a special powwow. Your tribe has been
asked to attend the ceremonies and you must prepare an introduction of your
tribe. In the spirit of the powwow you and your tribe members will
be sharing what makes your tribe special.
Resources
Here are some sites to help you with your quest:
A
History of the Northwest Coast
The
Stockbridge Munsee Tribe of Mohican Indians
Index of
Native American Resources on the Internet
Native American
Indian Resources
Native
American Guide to the Great Sioux Nation
The Process
1. Choose a tribe that once lived or is now living in
What
area of the
What
style of dress did your tribe wear?
How
did they secure food?
What
type of shelter did they build?
What
customs and ceremonies were practiced by your tribe?
What
was the impact of westward expansion on your tribe?
What
is life like for your tribe today?
2. Develop a presentation for the powwow by doing the
following:
Explore
the websites listed in the resource section.
Create
a costume based on the traditional dress of your tribe.
Find
a legend or myth of your tribe to act out.
Through
storytelling relate the history of your tribe.
Construct
a replica of a traditional village that your tribe inhabited.
Prepare
a traditional recipe to share at the powwow.
3. Organize what you have created into a 30 minute
presentation for the powwow.
Learning Advice
The internet is the main source for collecting your
information. Before your team chooses a tribe spend
some time looking at the sites to gather information. Consider the amount
of information available for a particular tribe and if it will be enough to
complete the requirements of your presentation.
You may also consider other sources of information including
reference materials, books, magazines, journals, government publications, maps,
atlases and encyclopedias.
Each team member should select a segment of the presentation
to create. Teams will meet once a week to discuss their presentations.
The powwow will begin at the end of the nine-week grading period.
Evaluation
Teams will be evaluated on the quality, completeness, and
creativity of their presentations.
Conclusion
At the end of the project your team should be aware of the
information available on the internet. You should be aware of the vast cultural
heritage of Native Americans and their place in today's world.
Creators are Sherry Graves and Cindy Butcher. Last
updated on February 2005 by Trisha Armstrong