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Students
from Allakaket, Alaska, Embark on Two-week Journey to Montana
March
15, 2001
Fourteen
students from Allakaket, Alaska are about to embark on a journey
that will change their lives forever. On Sunday, March 18,
they will leave their village (Allakaket) along the Koyukuk
River and come to Fairbanks for two days of orientation. Tuesday,
March 20, they fly to the Montana where they will spend two
weeks visiting Native American communities. During their cultural
exchange, the students will experience many "firsts", including
public speaking engagements, powwows, a class at a University,
a snowshoe hike through Glacier National Park, and a Buffalo
feed at the Billings Powwow. Eight students will be presenting
slides, and 6 more are part of a Native Dance Group that will
be dancing at the various destinations (Marie Dayton is the
dance instructor). Abraham Chopper, the principal of Allakaket
School, is from the Ft. Peck Reservation, which is the first
destination of the students. Chopper will be accompanying
the students on their exchange, and introducing them to his
culture and people. Margaret Salisbury has been the primary
teacher guiding students through their projects required for
the Babiche Cultural Exchange experience. Superintendent Dr.
Dempster (Yukon-Koyukuk School District) implemented the Babiche
program in the YKSD District as a way of bringing local community
knowledge and culture into the schools, and thereby promoting
culturally-responsive schools.
In preparation for their trip, students have spent the past
school year developing a digital slide and video presentation
about Allakaket and Athabascan culture. Students have interviewed
Elders, taken photographs and video, and participated in reading
and speaking assignments to assemble their presentation. They
have gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation of
their own history and are eager (and nervous!) to share it
with others. The students will visit several Indian Reservations
and will present their slide and video show numerous times
during their two-week exchange. They are looking forward to
a rigorous and rewarding experience.
The
trip is sponsored by Babiche Cultural Exchange, a non-profit
organization promoting cultural preservation and exchanges
between Native American communities throughout the United
States. Babiche is the webbing of a snowshoe and represents
the work that the students are doing as they create ties with
other Native American communities. Babiche Cultural Exchange
was founded in 1999 by Wendell Bruckner of Eagle River, Alaska,
and received startup funding from Echoing Green, a national
foundation that promotes individuals in building sustainable
organizations addressing social needs. Babiche is currently
collaborating with the Yukon-Koyukuk School District and working
in four villages in the Interior of Alaska. To learn more
about Babiche, call 907.689.7779, or contact Wendell
Bruckner.
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Students
from Kaltag, Alaska embark on two week journey to the Lower
48 States
March,
2000
Eight
students from Kaltag, Alaska are about to embark on a journey
that will change their lives forever. On May 1, they will
leave their remote village along the Yukon River (pop. 280),
and fly to the Lower 48 States where they will spend two weeks
visiting Native Americans communities in Washington, Oregon,
and California. During their cultural exchange, the students
will experience many "firsts," including public speaking engagements,
a formal fundraiser, a class at Stanford University, a drive
through a giant redwood tree, and an Ethiopian meal.
In preparation for their trip, students have spent the past
year developing a digital slide and video presentation about
Kaltag and Athabascan culture. Students have interviewed elders,
taken photographs and video, and participated in reading and
speaking assignments to assemble their presentation. They
have gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation of
their own history and are eager (and nervous!) to share it
with others.
The students will visit four Indian Reservations and will
present their slide and video show 15 times during their two
week exchange. They are looking forward to a rigorous and
rewarding experience. Each student has also raised $750.00
through corporate sponsors, local fundraising and a contribution
by Doyon Regional Corporation to supplement their personal
$250 investment. The trip is the first sponsored by Babiche
Cultural Exchange, a non-profit organization promoting cultural
preservation and exchanges between Native American communities
throughout the United States. Babiche is the webbing of a
snowshoe and represents the work that the students are doing
as they create ties with other Native American communities.
Babiche Cultural Exchange was founded in 1999 by Wendell Bruckner
of Eagle River, Alaska, and received startup funding from
Echoing Green, a national foundation that promotes individuals
in building sustainable organizations addressing social needs.
To learn more about Babiche, call 907.689.7779, or contact
Wendell Bruckner.
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