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The development and use of culturally appropriate curriculum for American Indian students

1983; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 61; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01619568309538427

1532-7930

Robin A. Butterfield,

Education Methods and Practices

We are Indian people. No one knows how many winters we have been here. We as a people have been coming to be on this ground for a long time, just as each child is coming to be on this ground each day. Before, the way of being people was different. At that time the way the ground moved was different. Now how we are people has changed. The way the ground moves has changed. But the fire has not changed. The flames still burn bright and hot and steady. The smoke still rises and the smell of pine or oak or maple lingers on. Gaze into the fire for it is constant. Gaze into the fire and feel the warmth. Gaze into the fire and rekindle your spirit and listen to the ways of the old. The ways of the old people are in their stories. The ways of the old people linger in the shadow of a flame, in the smoke of the old campfires. Around old fires were told some good stories. Maybe the fires were roaring as an old person was telling a story. Maybe some children were gazing quietly into the story that the old person was telling. These stories remind us how much we have changed and how much we have lost. But we are building fires again. We are telling these stories again. We are thinking good thoughts and building good hearts in our children. When life rests in the mean winter, when white days are short, dried berries come back to life from boiling water. That is the time the people tell stories and eat the berry pudding. That is the time to think and to listen to the old ones and rekindle one's spirit, gazing into the fire. Indian stories give us pleasure and power and peace, and they strengthen our hearts and give us a place on this ground to continue becoming who we are at our very best.