Students embrace Indian culture

By: Barbara Arrigoni

ORLAND — For the first time ever, students at Fairview School in Orland didn't get to celebrate the school's annual Indian Day at Black Butte Lake.

Each year, fourth-grade classes go to the lake for hands-on sessions to learn about the culture of two Northern California tribes — the Wintun of Colusa and Nomolaki of Paskenta. With rain threatened, the event was held on school grounds Thursday. It's part of the school's California History studies.

If the kids cared about not going to the countryside, it didn't show during the morning activities.
Seven classes participated in the event, each divided into two groups and then smaller ones, rotating through six stations.

The children learned several cultural traditions. Outside near the school's garden, groups built a shelter of poles and branches and practiced the art of spearing. Vine wreaths substituted for live animals for the latter activity. Laughter rang across the field with each thrust.

Inside several classrooms, students had their faces painted, made shell necklaces, learned a "friendship" dance, listened to storytellers repeat legends, and used handmade drills, which looked similar to old-fashioned spinning tops.

There's more here: http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_7221520