September 4, 2007
Dear Teachers,
I’m Sequoya’s mom. Some of you may know his older sibling, Cheyenne or me. This is my eleventh year writing one of these opening letters. I have written over 150 letters in that time and cc’d the principals and superintendent each year. As opening day approaches, I would like to share with you, the teachers who will spend so many hours with my child, my feelings about what it means to be a Native American in this community.
I don’t know how many times you have had a Native American child in your classes, but I do know, as a parent, it is really hard to be Native American in this town. Over the years, the town and the schools have reached out to include the Native voice, but it is still minimal when compared with all there is. For example, we can’t be with Native Americans any time we want, none of the teachers any of my children have had have ever identified as Native American, there isn’t a regular “place of worship with like believers” that has a service once a week in town, people don’t celebrate the same holidays, images of Native Americans don’t really look like us, curriculum is loaded with stereotypes and misinformation, the Native perspective is frequently missing across the board (literature, history, the arts), and I could go on. My point is, that many of the things we value and do aren’t components of mainstream Bedford life or the school system, it takes me an additional effort to raise my children as strong, proud, educated Native Americans who feel a sense of community in this town, as well as with other Native Americans. All these community circles are important for their well being, to have a network for support, and in order to grow up with a strong sense of identity.
I have found that informing teachers directly about our religious observances allows for the least amount of conflicts. State and federal law requires schools to make reasonable accommodations to the religious needs of students, which usually means no homework, but I know that other holidays are met with more respect and I think you will find that my requests are reasonable. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 151C, section 2B addresses religion as well.
The following dates are holy days for us for the 2007-2008 school year:
Autumnal Equinox: Sunday, September 23
Winter Solstice: Saturday, December 22
Vernal Equinox: Thursday, March 20
Summer Solstice: Saturday, June 21
This year, there is only one day which occurs in the regular school schedule. On this day, Sequoya will not be in school because the family will be celebrating something greater than any individual – honoring the Earth as the mother of and caretaker to all creation. Our family would appreciate if special events and activities (tests, fieldtrips, speakers, parties, assemblies, etc.) were not scheduled on this holy day. Sequoya should be excused from homework. Past experience has made it so I feel I must clarify homework. An excused homework means no homework. No doubling homework the previous or following day to “make it up.” And, no testing of information that was on the homework or presented in class unless it is reviewed, retaught, or given out as a handout. I believe this request is similar to the accommodations that are made for observances such as Rosh Hashanah and Good Friday. It is extremely difficult to have a family holy day when a child is thinking about the consequences of missing a day of school. It is also stressful for me as I pass on important Native American values when the climate pressures one to be Christian or Jewish or “normal.” Imagine trying to celebrate Seder or Christmas while your child is thinking of how much homework he/she will owe and what he/she will miss on the next test! I hope appropriate arrangements can be made, given these dates ahead of time.
In order to take part in important religious and cultural traditions, Sequoya may miss other school days. We keep these at a minimum and will inform you should they arise.
Sequoya’s last name is deleted for purposes of this website. Please make the effort to spell it correctly. It is really three words with no hyphen, and maybe someday technology will catch up with diversity and computers will be able to handle that, but for now, putting in the hyphen is okay with us. Having multiple words in a last name is a Native American practice; think of the spelling of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. And, by the way, his first name is after the Cherokee Leader (Sequoyah), not the Californian tree (Sequoia)
We DO honor the flag, but do not say the Pledge of Allegiance, as it was written in honor of Christopher Columbus who massacred our Nation’s ancestors, the Arawak (and Taino). We do not celebrate Columbus Day.
Thanksgiving is a difficult time, as it is not a celebration for us in the same way it is for mainstream society. Although we are not Wampanoag, we live on their land and fight their fight in solidarity. Saying, “Have a nice long weekend” or “Did you see your family over the long weekend?” is appropriate, saying “Happy Thanksgiving” is not. Just because Sequoya doesn’t challenge or say anything or you perceive “He’s okay with it” doesn’t mean it isn’t creating conflict inside of him.
Over the summer, I created a website for courses I teach about Native Americans. Please feel free to browse through it. There is much more information about Columbus, Thanksgiving, stereotypes, curriculum, and other resources. I would just like to point out a letter I wrote in a previous year which has more information about education and growing up Native American:
To summarize, I believe the following are most important to know about Sequoya, our family, and Native Americans as the school year begins:
• Religious holy day Observance as they relate to homework, tests, and other school events
• Thanksgiving Non-Observance
• Pledge of Allegiance/Columbus Day Non-Observance
• Spelling/Capitalization of last name
I invite you all to attend the Pow Wow in Bedford on the weekend of September 15 and 16. It is the 25th year anniversary. A Pow Wow is a great opportunity to learn about Native culture. It is an event enjoyed by adults as well as children. Sequoya will be there and always appreciates seeing that his teachers are interested in this part of who he is. For more information, you can see the flyer.
If you would like to discuss any of these points further, I’d be happy to meet with you in person, communicate via email, or talk on the phone. I will be sending a copy of this letter to the all others involved in Sequoya’s education, including the superintendent, principal, and teachers.
Thank you,
Claudia
Showing posts with label My Publications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Publications. Show all posts
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Letter to My Children's Teacher, 1999 by CFT
August 12, 1999
Dear Teacher,
I am worried about my child being in your class. You see, my daughter is a person of culture. You may not hear her accent, she may not have skin as dark as her mother's or as light as her father's, and she may not wear her traditional dress, but she has already traveled a path that is as natural to her as it may be new, or even unknown, to you. This Spirit path is long and winding, and always comes full circle, linking her to siblings, parents, relatives, community, and ancestors. Without it, she is an orphan. At times, she may lose her way, but this is the path she is destined to follow. It is the path her ancestors' walked, the way they survived, the reason she is here today sitting in your classroom. She cannot change who she is. Through five hundred years of deculturalization and genocide, it is a testament to her people, that traditions have persisted at all. She is alive. Her people have survived. Her culture has endured. Can you be someone to help her cut through the brambles that line this path?
Yes, she eats pizza, listens to The Spice Girls, dances hip hop, and colors with crayons… and, she also eats fry bread, drums and sings Traditional First Nation songs, Jingle Dress dances, sand paints, sews leather pouches, and makes clay beads. Will her home economics, music, physical education, and art classes reflect this aspect of America? Will she feel validated in your class? Will her strengths be honored?
In numerous ways, she is like any young girl sitting in your classroom, yet, art, spirit, and culture are inextricable intertwined. She very naturally blends these aspects of her heritage. She has several dolls that reflect her darker skin, eyes, and hair. Her pretend play includes making a sweat lodge, singing songs, saying prayers, dressing up the dolls in handcrafted regalia, and having a feast, complete with miniature foods. How will these natural connections be continued? When she collects gifts from nature, she offers tobacco to the Earth Mother. How will she reconcile this practice when signs in your school say, “No tobacco products”. Will she still have her cultural voice when she leaves your classroom?
My child lives in more than one world. Will you open the doors to these countless worlds, or close them? When you made booklets about The Life of a Pilgrim and none about The Life of a Wampanoag, how many children proudly showed them to their parents… and how many sheepishly displayed them with outstretched arms as they mumbled, “They MADE me do it”. For her, the third Thursday in November is a Day of Remembrance; a day to unite in solidarity with First Nations People who suffered like her ancestors did and are now working to educate others. And, Thanksgiving is something she does every day, many times… for the sun, for family, for food, and for health. Her path does not celebrate the same days and events that people in power have chosen to recognize. Will you help her and her peers see the power structure playing itself out in your classroom?
What is included in your version of American History? Is it everyone's version? Is it a version that includes the perspectives of ALL the people who built this country… physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally? Whose achievements are discussed? Who decides? Have you considered your position on this topic? Will standardized testing drive your decisions or will you be DRIVEN to challenge the testing?
My daughter's calendar marks sacred days: the Equinoxes, the Solstices, and the moon's phases. She honors the cycles that are greater than herself. Will her science and math classes simply analyze these events that have been occurring for millenniums, or respect them as part of a people's Earth wisdom? I will do my part and let you know the first week of school when those days will occur. So, when we keep her home from school, will she miss scheduled speakers, fieldtrips, and special activities? Right now, she has a tug of war going on in her heart. Will you help her and her peers see the power structure playing itself out in your school system?
What does it mean to be American? When you say the Pledge of Allegiance, do you know it was written in 1892 as a tribute to Columbus, a man who personally participated in and ordered many crimes against her Arawak and Taíno ancestors? When she chooses not to pledge, will she be ostracized and considered “un-American”? Or will she and her peers be educated about the history of the flag and its pledge, so they can all make a conscious, informed choice? She knows how to honor a flag and the veterans of war, but it is a different path. Her people have fought in every war that ever occurred on this land. Did you know that she can sing a Traditional Flag Song in Native American vocables? This, too, is America.
Did you know that long hair is a blessing? It is part of her Spirit. The longer the hair, the more prayers that can be made. Did you ever think that her brother might want to cut off his hair, since you addressed him as a “she”? Did you know First Nations People have enormous variations in appearance? They cover the same latitudes as from Finland to South Africa! Her dark-haired younger sibling has a blond-haired, blue-eyed twin, and all three sisters follow the same path, albeit with different brambles. Being Native is deeper than hair, eye, and skin color. It includes a perspective on the world, a unique point of view.
There is so much omission and misinformation in the curriculum and the media. Did you know that her conversations at home, not only include reflections of the day, but also discussions processing the stereotypes and racism on television, in the news, in print, and from the mouths of students in your classroom and on the playground? She has insights and language well beyond her seven years. Does your Gifted and Talented Program have room for her wisdom?
Did you know that many Indigenous People have more than one word in their name: Two Feathers, Smiling Heart Drum, Rolling Thunder, Loving Bear, Kissing Raccoon… I appreciate your taking the time to say and spell her names correctly.
When I invited you to her younger siblings' Naming Ceremony and you were unable to come, I hope you went to a Pow Wow, Thanksgiving protest, or other First Nation social gathering. How can you know my child, if you do not know her culture? She is her culture; her culture is her. Yes, she watches Sabrina, the Teenage Witch… and she also loved the movie, Smoke Signals. When you share books, videos, posters, school plays, guest speakers, and computer games, will she see role models and recognize familiar faces and themes?
We have many teachers as we travel our paths through life: two-leggeds, four-leggeds, winged ones, water swimmers, stone people… Her path grows wider with every moment a teacher is beside her, helping her clear the encroaching thicket. I am just one of those people. She will want your guidance. You could teach her how to cross and travel along side many paths of other children, or you could take her down a path so unfamiliar, she may be lost, she may not follow, or she may not choose to learn from you.
Signed,
Claudia Fox Tree (Arawak Nation)
©1999 CFT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This letter represents a span of two years worth of actual experiences with several teachers in a public school system. It was first read in its entirety on May 7, 2000 at the Third Annual Indigenous Women's Conference: The Voice of Mother Earth, which was sponsored by The Long Island Native American Task Force in conjunction with Presencia Taina. I hope that the message, calling for cultural competence and sensitivity while remembering our people's deep love for our Native children, will be copied and distributed to as many educators as possible. It doesn't say it all, but it is a place to begin learning
Dear Teacher,
I am worried about my child being in your class. You see, my daughter is a person of culture. You may not hear her accent, she may not have skin as dark as her mother's or as light as her father's, and she may not wear her traditional dress, but she has already traveled a path that is as natural to her as it may be new, or even unknown, to you. This Spirit path is long and winding, and always comes full circle, linking her to siblings, parents, relatives, community, and ancestors. Without it, she is an orphan. At times, she may lose her way, but this is the path she is destined to follow. It is the path her ancestors' walked, the way they survived, the reason she is here today sitting in your classroom. She cannot change who she is. Through five hundred years of deculturalization and genocide, it is a testament to her people, that traditions have persisted at all. She is alive. Her people have survived. Her culture has endured. Can you be someone to help her cut through the brambles that line this path?
Yes, she eats pizza, listens to The Spice Girls, dances hip hop, and colors with crayons… and, she also eats fry bread, drums and sings Traditional First Nation songs, Jingle Dress dances, sand paints, sews leather pouches, and makes clay beads. Will her home economics, music, physical education, and art classes reflect this aspect of America? Will she feel validated in your class? Will her strengths be honored?
In numerous ways, she is like any young girl sitting in your classroom, yet, art, spirit, and culture are inextricable intertwined. She very naturally blends these aspects of her heritage. She has several dolls that reflect her darker skin, eyes, and hair. Her pretend play includes making a sweat lodge, singing songs, saying prayers, dressing up the dolls in handcrafted regalia, and having a feast, complete with miniature foods. How will these natural connections be continued? When she collects gifts from nature, she offers tobacco to the Earth Mother. How will she reconcile this practice when signs in your school say, “No tobacco products”. Will she still have her cultural voice when she leaves your classroom?
My child lives in more than one world. Will you open the doors to these countless worlds, or close them? When you made booklets about The Life of a Pilgrim and none about The Life of a Wampanoag, how many children proudly showed them to their parents… and how many sheepishly displayed them with outstretched arms as they mumbled, “They MADE me do it”. For her, the third Thursday in November is a Day of Remembrance; a day to unite in solidarity with First Nations People who suffered like her ancestors did and are now working to educate others. And, Thanksgiving is something she does every day, many times… for the sun, for family, for food, and for health. Her path does not celebrate the same days and events that people in power have chosen to recognize. Will you help her and her peers see the power structure playing itself out in your classroom?
What is included in your version of American History? Is it everyone's version? Is it a version that includes the perspectives of ALL the people who built this country… physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally? Whose achievements are discussed? Who decides? Have you considered your position on this topic? Will standardized testing drive your decisions or will you be DRIVEN to challenge the testing?
My daughter's calendar marks sacred days: the Equinoxes, the Solstices, and the moon's phases. She honors the cycles that are greater than herself. Will her science and math classes simply analyze these events that have been occurring for millenniums, or respect them as part of a people's Earth wisdom? I will do my part and let you know the first week of school when those days will occur. So, when we keep her home from school, will she miss scheduled speakers, fieldtrips, and special activities? Right now, she has a tug of war going on in her heart. Will you help her and her peers see the power structure playing itself out in your school system?
What does it mean to be American? When you say the Pledge of Allegiance, do you know it was written in 1892 as a tribute to Columbus, a man who personally participated in and ordered many crimes against her Arawak and Taíno ancestors? When she chooses not to pledge, will she be ostracized and considered “un-American”? Or will she and her peers be educated about the history of the flag and its pledge, so they can all make a conscious, informed choice? She knows how to honor a flag and the veterans of war, but it is a different path. Her people have fought in every war that ever occurred on this land. Did you know that she can sing a Traditional Flag Song in Native American vocables? This, too, is America.
Did you know that long hair is a blessing? It is part of her Spirit. The longer the hair, the more prayers that can be made. Did you ever think that her brother might want to cut off his hair, since you addressed him as a “she”? Did you know First Nations People have enormous variations in appearance? They cover the same latitudes as from Finland to South Africa! Her dark-haired younger sibling has a blond-haired, blue-eyed twin, and all three sisters follow the same path, albeit with different brambles. Being Native is deeper than hair, eye, and skin color. It includes a perspective on the world, a unique point of view.
There is so much omission and misinformation in the curriculum and the media. Did you know that her conversations at home, not only include reflections of the day, but also discussions processing the stereotypes and racism on television, in the news, in print, and from the mouths of students in your classroom and on the playground? She has insights and language well beyond her seven years. Does your Gifted and Talented Program have room for her wisdom?
Did you know that many Indigenous People have more than one word in their name: Two Feathers, Smiling Heart Drum, Rolling Thunder, Loving Bear, Kissing Raccoon… I appreciate your taking the time to say and spell her names correctly.
When I invited you to her younger siblings' Naming Ceremony and you were unable to come, I hope you went to a Pow Wow, Thanksgiving protest, or other First Nation social gathering. How can you know my child, if you do not know her culture? She is her culture; her culture is her. Yes, she watches Sabrina, the Teenage Witch… and she also loved the movie, Smoke Signals. When you share books, videos, posters, school plays, guest speakers, and computer games, will she see role models and recognize familiar faces and themes?
We have many teachers as we travel our paths through life: two-leggeds, four-leggeds, winged ones, water swimmers, stone people… Her path grows wider with every moment a teacher is beside her, helping her clear the encroaching thicket. I am just one of those people. She will want your guidance. You could teach her how to cross and travel along side many paths of other children, or you could take her down a path so unfamiliar, she may be lost, she may not follow, or she may not choose to learn from you.
Signed,
Claudia Fox Tree (Arawak Nation)
©1999 CFT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This letter represents a span of two years worth of actual experiences with several teachers in a public school system. It was first read in its entirety on May 7, 2000 at the Third Annual Indigenous Women's Conference: The Voice of Mother Earth, which was sponsored by The Long Island Native American Task Force in conjunction with Presencia Taina. I hope that the message, calling for cultural competence and sensitivity while remembering our people's deep love for our Native children, will be copied and distributed to as many educators as possible. It doesn't say it all, but it is a place to begin learning
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