Tag: Lakota (Sioux)

Field Trip!

On Friday, May 10, St. Joseph’s third grade students went to the Buffalo Interpretive Center on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, near

St. Joseph’s students visited the Buffalo Interpretive Center on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.
Using a telescope, the Lakota boys and girls watched the buffalo herd grazing in the pasture.

Pierre, South Dakota, for our field trip!

At the center, students had the opportunity to sit on real buffalo skins, examine real artifacts made from the buffalo, and learn how each of the different parts of the buffalo were used traditionally by the Lakota (Sioux) people.

They loved the hands-on experience of looking at the different artifacts and tools!

At the end of our tour, we watched a movie about the buffalo.  As part of the exhibit,

The Lakota children enjoy cultural field trips as part of their education at St. Joseph’s Indian School.
St. Joseph’s students learned about a traditional Lakota campsite on their trip to the Buffalo Interpretive Center on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.

students could look through a telescope and find the buffalo grazing near the Interpretive Center.  In all the times St. Joseph’s third graders have traveled to the Interpretive Center, the buffalo have been next to the exhibit only one time. Every other time, students have needed to look through the telescope.

It’s always fun to see the excitement the students have to learn about the traditional culture of the Lakota and the way of life their ancestors practiced.

Heather, third grade teacher

St. Joseph’s students learn about traditional uses of the buffalo.
The Lakota children got to handle tools and artifacts made from different parts of the buffalo.

Dance, Dance!

Hello from 6-7-8th grade Residential!

‘Twas the day of the dance, when all across campus

Students were primping in anticipation

The hairstyles and clothes were donned with care

In hopes of meeting that someone special there

Last year, St. Joseph’s Indian School started the tradition of hosting a dance for our sixth, seventh and eighth grade Lakota students.  We invite the Chamberlain public school students to campus to join with our students at the dance, which helps build community among them.

As part of St. Joseph’s strategic plan, we are being challenged to provide more opportunities to build relationships between our students and students from the local public school.  We believe this will help them in many ways but specifically, once they reach high school, better relationships will make that transition smoother.  Hosting community dances like this is a great way to help youth get to know one another.  It also gives the students a chance to use their social skills and practice mastery in that area.

St. Joseph’s Lakota students invited Chamberlain students to their dance in an effort to build relationships.
The Lakota students had a great time dancing the night away!

Watching the process during the dance is fun for me and very similar, I think, to everyone’s experience at junior high dances. At first, all the students stand to the side looking at each other shyly.  They all seem to be hesitant to get out on the floor and strut their stuff.

St. Joseph’s older Native American students help with activities for younger students.
Chris, a St. Joseph’s senior, and Andrea, a St. Joseph’s alumnae, served as DJ’s for the junior high dance.

After a couple of songs, however, a few of the girls get brave and start dancing. Before long, more and more are joining in on the floor.  By the end of the night, everyone has gotten on the floor at least once. The students’ process of slowly warming up and finally dancing demonstrates growth in the area of independence.

As usual, when the lights came on at the end, there was a collective moan from the crowd wanting more music and more dancing!

Chris, one of our high school seniors, and alumnae Andrea provided the DJ service for the dance. They did a great job getting the students on the floor dancing and involved.

The admission fee to the dance was $2 or two cans of food at the door.  We were able to collect 156 food items for the local food pantry and around $30 at the door to donate to a local charity.  This speaks to the Lakota (Sioux) value of generosity and helping our community when we can.

All these lessons are very important and piece of what we try to teach our students every day at St. Joseph’s Indian School. These experiences give the students an opportunity to learn firsthand lessons that we hope stay with them for life.

Without your support and prayers, none of this would possible. Thanks to all that support our work.  We couldn’t do it with you!

Frank W.

Residential Coordinator

Varied and generous gifts

Some of our donors generously remember St. Joseph’s Indian school in their estate planning. A couple of times since I’ve been here we’ve actually been willed a home, which we then sell and put the funds toward our endowment.

We recently received word that we were left a house in Germany! I’m sure there will be a few more complications selling that property than we’re used to, but the gift is greatly appreciated and will go to a good cause – helping the Lakota (Sioux) children.

Our network of support continues to astound and amaze me.

Shooting hoops after school is a favorite pastime of the Lakota boys and girls at St. Joseph’s.
The Lakota children will love a new outdoor basketball court!

Our newest staff members from our Donor Care Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were recently on campus for orientation. While some people who work phones and answer email have high turnover rates, my hope is that they stay for the long term like so many other staff. Though they won’t work directly with the Lakota (Sioux) children and will be more in touch with our donors, they are very much an important part of our mission at St. Joseph’s. I look forward to getting to know them as we work together to accomplish great things.

Later in the day, I spoke to a donor who found out we are planning to build an outdoor basketball court this summer. He offered to pay for the whole thing as a memorial to his brother. I know our Native American students will love it when that goes up next to the junior high homes! Our Planned Giving office frequently helps people who want to give memorial gifts.

Wopila tanka – many thanks – for sharing so generously with the Lakota children!

Helping one another learn

I’ve been taking Fr. Jose, SCJ, around campus to have supper in several of our student homes so he gets the chance to practice his English and get to know St. Joseph’s staff, students and programs. At the Cyr Home (4th-5th grade boys) with a dozen 10 and 11 year old Lakota (Sioux) boys animatedly chatting around the table on every subject from sports to movies to comic books, it was obvious that he was experiencing English overload, especially with all the cultural references he wasn’t familiar with. But he’s a good sport about it.

After supper was a different story. As the boys started in on their homework and an atmosphere of calm quiet took hold, Fr. Jose started working with the students one at a time, reviewing quiz questions and spelling words. Darius had extra homework to make up. He helped Fr. Jose read the questions and together they figured out the answers.  In that way, Darius became the teacher for a while, and they were mutually pleased to be able to help one another.

They say you really haven’t learned a subject until you’re able to teach it to another.

 

A peaceful, happy Easter

Greetings once again from the banks of the Missouri River!

We hope that you and yours had a very blessed, peaceful and happy Easter.

Things were a bit quiet this past weekend since the Lakota (Sioux) students were away for the Spring/Easter break.  They’ll be returning today and we’ll have an Easter egg hunt later this afternoon.

Fr. Steve is on his way back from Florida, so I have the chance to bring you up-to-date on what’s been going on.

I was able to help with Holy Thursday services at St. Michael’s in Kennebec, South Dakota, which is about 30 miles west of us here in Chamberlain.  It is one of the mission parishes covered by our pastoral team at the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.  I enjoyed having the chance to celebrate with the community there.

I concelebrated Easter Vigil at St. James in Chamberlain, helping Fr. Guy Blair, SCJ. One of our houseparents had been part of their RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program this past year and joined the church at the Vigil.

It was an honor to take part in the service and helped get me excited since our RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) will have its celebration this coming Sunday, when 18 of our Native American students receive the Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.

Easter Day was quiet and relaxing.  I had Mass for St. Joseph’s students staying in the break Home (those who stayed on campus instead of going home for the Spring/Easter break) prior to their outing to Mitchell, South Dakota.

It was also quiet since it appears the snow geese, which are on their migration back to the Arctic, have finally headed north.  Their normal route home was feeling the effect of mid-Western snow storms and frozen waters, thus their path was pushed further to the west, which brought them into our area.  They were all over the place – the local paper estimated that there were about 50,000 in Brule County!

Again, best wishes for a very happy Easter Season.  Be assured of our prayers for you and your intentions, as we are truly grateful for your support of St. Joseph’s Indian School.  May the Great Spirit continue to bless and reward you.

Sincerely,

Fr. Anthony Kluckman, SCJ

Chaplain

St. Joseph’s Indian School

Chamberlain, SD

Last week before break…

Monday

Last week, we put the wraps on a couple of different basketball programs for the year. Sunday afternoon, the girls’ intercity basketball season culminated in the championship game. The chance to have children of staff and children from the Chamberlain community playing alongside our St. Joseph’s students really helps build relationships for the day when our students go off campus to Chamberlain High School.

So many people give a lot of their weekend time to help our youth. Awards to players on each team were handed out, and the adult volunteers were acknowledged and thanked.

After school today, our coaches announced and presented trophies to our St. Joseph’s Indian School basketball teams. Some of the best athletes were disappointed that they didn’t earn an award. However, the trophies are based mostly on spirit, improvement and hustle, which is hardest to coach or teach.

Some players who weren’t high scorers and came in as subs earned recognition for their attitude and team play. The pep club and cheerleaders were also acknowledged for the fun and spirit they add to our home games. Our first, second and third graders are especially fun to watch and hear when they get going on the cheers they’ve learned.

Tuesday

March 19 – The Feast of St. Joseph! I’ve given up desserts for Lent, but when Clare brought an Italian dessert (Zeppole) she and the students made for our Child Services meeting, I indulged just a little to celebrate our patronal feast.

Split Rock Studios arrived back on campus to bring to life the next phase of our renovation at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. Three walls of the museum now have a large mural of the vast and beautiful South Dakota prairie grasslands, and exhibit installation isn’t far behind.

They are also installing more of the audio visuals in our historical displays.  With warmer weather, our visitor count increases dramatically. When the project is completed by May and we extend our hours, the folks who pass through our doors are in for a treat as they learn about Lakota (Sioux) history and culture.

Wednesday

I spoke to a good friend from college who now works as a physical therapist. Paula was filling in for a co-worker and met an elderly woman having difficulty getting motivated to do her rehab exercises.

Seeing a St. Joseph Indian School note pad on the desk, Paula asked the patient about it, which led to a spirited conversation about St. Joseph’s. Their connection with me put the woman totally at ease, and she gave it a great effort that day.  Her story made me smile, and I promised to lift her up in prayers in a special way.

Our students reenacted the Stations of the Cross in the chapel at the end of the school day. Hopefully the colorful costumes, large cross and other visuals helped the gospel come alive just a bit more deeply as we close in on Holy Week. Spring break begins Friday, and many of our students will be going home. The high school students and one break home will still be open, but our grade school classes will take pause to let students spend time with family, and prepare for the wonderful celebration of Easter.

I’ll be gone on retreat for a good part of the break, and will pick up the blog after Holy Week. You’re all in my prayers – Happy Easter and God Bless!

Preparing eighth graders for graduation

We are looking forward to graduation for our eighth grade class in a couple of months. I am proud to say that I have had many of these Lakota students since they were in their younger elementary years at St. Joseph’s Indian School.

St. Joseph’s eighth grade graduates receive a small medicine wheel and feather as a gift.
The Lakota eighth graders craft small medicine wheels, which are a gift to their classmates at graduation.

This time of year, I have the honor of helping them to prepare their class banner, make their medicine wheels (which are used in the graduation ceremony) and prepare them for life after St. Joseph’s.

Each class of Lakota eighth graders creates a banner to commemorate their class.
After graduation, eighth grader banners hang in St. Joseph’s Rec Center.

One of the more enjoyable items I share with them is giving them their eighth grade portfolio.  This portfolio encompasses all of their works from the time they entered my Native American Studies room until they graduate.  It is so fun to hand back papers and watch them look through their past years of learning!  I can hear them sharing their drawings and writings with each other.  The giggles and smiles reinforce the reason I have them create the portfolios.

The students made their personal portfolio out of brown paper bag and yarn.  They are modeled after the par fleche containers Lakota/Dakota/Nakota (Sioux) people used long ago.   The containers from long ago were made of rawhide and sinew.  Today, we make them in a much more inexpensive, modern way.

In the past, the par fleche was decorated with tribal designs specific to one’s tribe and tiyospaye – extended family.  This made it easy to return a lost container to its rightful owner, much like luggage tags today.  The par fleche carries meaning and a lot of knowledge of each St. Joseph’s student.

Can the school year be almost over?

The Lakota (Sioux) girls in the William Home have had a great year!
The girls in the William Home have walked over 1,000 miles since the start of the year!

Greetings from the staff and students of the William Home (4th-5th grade girls)!

It is amazing how fast this school year has gone at St. Joseph’s.  We have been able to accomplish so many things and are working hard to finish up the school year with many positive memories.  The Lakota (Sioux) girls in our home have been so busy this year with basketball, Dancing Dolls, cheerleading and gymnastics as their extracurricular activities.

We have completed our walking program for the year and it is safe to say that we far exceeded our goal!  We put up a map to track our walk with a goal of walking to the hometowns of each girl in our home, which would have been just over 15,000 laps in the gym (750 miles).  We are happy to say that our final total is over 20,000 laps, or 1000 miles!

Recently, we were able to travel to the Lower Brule Indian Reservation to attend mass and then serve treats afterwards.  The girls have always enjoyed doing this and, of course, love to show off their cooking abilities. We still have the circus coming up, as well as our home trip that will take us to Rapid City, South Dakota, to the water park.

One of our big highlights of the year will come soon when we start moving back in to the newly renovated William Home.  All of us are excited to see the new home, although the fifth graders are a little bummed they will only be in the new home for a short time.

As always, with a school year winding down, you think about all the memories you have made with those fifth graders and will miss them when they move up. Thank you to everyone for helping to make this a wonderful and memorable year in the William Home!

Learning Skills for a Lifetime

Our Lakota (Sioux) eighth graders are learning to cook in their Personal Living Skills (PLS) class. Pam, our PLS teacher came by the office and dropped off their most recent effort, a pepperoni Stromboli. The crust was perfectly flaky and it proved to be a tasty and delightful midday snack!

The Native American children at St. Joseph’s Indian School learn life skills like cooking.
The Lakota students are learning to cook in their Personal Living Skills class.

Later I stopped by the classroom and saw they are also working on a money management project. Finance workbooks have been developed through one of the local banks in Chamberlain, and are a great resource for our Native American students.

While it’s all pretend money at this point, they have to keep track of bills and payments like car and phone, log income and keep track of taxes. Money management is one of the lifelong skills we try to make sure they get a good handle on as early as possible.

A grandparent called me today to discuss some bullying issues with other students. We do have fights and bullying pop up on campus, and we take all incidences seriously. We want to stop the smaller shoving and name-calling before it develops into something much worse. Respect is such an important Lakota virtue and we hope our students learn to appreciate each other and work together. Whenever there is a problem, we want to use it as a learning experience, and get at the deeper issues that are bothering a child.

A Busy Saturday

The Lakota (Sioux) children at St. Joseph’s participate in the Rites of Initiation with the support of their families.
The Lakota students who will be baptized or receive communion make stoles to wear on their special day.

As our students prepare for to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation, our Rite of Christian Initiation included a retreat for the 11 Lakota (Sioux) families participating.

We began with lunch and introductions, then broke into six workshop stations. Each lasted a half hour, and the families rotated to different activities. Delores and Karen helped the students make the stoles they will use on their special day. Mary Jane and Claire helped with a bread making activity. Steve gave them some treats and prizes to help them learn and remember the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (i.e. “smarties” candy to represent the gift of understanding). Joe taught them a song for church. Mary showed them a movie about a family sharing bread and much love.

Father Anthony and I led the workshop in Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel. Ours was entitled “Holy Things” but we informally named it, “What’s it for, What’s it called???”

The Native American children and their families could wander around the church and ask questions about anything that caught their fancy. Fr. Anthony had a set of vestments sitting out, and kids were tickled when he stood each of them on a stool and dressed them like a priest, explaining each of the vestments and symbolic colors.

I had all the things you use for mass on the altar, and those students who were curious could even taste one of the unconsecrated hosts, to take some of the mystery and worry out of first communion. (Two told me they tasted like chips, but with just whole wheat and water they really are quite plain).

Questions ranged from statues and stained glass to cabinets and storage room. Two groups wanted to get the view from the choir loft, and we let them hear what the pipe organ sounds like up close. The students got excited about the interaction. As always, our main goal is to help them know and love God more dearly.

At the end of the retreat, we had our weekend mass for the whole school Saturday evening. The candidates and catechumens wrote their names in the Book of Enrollment. We will celebrate the sacraments of initiation the Sunday after Easter.

If that wasn’t enough for a Saturday, the 6th-8th grade basketball players, both boys and girls, were given the chance to travel to Mitchell, South Dakota for a college basketball game at Dakota Wesleyan University. The two highlights were Thomas making a 3-point shot during half time to win a bottle of pop, and our kids seeing the live action cam broadcast their faces on the jumbo-tron scoreboard.