By James Sleeper,

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Tribal members shine at education expo, hearing

The Oklahoma Indian Education Exposition (O.I.E.E.) promotes and reinforces the past, present and future of American Indian culture and education.

The second annual O.I.E.E. was held Sept. 25-26, 2008 at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla.

The purpose of the O.I.E.E. is to provide American Indian student competitions in cultural areas for individuals and teams from Oklahoma Indian education programs.

Representatives from Oklahoma Indian education programs and students from Oklahoma’s public schools and boarding schools were in attendance, including Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal students of all ages. Cultural pride, student success stories, and the building of positive self-images and character were the focus of the student summit. Critical thinking / problem solving and college planning, preparation and retention were also promoted during the exposition.

Valeria Littlecreek, director of tribal affairs/Indian education for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, said, “(the exposition) helps students keep their cultures going and be proud of who they are. They can dance and sing and still be students,” Littlecreek said.

Activities in the non-competitive category included the making of school team banners, a team story, and a team introduction, which introduced the different school’s teams and their achievements to other native students in attendance.

Also in the non-competitive category were the Wall of Fame, which highlighted the student’s personal achievements, and the Tribal Dress, which demonstrated the student’s own style of traditional dress and highlighted creations made for traditional events or those made for competitions.

The competitive categories of the expo included cultural contests in essay writing, storytelling, oratory, intertribal dancing, stomp dancing, drum contests, hand drum singing, and hand games.

Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal students, Taylor Hart, Kelsie Montana and Johnie BigMedicine all participated in the intertribal dancing. Hart said the conference made her “feel really special, like on a cloud almost,” and she was “proud to represent her tribe.”

Montana said, “It’s fun to meet people from different schools and tribes, and it’s good to compete against other kids, not adults, because they are experienced as I am.”

Other competitions were held in the areas of reading comprehension, art, math, spelling, individual video or power point, and best book. Gabby Switch placed fourth in the spelling bee competition and Adriauna Barnett and Kendra Collins both placed in the essay contest.

Students in grades 7-12 also participated in the U.C.O. Ropes’ Course. “ I was scared at first, but once I went on (the ropes course), it was fun,” Gabby Switch, a Cheyenne and Arapaho student, said.

During the O.I.E.E., the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) also held a hearing.

The NIEA is the oldest and largest Indian education organization in the nation and was established in 1969.

The mission statement for the NIEA is, “to support traditional Native cultures and values, to enable learners to become contributing members of their communities, to promote native control of educational opportunities and resources for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians throughout the U.S.”

A board of directors made up of 12 representatives governs the organization.

Two members of the NIEA board of directors, Quinton RomanNose, director of Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes education department, and Shari Williams, assistant director for the Choctaw Nation interlocal alternative school, attended the meeting and heard testimony from education organization representatives regarding the current state of American Indian education.

Many educators attended the hearing, submitting testimonies and representing native students from Oklahoma to as far as Washington. Williams said, “The purpose of the hearing is to hear from Indian country and our Indian leaders, and to share stories and testimonies to submit to Congress and fight to increase funding for Indian education.”

The NIEA hearing began with a prayer. Testimony was then heard from various education leaders, including two from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.

Gov. Darrell Flyingman, of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, said, “I am here to complain” and “as a tribal leader, I am going to start to complain out loud.”

Flyingman, who is retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), said, “I have a problem with the B.I.A., they have lost focus and education has not been a priority. The problem is with the leadership and acting directors who cant make decisions.”

When referring to American Indian teachers, Flyingman said, “Good teachers are leaving the state for better jobs.”

He also mentioned the neglect of safety for American Indian students at Riverside boarding school by saying, “Riverside has no storm shelters.”

Addressing the NIEA board, Flyingman said, “I hope this council will take this testimony to the Bureau of Indian Education.”

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College (CATC) President Dr. Henrietta Mann, represented the newly formed college. “I am here to speak about tribal college funding and B.I.A. funded schools ... Federal funding has not kept pace with inflation.”

Mann also said, “We (American Indians) have been aware of the value of education since the beginning of time. We are no strangers to education, we know what works and what doesn’t ... Our grandparents signed treaties believing their grandchildren will be appropriately educated.”

Recalling the hearing, Michael Bell, higher education coordinator for the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes department of education, said, “I appreciated observing Oklahoma Indian education leaders charge governing bodies to act for the good of our Native American students.”

The 39th annual NIEA conference is scheduled for Oct. 23–26, 2008 in Seattle, Wash. Mann will be honored at the conference for the NIEA 2008 lifetime achievement award.

For more information on the NIEA, visit www.NIEA.org.