David West talks about importance of education — and communicating through stories

By Lupe Sims for Ashland.news

Since time immemorial, oral tradition has been a traditional way of teaching from generation to generation within Indigenous communities — language, ways of knowing, methodologies, pedagogies, medicine, culture, spirituality and tradition. That was one of the messages relayed by David West on Saturday, Feb. 17, at a community event sponsored by the Social Justice and Action Committee of the Rogue Valley Universalist Fellowship at its church on Fourth Street.

The director emeritus of the Native American Studies Program at Southern Oregon University also spoke forcefully to about 100 people present about the “inclusion and recognition of Indigenous peoples and their sovereign rights of global representation,” specific to education.

One of the event coordinators, Louise M. Paré, who is of Ukrainian heritage, said that her “Indigenous heritage goes back to the Trypillian culture, which was one of the matriarchal civilizations that sourced modern Ukraine.”

The fellowship, led by the Rev. Sean Parker Dennison, has the intention to “embrace diversity, empower connection, and engage in the work.”

Those gathered in the church’s great hall for introductions, a sharing of a water blessing, potluck storytelling by David West and communal meal ranged from a child of 6 to a 101-year-old elder.

West, a local respected Indigenous elder, is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation. He introduced himself with a traditional burning of sweetgrass and bucho (celery root), and sharing of the medicinal healing properties of both. During his talk, West shared oral traditional teachings of historical truth telling, water protection, culturally restorative allyship, and seventh-generational planning for allyship peoples.

This includes, he said, equality in acquiring and achieving higher education, and educating systemic foundations that promise a utopian American Dream with culturally responsive curriculum.

There’s a need to be “laying foundations of program articulation and development specific to Native American Studies,” West said, “that prepares a successful fast track to Indigenous students from junior college into university, that also provides financial resources for struggling Indigenous families.”

Following West’s remarks, and prior to the meal, was a traditional water blessing and prayer given by Mary Buckley Mikkelsen (Nez Perce and adopted Blackfoot) for all who gathered, to “pray for our water, as it is considered our first medicine…it was the first water we received in our mother’s womb,” she said. Mikkelsen led the prayer, asking for all attendees to pray in their own way and to place their hands upon their personal containers filled with water, as a blessing and offering to water.

Following the water blessing, all joined in the meal. Conversation and good feelings were felt and expressed all around. West offered time for questions and further sharing as folks asked about ceremonies that people can attend, powwow-attending protocols, and the Navajo prophecy about the Eagle and the Condor.

West talked about the necessity of learning about the true history of the U.S. and Indigenous peoples. West also shared about the sacredness of the hair of Indigenous peoples, while gently holding his nephew Cedar Sims-Smith’s braid that reaches to the middle of his 6-year-old back.

“Our hair is an extension of our ancestors, and is sacred,” West said.

Other teachings about regalia, eagle feathers and adornments were also discussed.

In his closing remarks, West said, “come and listen, because in that storytelling there may be one word, one sentence, one story that was meant just for you. And it might answer a question of need that you hadn’t even asked. That’s the wisdom of this storytelling time … we are all related as tribal relatives.”

Talent resident Lupe Sims, a graduate of Ashland High School and Southern Oregon University and a descendant of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, was instrumental in establishing a university-sanctioned Indigenous Peoples Day observance at SOU and coordinates the event there. Email Ashland.news at [email protected].

Feb. 25: Updated to clarify that Louise M. Paré was speaking of her Ukrainian roots specifically, not all Indigenous roots; and to correct spelling of Potawatomi in a photo caption.