We are on day three of our trip and so much has happened today! We painted the Fort Thompson Community Center, which will function as housing for future Habitat volunteers and elderly care facility. Our site leader Tina served at Fort Thompson last year laying the foundations for the community center. She found where her trip had signed their names. Seeing how excited she was to see her name made me eager to see all our progress at the end of the week.
We've been becoming closer as a trip as well. I've especially become good friends with Bekah and I'm sure we will remain friends after MAB. As we were getting in our car to leave the Habitat site, Bekah who was sitting next to me said something extremely funny. I can't even remember what she said, but she said it just as I had taken a huge drink of water. I began to laugh and I couldn't hold it back anymore. That's when I spit out the water and started laughing uncontrollably. "Wow I can't believe I just projectile spit," I thought to myself. Just as that thought passed through my mind I coked on the water that I had half swallowed. That's when it happen: I joy vomited. I started to throw up in the driver's seat because I was laughing too hard. The car was in park so it was ok, right? I jumped out the car to finish my business while continuing to laugh; laughing so hard I was crying. I could hear the laughing cries of, "Are you okay?" I eventually cleaned myself off, but was forced to relinquish the car keys to Tina. We laughed all the way home. Now at random moments someone will say, "hey, remember when Shannon threw up?" which starts another round of laughter. This trip will not be easily forgotten. Don't puke and drive folks.
After Habitat we went to the Boys and Girls Club and taught them how to make origami creatures. Megan and I taught our fellow participants how to make swans, samurai hats, fish, seals, and fortune-tellers so that everyone could teach a child how to make something. I was nervous that the kids would not want to sit still and participate after yesterday's rough start. I think the kids are starting to warm up to us and even more children showed up today. They were so enthusiastic to make the crafts that we ran out of all our paper. Tomorrow I can't wait to make friendship bracelets with all of them.
We left the kiddos to head to a sweat lodge or inipi ceremony. This was the third time participating in a sweat lodge for me. I always feel so honored to be invited to a sweat and they are always an amazing cultural experience I couldn't receive anywhere else. An elder instructed us to take seven red squares of cloth, a red string, and a pinch of tobacco. We bundled the tobacco and tied it along the string, while we quietly prayed to ourselves. The girls went into the small lodge first dressed in ankle long skirts as tradition demands. You enter the lodge crawling on all fours. The hot rocks are placed in a hole in the center of the lodge and we sprinkle cedar a top the rocks, burning and releasing the incense. The flap is closed now and the room is so dark you can't see your hand in front of you. The woman elder begins the sweat with a prayer to the four directions, whilst pouring water on the hot rocks. Steam feels the air and our lungs. Her Lakota song lulls me into a trance as my shirt sticks to me. Her five-year-old great-granddaughter, who quietly echoes her singing prayer, accompanies the elder. The second round begins as we each take our turn to pray out loud for whoever or whatever we wish. Many of us pray for our families and the people of Fort Thompson, we ask to live in a "good way". When the sweat ends we again crawl out of the inipi and shake hands with all those involved. The inipi ceremony is among the seven sacred ceremonies of the Lakota people given to them by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Many of the Lakota ceremonies are about sacrifice and the reflection of the cosmos. The lodge is a symbol of mother's womb. We crawl back into the warm, dark depths of the womb and crawl back out into the world purified. Our time in the inipi provides balance in our lives, the community, and the cosmos. We sacrifice our comfort to endure the heat and steam to offer prayers for the community.
I think these cultural experiences are invaluable. Native people are often forgotten in our history books and in our broader American culture. Exposing students to these issues and cultural practices that were very much endangered for some time is amazing. We can return to Columbia with new experiences and perspectives. We will be informed about Native issues and can open dialogues and discussions in our classrooms, organizations, and amongst friends and family. The more people begin to speak of Native culture and Native issues, then real change can begin to be implemented.
Love,
Shannon
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P.S. After participating in the sweat lodge, the girls went back to the motel to take showers and I waited for Jake and Sean to do theirs with some of the Lakota men. They got to eat some fantastic fry bread and talked to the local residents about their lifestyles and just get to know them more. - Tina
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