December 5, 2018
Celebrating all cultures
Culture night brings large crowd to Edwin Loe Elementary
By Jerry W. Kram
The gym at Edwin Loe Elementary was packed with people Monday night as the school held its annual Culture Night for the community.
There were tables devoted to teaching not only the cultural traditions of the Three Affiliated Tribes, but also of the many other residents of the area including Germans, Norwegians and the Philippines. But most of the displays and demonstrations celebrated many facets of tribal culture. Delvin Cree displayed the willow baskets his family has made for generations. Participants could sample buffalo jerky, juneberry pudding, corn, squash and other traditional foods. There were demonstrations of crafts including leatherwork, Hidatsa pottery and many other.
Iris Obes and Glenda Rush were the primary organizers of the event. This the third annual event they have organized.
“The last couple years we have had more and more participation,” Rush said. “We made it made it multicultural this year. We have teachers from the Philippines this year and they chipped in their culture, food and dress. We also have pinatas from the Latin culture. We have our own traditional foods, a hoop dancer, basket maker, sign language – just more and more every year.”
That hoop dancer was Kevin Locke from Wakpala, S.D. School Superintendent Mark Bluestone invited Locke to perform and lead an impromptu demonstration of hoop dancing for students and teachers alike.
There were tables devoted to teaching not only the cultural traditions of the Three Affiliated Tribes, but also of the many other residents of the area including Germans, Norwegians and the Philippines. But most of the displays and demonstrations celebrated many facets of tribal culture. Delvin Cree displayed the willow baskets his family has made for generations. Participants could sample buffalo jerky, juneberry pudding, corn, squash and other traditional foods. There were demonstrations of crafts including leatherwork, Hidatsa pottery and many other.
Iris Obes and Glenda Rush were the primary organizers of the event. This the third annual event they have organized.
“The last couple years we have had more and more participation,” Rush said. “We made it made it multicultural this year. We have teachers from the Philippines this year and they chipped in their culture, food and dress. We also have pinatas from the Latin culture. We have our own traditional foods, a hoop dancer, basket maker, sign language – just more and more every year.”
That hoop dancer was Kevin Locke from Wakpala, S.D. School Superintendent Mark Bluestone invited Locke to perform and lead an impromptu demonstration of hoop dancing for students and teachers alike.
