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Change is in the air for American Indian graduates
Theater company forms
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FarkSpring has taken a firm grip in western South Dakota. The crocuses have long since pushed their heads through snow and earth to herald spring’s coming. The current bushes have shown their blossoms, which have now retired. The chokecherry, plumb, and buffalo bushes are replacing those early yellow blossoms with their own splash of color and wonderful aroma.
To all, it seems that there is a fresh new beginning to the world.
To some, this new beginning is mixed with the end of a part of their lives.
This week, senior high school students on the Pine Ridge will take their last student walk through the doors of their respective high schools.
Red Cloud High School will graduate 41 students this year, Pine Ridge High, 109, and Little Wound, 48. In an interview with the students of Little Wound, eight students have plans to attend higher education off reservation. Some of them plan to go into the fields of nursing and psychology.
Other students are not at all sure what their next step will be. Job opportunities for high school students on the reserve are almost nil. None of the remaining students have considered leaving family for off-reservation opportunities. For these students, spring has brought the end of the certainty of going to school each day and the uncertainty of what life will bring them next.
In the traditional Lakota culture, the end of the past year and beginning of the next will be marked in the Sun Dance ceremonies. These will held at various places on the reserve and will begin shortly. It takes a year to prepare for the Sun Dance events, which are held over a period of five days.
* In the past two weeks, students at Little Wound High School have performed the play “The Green Archer” by George Call. The performances were free to the public and offered an opportunity to view some very talented students. Students and director both were very pleased with the results. The director of the play, Dan Sneathen, said that this was by far the best effort put forth by students that he has worked with.
* A new opportunity taking shape is a nonprofit organization, Cloud Horse Art, which has just gained official status as a 501C3 corporation. The organization has been in the formative state for the past five to six years. One of the goals of the organization is to form the Western South Dakota Native American Theater Company.
One of Cloud Horse Art’s organizers, Mark St. Pierre, has a vision of an A and B company of Native American actors based in Kyle and in Hot Springs. Mark will seek acting participants in late June and early July. He has sought help from school officials in Kyle for space and student involvement but has had no response. He feels that the organization will offer an activity that people can be a part of in the community.
Sandra White Shield works at Oglala Lakota College.
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