Author: ceceliapitzer

To me, culture means bringing my family together in ways that cannot really be explained, but expressed through ceremony and tradition.

Three cultural/ community aspects that will prepare me to be successful and lead a meaningful life for me will be:

1) The history of my culture, and what had happened to my people and their struggle will help me tell my story. It will also help me know what, where I come from.

2) The talking circle is really helpful because it is where our elders sit down and really teach us respect, all the old legends of our lands, and how we came to be. It is also where really get to let out our thoughts and express how we feel. Whether it is through song and dance, talking, or praying.

3)  sweat is important to me because sweat really helps us all to drain the toxins out of our body, and I always told that when sweating, “It is suffering, in a good way, it is praying for all of your loved ones, and ones that are struggling.”

Cultural knowledge and participation in ceremony help to prepare me for college and to further my education because I will go on sending out the statement that we as a people are trying to tell. I will go on teaching these things to my family. I will be able to use my traditions for prayer, if I am homesick and miss my tribal ceremonies. It will bring me closer, not physically,but mentally and spiritually.

I prepare to give back to my community by becoming a nurse in the future, so I can help my tribe stay healthy, and most importantly to make them proud. I also plan on talking to younger generations and really explaining to them what knowing our culture really means.

1) At Wishtoyo, I made a clapper stick, It was fun stripping the bark off of the stick and hollowing the stick out. I also enjoyed getting to know some of the mentors and students.

2) Some teachings that I related to the most was serving you elders first, or serving your elders, also before you enter the floor of a longhouse, or a dance floor, you would take your ancestors with you. It is shown that you are doing this when you lift your hand and turning in a circle before entering.

3) My favorite cultural experience was seeing how Mati gave tobacco to the four directions as an offering. I liked this experience because it really related to how when our tribe catches a salmon. After we would catch and eat the salmon, we would place the bones in the water, because that fish gave itself to us for nourishment so we place it back in the water, so the fish will keep coming back, or so I heard from a family member.

4) This is a really self explanatory picture of myself lol I had a really great time at the beach and I hope I get accepted back next year 🙂

1) It is important for native youth to tell their stories so that others see what it’s like to live in poverty, and racism, and to see how drugs and alcohol affect the native american communities and home life.

2) I have experienced seeing my family being addicted to drugs and alcohol, and it really took a piece of them even after they recovered. It also hurt my sober family and I as well. It was and still is hard to see the ones I love hurt themselves. I think the ones that take it day by day, are making the biggest difference in our community. It is one step closer to healing us as a whole, so we can continue our ways and traditions, and keep our reservation safe and clean, so that future children will be able to play in the neighborhood without worrying about accidents, or their parents worrying about child abduction.

3) ‘Smoke Signals’ really captured my attention when I saw that it had a lot of similarities to what life on the reservation is really like, and how it can affect native american children. The movie really shows how drugs and alcohol can really tear families apart, and damage childhood for the children of the parents witnessing the domestic violence and self harm. It also shows that we can learn from our parents’ choices, and addictions. A really big part of addictions is losing loved ones, and really learning how to cope with loss, and accepting things that we can not change. All we know is that in order to heal and inspire the people around us, that we have to be healthy, and to be leaders

Pitzer college students like to go bowling and make new friends.

I think that doing things as a group is a lot safer and can be really fun. Whether it’s going to the mall, going to the farmer’s market, or visiting colleges and touring.

My day was very fun. We went to look at the scripts college and hear from Elizabeth on what it is like to go there. Scripts college was founded in 1928 by a rich white lady, and It is an all girls college. The rooms are almost like princess rooms and some of them are really big. The college has gym that is so nice that it looks like a spa, it has a really big pool. walking down the path of the scripts college, you will find Orange trees along side the buildings. Do not try them!!!!!! Kat tried them and she gave me the most disgusted look, I laughed a lot. It was so hot out today, and the whether has been being bipolar lately. Earlier in the morning, it was around 80 degrees, and when it came around 3 it was pouring. but i love both the rain and the sunshine so it wasn’t bad at all, but I feel bad for the ladies that CURLED OR STRAIGHTENED THEIR HAIR 😦 well I am liking my stay here, even though it might look like I don’t. I have never been to cali before this trip in my life, I wish I could have a little more sight seeing or touring 😦 I also think that i focus more when I have my headphones in.  I thank everyone who made this program possible, and I am especially thankful for the food and knowledge that my elders are giving me.

1) My favorite part of native cooking was getting to try out chia seeds

2) My job during native cooking was cleaning the skin off of the acorns and cutting them them with Michelle and Dominic

Today was amazing

1) I miss the giant cedar trees and seeing the water, and seeing people pulling canoe.

2) One thing that makes it hard about being away from home is that I am not hagning out with my family and I miss my family a lot.

3) one thing that is great about being away from home is that it is good to travel, and to realize that there are more places than just my rez.

4) my day was jawesome :))))

I felt very inspired to learn  more about my culture, when I saw that Bingo knew a lot about the artifacts that were in the basement of the music auditorium. It made me proud to see that an elder of mine knew more than the lady that was presenting us the artifacts. I thought that it was not right when I saw that the artifacts weren’t in the place that they came from, and how far away those artifacts were away from their tribes.

I think that college and native culture can go together because a lot of native american people don’t know about the history that took place long ago, with the boarding schools, and how many tribes lost their language because they weren’t aloud to speak their language in boarding school. I think a lot of things like our cultures and histories should be studied in college, and in earlier grades, so that the knowledge will be passed down to future generations.

My day was very fun, I liked learning how to project my voice while speaking or acting. but yeah today was great 🙂

Resources where and who I find support to go to college from;

1. The Lummi youth academy, My tribe, and my family

2. My mom really supports my goal of becoming a nurse. along with a lot of other family members of mine. I have a tutor named Amy that really helps me with my school work, and she motivates and inspires me to be a good person, and go far in life.

3. I am helping myself prepare for college by learning and doing what it takes to get to where i want to be. I am staying confident with my self and how smart I am. I am begining to become more organized and responsible with my actions, and I am more open to listening to people who have been in my position, and have turned out to be very successful.

4. I will help and encourage my friends to go to college by supporting them when they’re struggling, I will introduce them to the resources I have.

5. My day was good, lol i kept nodding out. I really liked going to check out pomona college, and learn a lot about c. elegans, I couldn’t seem to pick one of them up, i think i killed one, but yeah I’m tired, but it was a lovely day :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

5 things that can make it hard for Native American students to attend college:

1. lack of  educational support

2.people that are bad influences

3. When your family says they have no money and you feel like there are no other options

4.finding references for college apps.

5. when ants keep crawling on my arms

Reflection:

I had a tiring day, i had 6 hours  of sleep last night, I loved the speakers today, if i yawned a bunch I’m sorry!!!!!, I like to make people feel comfortable in the environment that they’re in. I liked having rose and those other two women speak about sex trafficing I love the topic, social justice. I learned a lot about a couple months ago. how things are unjustified and very justified. I like to watch for those types of things when I’m watching movies about social justice, I have a huge interest in that. well i hope everyone has a good night :)))))))))))))))))))))))))

Five reasons why going to college is important for me:

1) Because my mother had told me when i was young, that pursuing a college degree will and can further my career.

2) Also I think college is important for me because it will make my community proud of me.

3)So I can take myself off of the rez, and put my head into the books, to become an inspiration for others.

4)I think that college has a lot of things that are important for me to know

5) there will be cute guys there

I read a book about Sherman Alexie, I learned that Sherman grew up in poverty, and he was picked on not only by white kids, but also native kids in school, and he was picked almost everyday.We also learned about geneticsssssss. My day was good, i really like the food today, and having a pool party at scott’s house, so yeah i got to have fun with my new friends and relax