Blog

Well today I really enjoyed the Martial Arts this morning because it was something new and I felt like I could attack anyone that would come and fight me. But what the highlight of my day was when we spent time at Pomona Museum with Lori Sisquoc, because I don’t really know anyone here or I’m really shy so when I heard Lori was here I thought “Hey I know someone finally” so there was a little ease for me. I also felt like I was more relaxed and talkative today. Also all the projects that Lori did was in her Native Traditions class which I took and so I was familiar which the projects, and people where just coming up to me and asking questions on how to make their basket “better”. But it was cool helping out people and stuff. Overall the day was A1. Can’t wait for what else is in store.

Today we went to the museum at Pomona again and it was much different than last year. There was a lot more explanation and clearing up of some of last year’s concerns with the artifacts that were in the museum. An elder also came and told us what the artifacts were made for, who they were made by, and a little of their backstory. We also made baskets the same way our ancestors made them. Kind of. After the baskets we painted on pieces of cloth with natural paint. Black was made from charcoal, yellow from yellow ochre, and red from red ochre. I painted a kid chasing after Bigfoot in the forest.

My response for Tory Mudd was that when I see things like genocide or boarding schools it makes me feel emotional like mixed emotions you can say. It’s something that has happened along time ago but we still struggle with that today because after our elders and ancestors got out of the boarding schools they would start drinking because of everything they went through there the alcohol kind of numbed that pain away and now we have so much drugs and alcohol on our reservation we can’t get it off. I can go on about this topic but I also really liked Pamela Peters poem! I really loved it, it’s like she’s just letting people know we’re still here as native Americans and that we not what people think we are. We’re strong indigenous Native American women and no matter what we know who we are and what we’ve been through, I really liked her she was kind of an inspiration because I write poems sometimes and I really really loved hers! It was absolutely amazing! With the Museum it was kind of alright I guess I didn’t see as much as last year I didn’t really know what to think cause I had other things going on at the moment but after I gathered myself back up and put myself back together I walked back into the room and looked at everything, I thought it was cool to see some things but also emotional I guess just because when I see things from long ago I think about genocide and just thinking some of those stuff were from babies and those babies might have not had a good life or maybe they didn’t live as long as others but it was also cool to see those things I guess because I don’t see all kinds of stuff like that at home, at home I see cedar baskets, canoes and just stuff like that our ancestors built but I thought it was kind of cool seeing so many different things and learning about other cultures knowing how other cultures work. I watched a few people make traditional baskets and it made me think of our cedar baskets at home and I found it really awesome to watch someone from other cultures make baskets. I really liked going to the science lab today too! I loved that part I love science so much! During lunch I jumped on my phone and texted people telling them I got to look at worms with jellyfish DNA in them and it made them glow in the dark they were called C. Elegans it was really cool that was the highlight of my day.!💜💜 

Hi,

At the pomona museum with interesting artifacts that have important background which is an eye opener. Lori Sisquoc was an elder that taught us how to make baskets and painting with materials and tools our ancestors would have used.

With Tory Mudd, she gave me so much information about stereotypes that were created in films and how popular that became. Even when all of these rememberable tragic moments happened to our people we are still here. Which can be an accomplishment or progress to keep growing in strength and support.

I really liked Pamela Peters has created an amazing poem that touched my heart because it talked about how we are part of a supporting community and that we aren’t just individuals with a history of native cultures, we’re the future of our cultures!

Reflection of today-

Today was a good day. Even when I was tired because waking up is like waking up for school. Also having a basket to bring home and tell the story is going to be a great memory to keep with me.

Today there was so much that was going on and it was so hot! Today I made so new friends and I call them the double D’s. What I though about the museum was a lot better than last year. All the stuff that we saw last year were gone and returned to there original places which was very exciting to see. I’m that are blogs from last were seen and made a change on returning the art. Anyways with all the love peace out

-jess

My thoughts about the collection at the museum are very a lot better than last year. I was happy to see that many of the artifacts there went back to their original home. This year I was also excited to hear them tell us more information about the artifacts. By listening to Tory Mud talk I feel as if what she’s doing to change stereotypes is very creative and interesting. I’m happy to hear that there are people out here fighting for change through social media in a respective way. We can respond to stereotypes about us through film by showing that they’re false and we’re all not the same.

Above all I made two new friends, The Double D’s. Love them

Hello my name is Antonio Carrillo. I am now a 10th grader at Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory in Los Angeles. I am fifteen years old and I live in East Los Angeles with my parents and younger brother. I enjoy interacting with others and I am open-minded to any knowledge I am able to absorb. I am excited to get to know different people from different tribes and learn as much as I can from this program.

Today at the Pomona Museum we learned about indian artifacts and more into the history and culture. Elder Lori Sisquoc taught us how to make baskets, it was something new for me and it was pretty awesome to do something like that. Then Tory Mudd showed us film on stereotypical indians, that they are savages and live the same way as they did before. My responses were that I disagree with the stereotypes. I didn’t like that Hollywood was brainwashing people to believe indians were savages. I liked Pamela Peters talk, I feel that is the type of response that we can encounter in films, prove that we are human and not savages or the stereotypical indian. The forgotten people need to be heard.

Today when the group went to the museum we met with elder Lori Sisquoc and she taught us how to make baskets just as our ancestors did. I thought this was really cool because I have never done anything like this before. After learning, people might show their relatives to do this too. Today was overall better than the first. We also watched a short videos of films of how native americans are portrayed as, and it had me a little mad because how they were being depicted as ruthless and savage people looking for trouble and I know that wasn’t the case. I think to counter the stereotypes we should hear from elders on their perspective. For the Pamela Peters talk, I liked how she was trying to get the voices of the “forgotten people” out there.