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I think that my language is a very important aspect of Indigenous Culture that prepares me to live a successful and meaningful life because it will help me stay connected to my culture and ancestors during ceremonies and gatherings; by understanding what the elders are saying.

Cultural Knowledge and Participation in ceremony helps to prepare me for college by allowing me to find myself and focus on what I want to do with my life. In ceremonies I feel like I know myself more.

After I’ve got to college, I will bring back my knowledge and education to help my community in any way that I can. Like becoming a doctor, nutritionist, teacher, etc.

1. I like the songs, we learn new songs and we talk about how we were created. I feel great when I can learn new songs, one thing I find weird is when I have a hard time speaking my one language and yet when we learn new song with different languages we can catch on real quick. I like the circles also because w get to express our feelings, talk about our culture and ancestors and talk about how we were all close and how we all together at one time. I love my culture my “Schelangen” Our way of life. I also love to learn about other cultures to. Especially when we are told stories about the elders like about the Boldt decision and Frank’s landing. I loved learning about Billy Frank Jr. and watching clips of the things the white people did to the natives long ago just because we wanted our fish.

2. It helps us by knowing more about your culture, every tribe is taught to have patience. You need to learn and be patient, give things time to start the change, don’t assume things are gonna change in the snap of your finger. Things take to start and you need to have some of these things in the real world to. Have patience, don’t get mad so quickly, be kind to everyone you see even if their mean, my grandpa always says “kill them with kindness” you have to use some things form your culture and use it in the real world.

3. They prepare us for giving back to our community by getting a degree and going back home and working for your tribe. The place you grew up the people who helped you, the family who helped raise you, you need to give back to your community because some people gave you everything and you don’t just want to leave and never come back, you need to give back to all the people who helped raised you, encouraged you , discouraged you, all the people who helped you and didn’t, you just have to show them you can do it and show them what your made of :D.     Sincerely- MacKayla Sharon George

Cultural knowledge prepares. Through it, I have evolved as a student, son, brother, and individual. I am grateful for the teachings that are held in every story, song, and dance. The knowledge we receive from our parents, grandparents, and community allow us to understand what it means to give back to that which gave to you. As human beings, we thrive off the land and everything on it. We are the children of the Earth after all, and the same way we love our mothers, we should our Earth. I grew up learning that it is my duty to do my best at everything, no matter what it is. If I am doing something, I should give it my all. This is indeed very challenging and sometimes I have trouble following through. However, I try my best.

Three aspects of indigenous Culture/Community that prepare you to be successful and lead a meaningful life are songs, ceremony, and ancestors. I picked each of those because songs can motivate you to do magnificent things you may or may not know you can do. Ceremony is important because its a daily reminder to be grateful for everything you have because you might not wake up tomorrow. It sounds morbid, I know, but its true. Ancestors are the most important thing that prepare me for everything because it reminds me every day for all that they’ve done to put me on this earth today. I have all of those to be grateful for and help me prepare me for everything. It prepares me to give back to my community because I have all that to be grateful for and I would love to give it back. Return the favor for all they’ve done for me.

My favorite aspect of Indigenous Culture would have to be the way in which we sit in circles. It is a form of decolonized communication. It teaches all to be able to see everyone around you, instead of everyone looking at one person. Another aspect that I find important would have to be ceremony. Ceremonies teach us to be prepared and to have meaning in our lives. To do ceremony before you do something else is a way of being ready. A way of being mentally prepared for whatever comes next. Rather it be in a good way, or in an open minded way, it prepares you for what comes next. My third and favorite aspect of Indigenous Culture is that of singing songs, especially in a community setting. It teaches us to work together, to keep our rythm as one.

Indigenous Culture prepares me for college by allowing me to have a clear goal as to why I want to receive higher education. It gives me greater purpose as to why I should reach my goals in higher education.

Indigenous Culture allows me to have a good mentality towards my community. It has prepared me to have a purpose as to why I should take care of my community and give back to it.

Some aspects of Indigenous Culture that prepares you to have a successful and lead an meaningful life are ceremonies, talking circles, and language. Ceremonies are important to me because they’ll most likely teach you on how to be patient because they can sometimes take a very long time of just listening. However, talking circles are important as well because they help teach you how to be more respective towards others, and what they have to say. Finally language is also very important too because your language tells who you are, where you come from, and your culture.

Cultural knowledge and participation in Ceremony help you prepare for college by helping you understand another language such as your own or it may be easier to learn another language, and ceremony teaches you patients which sometimes you need in class.

Culture helps prepare me for giving back to my community by showing how to give back in ceremonies, and what my community likes to get back from another person, such as cedar.

Preparing myself for a successful and meaningful life:
I could do this in so many ways just by being me. Staying with my culture and not letting it fade away. I’m still learning the songs, dances, and stories. I will continue to carry them on for my ancestors by being apart of ceremonies and speaking Dakota/Lakota.

I think that singing cultural songs are important to me because my family has just started to sing the eagle song. It means a lot to my dad that I learn the song because he knows that one day I will have to teach younger people about it. I also know that respecting the elders is important in Lummi that they eat first. Also that they need everyone listening to them once they start talking. 

I think that being a part of a ceremony helps with the decision if I want to study a culture in college. If that was the point then I would return to my tribe and lend a helping hand with my knowledge.

In the future I would want to give back to my community by volunteering at the baby sitting place by Lummi Nation School or maybe become a helper for the fundraisers children have.

  Trisha Question:

How many phones have you had in your life time :]

I believe the main aspect in charge of preparing you to be successful are the elders. Elders are very knowledgable and wise and there is a reason for that. Through their experiences and teachings they have learned to become who they are. Therefore, they are the perfect ones to prepare you to be successful. Ceremonies are also very helpful because in ceremonies there is a lot of storytelling. Stories often have a teachings that one can learn from. Another great aspect are songs. Songs help getting people involved in the cultural community. Songs can be very uplifting and can morally support someone.

Cultural knowledge and ceremonial participation further prepares you for college because it will look very good on a college participation. Now a days, colleges are looking for students with these sort of backgrounds. They are looking to bring these students to enrich their programs with indigenous knowledge.

With all the teachings that you are given, you learn to share that knowledge with other people. You learn to be who you want and to take all your knowledge to give back to your community. Our generation has the responsibility to make a change in this world and the first step is always giving back to your indigenous community.