PATHKEEPERS for
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
Photos of Pathkeepers Native Youth Leadership Camp -- 2016
Staff getting Ready to Welcome and Register Pathkeepers Youth to Summer 2016 Camp.
Opening Ceremony of Pathkeepers Camp 2016. Setting up tents and exploring Camp grounds. Thanks to Reggie Tupponce, Upper Mattaponi Tribe, for helping to welcome Campers to Virginia Tribal homelands, and our fabulous interns, Chloe and Joe!
Campers Get Moving with:
1) Early morning greeting and stretch led by Miss Lucinda; Walking and Running on trails each morning;
2) Fishing with Mr. Elias; and
3) Tending to and Picking Vegetables in the Camp Garden.
Lacrosse workshop with Mr. Justin, a former member of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Team! Go Pathkeepers!
Campers playing with horses and embracing Native Horsemanship with Miss Angelina, Miss Lucinda, Mr. Mike, and River, Traveller Bird, Austin and Lamar, our 4-legged partners.
Dancing and singing at our Pathkeepers Pow Wow -- "Everybody Dance!" -- Thanks to the Yapatoko Drum and Singers who came as host drum!
Mr. Ralph Zotigh joins Pathkeepers Camp as special guest staff and leads Campers in workshops, including:
1) Powwow Drumming and Singing and creates the new Pathkeepers song which combines northern and southern style singing.
2) Mr. Zotigh shows Campers how to make traditional chokers.
3) Mr. Zotigh shares with Campers in storytelling.
Camp included many other creative and educational workshops, and we were honored to have incredible guest presenters. Special thank you to all our guests, elders and volunteers! Some of these educational workshops included:
1) Beading workshop led by Pathkeepers Board member, Lucinda Long-Webb.
2) Creative Logic and Poetry workshop led by Poet-In-Residence, Barney Bush.
3) Photography workshop with Mr. Randy Welch.
4) Navajo language and culture workshop led by Miss Lucinda.
5) Music Composition Workshop led by Mr. Gali Sanchez, and recorded at Pathkeepers Studios -- Thanks Rollie for mixing!
6) "College Day" with officials from University of Virginia, Haskell University, and Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.
Field Trip to Washington, D.C. - Day One:
1) Visiting art and exhibits at the National Museum of the American Indian
2) "Hey -- There's my Tribe's flag!"
3) Singing the new Pathkeepers Song with Mr. Ralph Zotigh in the atrium of the National Museum of the American Indian
4) A quick swing by the U.S. Supreme Court
5) Visit and meeting with the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) and the Center for Native American Youth senior staff, Josie Raphaelito. Thanks to NIGA Executive Director, Jason Giles, for hosting us and for dinner!
Field Trip to Washington, D.C. - Day One (Continued.....): Pathkeepers holds a Mock Hearing in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing Room. Pathkeepers youth identified 4 issues they were concerned about, wrote up a proposed Senate bill for each, drafted testimony, opening statements and questions, and held a hearing on each issue. Every camper playing either a Senator, Committee staff, or a witness (like tribal chairman). Thanks to the Committee for giving our youth this incredible opportunity!
Field Trip to Washington, D.C. - Day Two:
1) Special Visit to the front lawn of the White House and First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden.
2) Roundtable discussion with the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education, Ron Lessard, Joyce Silverthorne, and other education officials.
3) Discussion and meeting with White House Native interns.
4) Visit to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial on the Washington D.C. Mall.
Fun Pictures around Camp: Eating fresh, healthy and traditional foods all week, and a special thanks to Miss Stephanie and Miss Deb for all their help cooking such wonderful and tasty foods all week; hanging out around Camp.
Last Day of Camp: Campers give Final Presentations to the entire Camp, and Say Goodbyes, until we see each other again.....
