West Virginia State University - Arch Yearbook (Institute, WV)

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16 SIOUX INAlans visit Two native Americans share cultural aspects Francis Whitebird and Florentine Blue Thunder, members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, CONVOCATION of South Dakota, appeared on campus to discuss aspects of Native American culture. Bebe) Francis Whitebird, coordinator OLethe Monday, November 4, 1985 department of Indian Affairs for South Dakota and a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, spoke at a convocation in Ferrell Auditorium, Problems of Native Americans in Modern Prelude Society, -their life styles, differences in Reflects dans l'eau cultural values and religion, are issues that Whitebird addressed. Whitebird graduated from South Dakota State University in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture. In 1975 he received a master's degree in education from Harvard, A Vietnam veteran, he completed two tours as a medic, Whitebird has been elected to the South Dakota Tribal Council twice. The Tribal Council is similar to the Convocation Addresa of The Native Americans WV State Legislature in that the state legis- Francis Whitebird, Speaker lature and the Tribal Council can only represent residents. The Tribal Council is territorial and makes the laws and establishes the taxes for all the reservations in South Dakota, South Dakota laws and those on the reservations are mutually exclusive. Whitebird is the longest-ranking member of Tribal Land Enterprise, which manages the Coming Events one-half million tribal acres in South Dakota. Psychology of Herbal Medicine He stressed the importance of self- Florentine S!u2 Thunder goverance and self-determination of the Tribal 12:30 Thursday Science Auditorium Council. Florentine Blue Thunder, also a= member ot the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, discussed the Psychology of Herbal Medicine, at a science Seminar in the Science Auditorium. The belief in the healing properties of herbs has been in Blue Thunder's family for generations. He believes that the ground of Mother Earth can nourish human beings by the herbs she grows just as the breast of Mothers can nurish her infant by the milk she produces. Today, in modern medicine, little natural medicine is used, When Florentine teaches at St. Francis Indian School, he integrates his Dakota culture with the social sciences. He focuses on how the course of man relates to the stars, plants and animals. Additionally, Blue Thunder teaches English as a second language to his students who speak the Sioux language at home. When he teaches addition and subtraction, he uses sticks in Indian games. : Blue Thunder has’ been actively involved in his community for years. Last year he was chairman of his conmunity-similar to a mayor in our culture. He continues to be active in their Indian Club. For five years, Florentine has participated in the yearly Sun Dance. The Sun Dance, held in late August, begins at sunrise and ends at sundown, and lasts four days. During these four days, the participants pray continually, maintaing contact with Tunkasila, our equivalent to god, trying to purify themselves mentally, physically, spiritually and socially, says Blue Thunder. Sun Dances are similar to our Christian Lent, Blue Thunder also dances and Sings at the Pow Wows, which are social gatherings to honor someone on thcir birthday, anniversary, for the birth of a baby, or at rallies. At age 26, Blue Thunder attributes his interest in herbal medicine to his grandmother, Kate Fast Dog and his grandfather, Dave Blue Thunder, who was a medicine man for 30 years. 20thc Lifestyles and Problems Debussy, Introduction of Speaker.......Professor Douglas Miller

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iy Indian silhouettes adapted from a work by Ward Churchill; see schedule. Monday, November 4, 1985 CONVOCATION 20th c Lifestyles and Problems Francis Whitebird, Esq. speaker Coordinator, Department of Indian Affairs for the State of South Dakota 10:00 a.m. Auditorium, Harrison H. Ferrell Building Tuesday, November 5, 1985 7:30 p.m. RECEPTION Della Brown Taylor Gallery Ward Churchill, Artist also Ancient Indian Artifacts from Kanawha Valley courtesy West Virginia Department of Culture and History, Sunrise Museum and David Martin Thursday, November 7, 1985 SCIENCE SEMINAR Psychology of Herbal Medicine Florentine Blue Thunder, speaker 12:30 p.m. Science Auditorium Tuesday, November 12, 1985 WRITERS SEMINAR American Indian Women: A Perspective Beatrice Medicine, Professor Natives Studies Program, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 12:30 p.m. Theatre, John W. Davis Fine Arts Building Thursday, November 14, 1985 12:30-3:30 Room 103, John W. Davis Fine Arts Building FILM SCREENINGS Prehistoric Man (17 min) Indian Amenca (52 min) North American Indian Legends (21 min) Navajo: The Last Red Indians (35 min) Monday, November 18, 1985 11:00 a.m. Auditorium, Harrison H. Ferrell Building 8:00 p.m. Theatre, John W. Davis Fine Arts Building EDUCATION SEMINAR Indian Culture and Education Patricia Locke, speaker CONCERT Native American Music and Dances Kevin Locke, Performer 15 Sn a hg EF OE en oe ES eee = amar renee aad 7 Aca ! : TS ES BO a ier ne tek Ki t

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raditional Indian scenes by artist Ward Church- ill, on exhibit at West Virginia State College, in- clude the buffalo dancers at left, a tepee, above, a chief- tain on horseback, at right, and a child in tribal costume, below left. Focus Ba « PSG ae