Native American Celebration Day kicks off with storytelling and traditional dancing

Smith Student Center Ballroom, Tuesday Nov. 4, 10:30 a.m.

 Traditional Jingle Dancing

            Slippery Rock University brought in this year’s Native American Celebration Day with cultural dancing, and craft making.

           The Pittsburgh-based Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center joined to bring the event together in the Smith Student Center Ballroom. The celebration began on the morning of Thursday, November 6th with Native American storytelling that began at 9:30 a.m. SRU invited local elementary and middle school students to this event and those students were invited to stay for the Native American jingle dancers

            The jingle dancers introduced the story of their origin, which began when a man’s granddaughter became sick. He then dreamt about women adorned in silver dresses, and constructed his own dress out of lids of tobacco cans. He folded each lid into a cone, and sewed them on to a dress for a dancer. The first time a dancer danced with the dress on, his granddaughter became conscious. The second time a dancer danced, she sat up. The third time she stood, and the fourth time she danced alongside the other dancers.

            Crafters were able to display and sell their wares throughout the day. The setup included various stands displaying traditional jewelry, dream catchers, and arrowheads. Students were also welcome to participate in crafting dream catchers.

Sophomore Alyssa Pauletich, 20, art education and special education major, said that the social aspect of Native American Celebration Day was what drew her to the event.

“I like how interactive these cultural events are,” Pauletich said, “I’m especially excited about making a dream catcher. It’s too often that cultural events don’t go out of their way to involve participants.”

            Junior Haley Cardwell, 20, said that she went to the event to check out the jewelry and to make a dream catcher. Cardwell said she’s also part Native American, and that drew her to the event as well.

           "It's really interesting that people are still so connected to their culture," Cardwell said. "It makes me want to be more connected to mine as well. 

Why Cardwell came to Native American Celebration Day.

Students making dream catchers