Gathering of Native Americans activities result in healing
GONA participants shake hands during round dance on the last day of the event on January 30.
By BREE BAKER
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The final days of The Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) took place on January 29 and 30 at the Chiefs Event Center at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel, in Fort Hall.
Participants played different ice breaker games, had group discussions, created gifts for each other, and completed the different group activities. The facilitators for the event were Idella King, Leon Leader Charge, and Allison Baez. Throughout the event there were 7 different teams created — the Red Road Warriors, The Warriors, Spirit of Wah’Sha, Helping Hands, Hanee Yahha Keydeh Bungu ‘Neh, The Injuns that Would, and United Sun Chasers.
Day 3 of GONA was January 29, at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel Event Center. It started with a prayer song, then Leon Leader Charge and Rainelle Edmo welcomed and the things during the first two days. To begin the day, GONA participants took part in few different team building activities throughout the day. The first team building activity was the yarn game, the teams went around describing themselves with an adjective that begins with the first letter of their name, tossing the ball of yarn after each turn. Building a spiderweb or star design, next they shared a wish or goal they had for their community. Then they had to leave the group, until one or two people stood trying to hold the yarn together. After the game the groups describe how they felt and how the game could relate to real life. Then a game of “Bear, Hunter, Princess” was played amongst participants, the game is like “Rock, Paper, Scissors” where you pick a stance to beat your opponent. Participants seemed to enjoy the activity, smiles and laughter filled the room while everyone played or watched. The group then took a break for lunch, where a barbeque style lunch was served, with salad, beans, potato salad, and barbeque chicken. After lunch, the group gathered into their respective teams and discussed the Stages of Team Development reflecting on their experiences being a team.
Participants offer their feedback for the event.
Then the teams were tasked to create a tower out of index cards, the tower had to withstand the wind, the snow, and the earthquake. The teams could not use anything other than the index cards, they all had different approaches to the task. Some folded the cards into triangles, some into boxes, some were crumpled, and some were rolled. Most of the towers were still standing after being put to the test. The teams seemed proud of how their creations withstood the tests and reflected as a group at the end. A brief break was had before the next activity began, cookies and chips were provided as a snack. The next activity required the teams worked together to create a superhero, they give the superhero a name and powers. The teams created a superhero costume with the supplies they were given such as streamers, balloons, cups and plates, and plastic materiel. They needed to create a backstory, where the powers came from. The needed to provide challenges that the community is facing and how the superhero overcomes the barriers to meet the community’s needs. The hero’s had healing powers, the power of unconditional love, the power of prayer, and even turning trash into treasure. The superheroes of the day were Cedar Burnett as Cedar Man, Jason Butler as Medicine Bag Thunderheart, Ja’Sya Navo as Tzi Tzi Power, Derrick Tinno Jr. as Jr. Prayer Man, Sassyfoot, Kermit Bacon as Trashformer formerly “Dew’Pee’Sheep Day Nah Peh”, and Terrence Pocatilla as Terrence the Terrific. The day ended in a discussion and reflection of the day’s events.
Waapi Kani (Cedar House) Mental Wellness & Recovery Services staff members Rainelle Edmo (left) and Annie Bacon.
Thursday, January 30, was the final day of the GONA, in the morning RoseAnn Abrahamson and Lacey Bacon spoke and told a story. Then participants played team building and ice breaker games, such as musical chairs. The groups broke off and had group discussions about ways to improve the community. Nathan Small spoke about environmental issues such as the impact the Gay Mine has on the land and the impact it will have on future generations. As the morning session finished, lunch was provided for those in attendance, the meal consisted of beef stew, salad, Indian tacos, and a chocolate cheesecake. After lunch drum group, Spring Creek, sang as the veterans came and retired the colors. Throughout the week participants were encouraged to take a photo and hang it on the wall and go through and write a positive message on other’s photos. There was a craft table that had different types of materials, beads, markers, paints, and other crafting materials for participants to create something and put it on the table for the gift table. Participants brought in and created different gifts for each other, such as earrings, necklaces, paintings, drawings, art kits, beaded wristlets, backpacks, yarn pouches, books, and different types of nuts and plants. Everyone sat in the circle and an award like ceremony took place, Idella King and Leon Leader Charge read the positive affirmations out loud and announced the participants name and gave them their photo then participants came up and chose a gift from the table.
GONA Superheroes (from left) Sassyfoot, Cedar Burnett as Cedar-Man, Jason Butler as Medicine Bag Thunderheart, Derrick Tinno Jr. as Jr. Prayer Man, Ja'Sya Nave as TziTzi Power, Kermit Bacon as Trashformer and Terrence Pocatilla as Terrence the Terrific.
Rainelle Edmo thanked and presented a gift to the facilitators, Idella King, Leon Leader Charge, and Allison Baez. Edmo said, “I appreciate you for coming and teaching us and giving us the tools to teach our community.” Edmo also thanked the dancers, the drum groups, the drug and alcohol task force. After the photos and gifts were given all the participants dancing to a round dance and then shaking hand with one another, the round dance was sung by the drum group Spring Creek. The event ended in a raffle, with the grand prize being an iPad, donated by the Tribal Youth Education Program. Shawna DeCola was the winner of the grand prize.
