Jen Brodal/MDN Students at Jim Hill Middle School, Minot have formed a Native American Club. From left to right are Quintin Plenty Chief, Elijah Landin, Margaret Yellowbird (adviser), Sophie Landin, Ja’nya Claiborne, Ta’nya Claiborne, Sophia Decoteau, Yari Klimpell, Brynlee Keplin, Terrance Decoteau, Abigail Aldrich, Elijah Decoteau, Ethan Cree, Dylan Zieman, River Jackson, Julian Carpenter, Landin Henry, Adrianna Dauphinais and Thomas Plenty Chief (speaker).

Margaret Yellowbird is a teacher at White Shield High School and commutes to and from Minot. Her family recently moved to Minot and her daughter attends Jim Hill Middle School. Yellowbird inquired about clubs her daughter may join and discovered an interest for a Native American club. It is the first for Jim Hill and off to an amazing start with a group of almost 40 kids.

The Native American Club met on Friday morning in the front lawn of Jim Hill Middle School to participate in learning about the assembly, structure, meaning and disassembly of the tepee. Thomas Plenty Chief came from New Town to teach the club about the importance of ceremonies, family and the Native culture, the Arikara tribe or Sahnish.

Plenty Chief describes the ways and teachings of each tribe as being individual to each tribe. To the Arikara, “they say a tepee represents a woman facing the sun in prayer, that the tripod design of this tepee represents the base including the mind, body, and soul and each of the additional 14 poles act as the woman’s ribs, protecting her family, fire and life. Each of the pins, sealing the tepees’ opening represent the teachings of the home: honesty, integrity, perseverance.”

Plenty Chief went on to say the traditions and importance of ceremonies teaches us our most relevant qualities, and helps us to continue to pass down kindness, generosity, honesty and being loving and hardworking.

The kids intently watched and listened to the presentation and when asked why they were a part of Native American Club, “It’s fun,” said Sophie Lanin and “to learn more about our culture,” agreed Brynlee Keplin and Abigail Aldrich.

Yellowbird was excited for the kids. She said “I want them to be proud of who they are.”

Yellowbird said it is not easy being a student and struggling with what you like or don’t, your identity and fitting in. She said the Native American club will bring solace to these kids and a sense of home and family.

Later this summer, the club will be painting murals on lockers in preparation for a new school year.