Occupation: Retired
Age: 86
Enrolled Yakama Tribal
Member
My mother was taken by
the government at age 8 and put into a boarding school at Fort Simco. The
school she was put into taught her English and she was not allowed to learn
Yakama dialect. These types of school were created to redirect Indian culture
away from the traditional teachings. Because my mother was taught by white
people and taught not to act Indian I was not raised with traditional native
influences.
The government accomplished what they wanted because my mother did not pass on anything traditional to me but her love for stick games. Stick games are a traditional Native American hand game of hiding bones and choosing which hand holds the correct bone. I enjoy watching people play because it reminds me of my mother. But my father raised me to be a cowboy and that is what I am. I don’t see myself as an Indian, although all my life I was raised around them and worked with them so I have picked up the culture.
I see traditions dying off quickly, it is sad to see the good days leaving us.
The government accomplished what they wanted because my mother did not pass on anything traditional to me but her love for stick games. Stick games are a traditional Native American hand game of hiding bones and choosing which hand holds the correct bone. I enjoy watching people play because it reminds me of my mother. But my father raised me to be a cowboy and that is what I am. I don’t see myself as an Indian, although all my life I was raised around them and worked with them so I have picked up the culture.
I see traditions dying off quickly, it is sad to see the good days leaving us.
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