| As many children learn about Native American culture | | | | other shellfish. Purple was worth more than white. |
| during November, here are some activities and | | | | Here is how to make your own wampum. Put half of |
| information about our first citizens. Do you like | | | | a small box of macaroni into a bowl and cover it with |
| barbecues? How about clambakes? Well, the next | | | | purple paint, letting it soak for two hours. Strain the |
| time you attend one, thank the Indians! Native | | | | macaroni and let it dry on paper towels during the |
| Americans invented them, along with chewing gum, | | | | night. At last, create your wampum by stringing |
| ponchos, chocolate, snowshoes, parkas, and | | | | purple and white macaroni. Tie the ends of the string |
| moccasins. Do research to find out what else our | | | | together for a necklace or a bracelet. For variation, |
| first citizens invented! Chief Seattle's Lesson Seattle | | | | try stringing the macaroni in various patterns and |
| was a teacher Who taught us how to care For all | | | | assigning different numbers to the purple and white. |
| the living things on earth, Fresh water, and clean air. | | | | How much is your wampum worth? Open a little |
| "The earth does not belong to us," Great Chief | | | | store and use your wampum for money! If you can |
| Seattle said. "We sometimes think it does, but we | | | | find seashells with small holes for stringing, try using |
| Belong to earth, instead." This poem was written by | | | | them instead of macaroni. League of the Iroquois |
| Helen H. Moore and reflects a basic belief of the | | | | One of the first governments in America was the |
| Indians. Discuss its meaning and make a collage of | | | | Five Nations, or the League of the Iroquois. The |
| fresh water vs polluted water and the effects of | | | | Mohawk chief, Hiawatha, helped found it in 1570 to |
| each, as well as clean air vs smog and the effects of | | | | unite the separate tribes, or nations, in war and |
| each. Beanbag Bunt Many games that were played | | | | peace. Consisting of the Mohawks, Oneidas, |
| by Native American children when the Pilgrims landed | | | | Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, each tribe took |
| are still played to this day. Here is a variation of a | | | | care of its own business. When their affairs affected |
| game played by the Zuni Indians of the Southwest. | | | | another tribe, however, the League Council stepped |
| Create a circle about 30' in diameter and make a | | | | in. Answer these True or False statements about the |
| horizontal starting line inside toward the edge. Put | | | | paragraph above...using the Cree Indian letters for T |
| two different-colored beanbags behind the starting | | | | and F! The T looks like a lowercase b with more of a |
| line and choose two children to be the first players; | | | | heart-shaped right side than a circle; and the F looks |
| other children should be forming a ring around the | | | | like an inverted capital V with a vertical side on the |
| circle. The object of this game is to be the first to | | | | right rather than a diagonal. Mohawk chief Hiawatha |
| kick your beanbag around the inside of the circle | | | | helped start the Five Nations. ____ The Seminoles |
| without crossing its border. If a player misses, he | | | | were part of the League of the Iroquois. ____ The |
| must step outside the circle. In order to win, the | | | | League told all its members how to conduct their |
| other player must successfully complete his trip | | | | business. ____ The Five Nations was one of the |
| around the circle. Should there be a tie, or both | | | | first governments in America. ____ Research to find |
| players miss, they play another round. The winner of | | | | out more about the Iroquois nation. Does the League |
| each round chooses a new opponent from the rest | | | | still exist? Totem Poles In the Pacific Northwest, |
| of the children. Bird Feeder After a good harvest, | | | | Native Americans such as the Tlingit, pronounced |
| Native Americans made an offering of three ears of | | | | klink-it, still make totem poles to record their family |
| Indian corn tied to a gourd filled with corn kernels; | | | | and clan histories. The poles are carved of wood and |
| this was hung outside their teepee in order to feed | | | | brightly painted to resemble birds, animals, or people. |
| the birds. When the birds ate, the Indians were | | | | An angry-looking bear, for instance, could symbolize a |
| happy because they believed their offering had been | | | | warlike relative; while a deer might symbolize a gentle |
| accepted by the gods. Here are directions for you to | | | | one. Make a totem pole to reflect your family! Here's |
| make a bird feeder. Cut a gourd in half vertically, | | | | how. Measure various colors of construction paper, |
| scoop out the insides, and use a skewer or metal | | | | exactly, to fit 6-8 1-lb cans, such as coffee cans. |
| dowel to poke two holes about 1" from the top | | | | Laying the papers flat, use crayons, markers, or paint |
| through both sides of each half of the gourd. Using a | | | | to draw a different face or design on each. Wrap a |
| long piece of thin wire, thread one of the halves and | | | | paper around each can and tape the edges together. |
| wrap a loose end around an ear of Indian corn at the | | | | Place each can down with the open side up and |
| husk near the top of the ear. The longer end of wire | | | | decorate with eyes, ears, noses, teeth, and other |
| should still be through the other hole so you can add | | | | 3-dimensional features. Use fabric, buttons, sticks...any |
| another ear of Indian corn, then the other half of the | | | | odds and ends you have. Decide the order in which |
| gourd, and end with another ear of Indian corn. | | | | the cans will be stacked; then add sand to the |
| Finally, tie the loose ends together to form a loop | | | | bottom one to prevent the totem pole from tipping |
| and hang your bird feeder outside. Put some birdseed | | | | over. Put one can on top of another, taping them |
| in each hollow end of the gourd and watch the birds | | | | together as you go. Decorate the top of your totem |
| eat! Learn the names of birds in your area and keep | | | | pole! There are many Native American tribes in our |
| a record of the kinds of birds that come to your | | | | country today. On a map, pinpoint where each tribe |
| feeder. Choose several birds and count how many of | | | | lives. Find out which live in your region and take a |
| each kind come within a certain time frame; then | | | | field trip to learn more about them. I hope these |
| make a pictograph showing the data. Wampum The | | | | ideas are useful and have inspired your own creative |
| Indian money was called wampum and consisted of | | | | thinking. Happy Thanksgiving!! |
| strings of beads made from the shells of clams and | | | | More articles from this pro: J. Glatt, M.S. |