Growing Up
Growing up on an Indian reservation is not unlike growing up anywhere else. You get in the same scrapes as a kid, argue with your parents as a teen, and have hopes and dreams for yourself, just like anyone else. …
In Print
Student 1997
Writing Contest Winners
Smudging
To many people, the word smudge may have a variety of meanings. To the Native American people, it has a very special meaning. People who smudge daily are cleansing themselves. The practice of smudging has been a part of the …
Laundry Day
It’s early morning, the sky is dark to the east, and there’s a stillness over the house that happens only in these pre-dawn hours. The sounds of the night have ceased; it is too early for the birds, save for …
Grandmother’s Words
My grandmother, Lucy (Mike) Kingfisher, was a wise woman. Whatever happened in my life when I was young, she was always there. When my mother had babies, when there was a death in the family, on special occasions, she was …
I am Worthy
Since I have started recovering my sobriety, I have met some people who are helping me to save the rest of my life. These include doctors, teachers, counselors, new friends, and relatives. Some of the people have been there all …
Hands
Years ago, men stood against the old bank on Main Street. On warm, sunny days I casually watched as they visited. Their eyes each told a story— a story of hardships. A story of struggles. A story of survival. A …
The Braid
I am made of hundreds of strands of hair. Each strand resilient, beautiful, unique. Each strand the colors of the earth. Each strand illuminated by the sun. Each strand cleansed by the rain. Each strand shaken by the wind. Like …