Diverse in our diversity

Britney Spears has nothing on the Madras High School Cultural Club.

When its 40-plus members visited Redmond’s Evergreen Elementary School last week to entertain the students and speak about their various cultural backgrounds, the level of excitement generated by the younger students was off the charts. Rollicking applause, whoops and hollers and generally besotted expressions accompanied every performance by the largely Hispanic and Native American club members.

“There’s never been anything like this since I’ve been here,” said Kriss Whipple, a second-grade teacher who organized the event. “We have such a great variety of cultures in Central Oregon but some of the kids aren’t really aware of it; this was great for them to see.”

The club members performed for more than an hour, including Latino folk dances, Native American flute performances and ceremonial dances such as fancy and jingle dancing, break dancing, even modern interpretive dances.

After the show club members ate lunch with the elementary students and joined them on the playground, answering questions about their performances and cultural background.

“The kids were so happy, all smiles and they liked our outfits and asked questions. It was fun,” said MHS ninth-grader Robinique Hatlestad. She performed several Native American dances for the students, joining other club members from Warm Springs. “We did a smaller assembly in September and I was really shy and kept my head down. This time I decided to keep my head up and show them what I got.”

The club is a 12-year project of Foster Kalama, tribal liaison for the Madras School District. Its goal has been to break down the barriers between the various ethnic groups in Madras schools so they can learn to accept one another. MHS is roughly one-third Hispanic, one-third Caucasian and one-third Native American. Kalama often has to deal with harsher realities such as sexual abuse and substance addiction, so building the club to celebrate what’s good about the various cultures is a welcome positive experience.

“We turn the club over to them; we’re just there to help with guidance and do whatever we can to help them be happy,” said Kalama. He is a former dancer himself and master flute player who has taught many students to play, regardless of their actual ethnicity.

“I remind the Mexican kids that most of them are really native peoples (Aztec etc…) anyway,” he said. This year Kalama is mentoring student Carlos Aguirre, who is Hispanic, on the native flutes.

Kalama’s co-advisor is English Language Development teacher Becky Dudney.
“The club has a lot of energy this year and it’s bigger than it’s ever been,” she said. “We had a celebration for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and invited families for dinner and a dance. My native students helped set it up and waited on people.”

The club is open to anyone and in the past has had students from other cultural backgrounds (they featured country line dancing performances some years ) but this year it is primarily Hispanic and native.

“We want to be diverse in our diversity,” said Dudney. “Initially there were kids who wanted to dance mainly for pride and they didn’t get along with the others but now many are friends.”
After the question and answer session the club members conducted with Evergreen students they were asked to sign autographs, and moved among the younger kids answering even more questions as they wrote.

“Are you a real Indian?” “How did you learn to dance?” “How long does it take to learn the flute?” “Where can I buy a dress like that?”

Whipple was very pleased with the experience.

“We talk a lot in class about family and tradition and so much of what they saw today is tied into that. It makes it really real for the kids," she said.

For more information about the Cultural Diversity Club or to inquire about performances, call Madras High School, 541-475-7265 or email fkalama@509J.net or bdudney@509j.net.

-- story and photo by Leslie Pugmire Hole