Fort Union Trading Post NHS hosted its third of three cultural program series this past week, August 12 & 13. Students from the Arikara tribe participated in the language and cultural program by introducing visitors to elements of the Arikara culture.
There were compliments on the programs given by the Arikara group from visitors. Visitors from Washington, California, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, listened to the programs offered. “A visitor from the state of Washington asked one of the students to speak in the Arikara language, which she replied, nawah ti siinaNI, telling the visitor this means, hello my friend,” said Loren Yellow Bird, the park ranger who headed up this program. “One student told at least 3 separate groups of visitors a story about, the girl who married a star, which visitors who listened enjoyed it completely.” All visitors who came to the Arikara camp learned about their deep and rich culture.
Programs done by the group included teaching about Arikara origins, scouts for the Army, medicine societies, traditional earth lodges and petitioning the Secretary of Indian Affairs in 1913 for the opportunity to pass down music to the next generation.
“Overall, this summer program for the year has been very successful; we were able to gain exposure for the students who are working on preserving the language and culture. Also serve as a platform for these tribes, where their young people can demonstrate that this history, culture and language will be around for at least another generation. I’m glad our park could provide that for them and I look forward to doing this again.”
Fort Union Trading Post had contact with nine northern plains tribes historically. The groups who are participating in this years’ program are documented as coming to Fort Union.
