The Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Family Service and Support Division’s Education and Indigenous Learning team hosted its inaugural Family Service and Support Culture Camp at Effie Kokrine Charter School on July 22 and 23.
Children in kindergarten through sixth grade had the opportunity to attend the two-day camp, with students in grades K-3 attending in the mornings and students in grades 4-6 attending in the afternoons.
On Day One, students participated in arts and crafts, learned about Athabascan languages from Doyon Foundation’s Language Revitalization Team, and explored the importance of Native Games through demonstrations led by Brittney Woods-Orrison and TCC GO student volunteer Andria Moses.
On Day Two, students participated in a language-based “Go Fish” game, where they learned the names of animals in different Athabascan language dialects with TCC Tribal Resource Stewardship Director Diloola Erickson. Staff continued to promote cultural and language learning through hands-on activities, including beading, drum painting, and making greeting cards for Elders.
Students also had the opportunity to explore different careers, create wilderness survival kits, and learn about potlatch dancing and singing from the Dene Enslaanh dance group.
The Education and Indigenous Learning staff are grateful for the opportunity to plant seeds of cultural appreciation in our youth. We hope to make Culture Camp an annual event that strengthens relationships with our young people, celebrates Alaska Native culture, and encourages students to utilize the TCC GO program when they reach high school.
We are especially thankful for the strong partnerships with colleagues who are committed to supporting youth engagement, including team members from Tribal Resource Stewardship, Education and Indigenous Learning, and other Family Service and Support programs.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our outside partners at Doyon Foundation, including Lucy Miller, Elizabeth “Noonoo” Green, Tatiana Andrew, and Katrina Erick, for sharing their knowledge and supporting our youth.
A special thank you goes to Brittney Woods-Orrison for sharing her knowledge of Native Games with our students. Finally, we are incredibly grateful to our TCC GO students who served as volunteer camp mentors. Your time, energy, and willingness to support the younger students helped make this camp possible.
This successful event would not have been possible without the dedication of our staff, partners, volunteers, and youth participants. Ana Basee!