Culture at PSIS

Culture at PSIS

     In culture class the students learn songs that are sung either with the hand drums or on the big drum. These songs are prayer songs that can be sung at any time, and the students will carry these songs with them throughout their life. The 8th grade will make their hand drums to be exchanged with each other.

     Our class takes many trips to Omak Creek to gather medicines and materials. The students learn our traditional uses, preparation, and names of plant medicine. Using traditional methods, materials for baskets, tools, and games are gathered along the creek. We are in the process of getting started to carve our first canoe and hope to build many more throughout the years.

     This fall we will process wild game, dry meat, and wind dry sockeye. The students will also scrape hides for rawhide, as well as work hides into buckskin. This winter, students will learn our Coyote Stories and we will discuss the teachings of each story. Later in the spring, we will gather our traditional foods and medicines.