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Right: A dancer performs the traditional Native American hoop dance as a part of the Livermore Pow Wow last April. During the dance, shapes are formed in storytelling rituals such as the butterfly, the eagle, the snake, the coyote, with the hoops symbolizing the never ending circle of life.

Native American culture will sweep up campus

Dancing, food and film will be brought to campus to give a Native American culture experience to the LPC community

By: Brittney Barsotti

Posted: 3/5/10

After receiving a "hateful" note in her locker at Livermore High School, Smoke Johnson started what has become the Livermore Pow Wow and Expo.
After spending two years in limbo, as the search for a location that could hold the size the event had grown to, the pow wow expo finally found a home at LPC last spring.
The Native American Culture Club (NACC) was founded in Spring 2009 partially to help organize the expo and pow wow. But, This year the NACC is shaking things up a bit to education LPC's students and the surrounding community a little differently.
President of the NACC, Mario Jaramillo hopes the pow wow and expo will bring a new light to the Native American culture for students, faculty members, administrators and the surrounding community.
Jaramillo feels the general public knows very little about the Native American culture, either traditional or contemporary, as a lot of people tend to think that Native American culture is simply a topic for history classes.
"This is probably because Native Americans constitute less than one percent of the US population and only half of those actually practice their traditions," Jaramillo said. "This type of ignorance leaves a lot of room for misconceptions and stereotypes, as many cultures know, and so the event was made to diminish those stereotypes, or at least explain why it is those stereotypes have materialized."
Instead of the pow wow and expo happening in the time span of one week as it has done for the past few years, different events will take place over a month and will cumulate in the Pow wow happening in the time span of one week as it has done for the past few years, different events will take place over a month and will cumulate in the pow wow.
According to Jaramillo, the main reason for the change is limited manpower.
It was extreme trying to fit 5 full-scale events in one week and then end it with the largest event of all, the pow wow, which held close to 2,000 people last year.
He also thinks it will bring more anticipation towards the pow wow.
The main events include a Film festival to take place on March 15 and guest speakers on March 23 and 31.
A feed and entertainment night will take place on April 15, and the pow wow will occur on April 17.
Displays of Native American arts and artifacts will be on display in the Library and the display cases in the hallways of the 2400 building.
Dr. Amber Machamer, Director of Research & Planning for LPC, who will be speaking about the issues involved with Native American figures being used as mascots for schools and sports teams.
Also speaking will be Tom Phillips a respected member of the Native American community, addressing the desecration of Native American burial sites.
Phillips has been on the frontlines of recent protests to prevent a burial ground in Sacramento from being dug up.
As a part of traditional feed, which is free to LPC students and members of the community, foods made from native plants such as corn and pumpkin will be served and dancers will be performing for entertainment.
According to the advisor for the NACC, Jane McCoy and Jaramillo, the dancing will include Aztec, Polynesian and California tribes dancers.
"It's important that students can learn about the native culture beyond the classroom," McCoy said.
"It (the expo and pow wow) gives students a chance to taste, touch and view the culture. It is a much more powerful learning experience than reading something in a book."
The biggest obstacle between the NACC and putting on these events at the same caliber as last year is that the well is drying up for donations.
According to McCoy, there is some funding left over from last year when they received donations from members of the community and the LPC Foundation, but with the economic situation being what it is ,the same level of generosity may not be available.
"Donations are sparcer than last year because of the economic situation," McCoy said. "So places we got donations from last year, won't be able to give donations to us this year."
To help raise money a silent auction will be held during the pow wow.
Items will include a free breakfast at Country Waffles, a wine-tasting tour for six at Wente winery and a framed piece containing authentic Mayan bows and arrows.
Last year's event was very successful according to McCoy and last year's NACC President Smoke Johnson.
The NACC is hoping that the success will continue this year.