“This is not a land acknowledgement,” North Central High School senior Mireya Parkin-Pineda said to a group of 168 students, families, school and district staff, and community members gathered in her school’s Commons on Tuesday evening.
“I am not saying thank you for being on Native land. I am welcoming you to our land, to Indigenous peoples’ land. It is a good day, we will have good food and songs and dances. But remember: You are on Native land.”
During her welcome to “Uplifting Native Voices,” a celebration of Native American and Alaska Native culture and heritage, Mireya switched between English and n̓səl̓xcin̓, a Salish dialect also referred to as Colville-Okanagan, spoken by Indigenous peoples of the Okanagan River Basin and the Columbia River Basin in British Columbia and Washington state.
Mireya is the first president of the newly established North Central Native Student Union (NSU), and one of the group’s first activities was helping to organize and host an annual gathering in observation of Native American Heritage Month.
In her greeting, Tamika LaMere, director of Spokane Public Schools (SPS) Native Education for Spokane Public Schools (SPS), recognized that when Native students are discussed, it’s often because of a deficit in their community.
“We want to center and celebrate our students,” she shared. “We’re thriving, we’re present, and we’re diverse – there are over 300 tribal nations represented in Spokane.”
For several years, Native Education has partnered with West Spokane Wellness Partnership and North Central Native American literature teacher Mary Fruchter to organize the annual event, which gives Native students an opportunity to share and celebrate their heritage, culture, and traditions.
Dinner was provided by Indigenous Eats, which is owned by Jenny Slagle, a member of the SPS Board of Directors and an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation.
“It’s great to have visibility for our Native students. Sometimes it feels like our culture is seen only once or twice a year, so it’s amazing to have them showcase their talents tonight,” she said as student members of North Central’s Shades Multicultural Club made plates of Indian tacos for elders.
As the audience finished dinner, students and community members demonstrated the different ways they share their voices and perspectives as Indigenous people in our community.
SPS Native Education Student Support Specialist Marty Whelshula and his brother Mark Ramos, Spokane Community College Indigenous Student Outreach and Support Manager, performed a welcome song with three students from Shaw Middle School's Wolf Soldier Drum Group.
North Central senior Donate LaMere shared a poem about his pride in his Native American and African American heritage, knowing “I am someone” who comes from a people of strength and resiliency, of tradition and culture.
Kamari Vaile, a North Central junior who is both Native and Black, recited a spoken word piece about the importance of sharing one’s story before it’s too late.
SPS Native Education Student Support Specialist Tara Williams and North Central junior Ne'Hovia Ridley-Stevens shared about the practice of beadwork – how they learned it, what kind of pieces they make, and what inspires their creations.
Ne'Hovia’s father, Shane Ridley-Stevens, shared about the tradition of storytelling in Indigenous cultures. Ridley-Stevens, who was adopted by a white family as a child, has always told stories and early on, he recognized the power in storytelling to dispel myths and answer questions as he traveled around the country, sharing stories and dance in schools, so the contributions of Indigenous people are appreciated by everyone. He also played his flute, after telling the story of the origins of his otter pelt flute case.
More families shared their talents, with Mireya and her family leading a hand jump song and inviting members of the audience to join in the dance.
Feather Auld, a North Central senior, performed a jingle dance. Feather was crowned Miss Qlispé 2024-2025 at the 47th annual Kalispel Tribe of Indians Pow-Wow this summer. She also joined the Red Eagle Thunder Dancers & Singers, siblings who attend Grant Elementary School and Sacajawea Middle School and performed a fancy dance, jingle dance, and chicken dance.
At the end of the night, Feather and NSU students invited the audience to participate in a round dance. “This connects us to each other, the land, and the Creator,” she said as the group formed a circle while holding hands and moving together.
