Understanding Indigenous Culture in North Dakota

CREA’s Multi-Cultural Programs offer opportunities to help educators integrate multicultural and diversity education into their classrooms and direct student services to assist English Language learners. Among CREA’s team of professionals are individuals who have been working in education and have lived experience that enhance their expertise and make their service to CREA member schools unique. One of those individuals is Dr. Kathy Froelich, CREA Cultural Coordinator.

If you haven’t already, we want you to meet Kathy, satpáhAt, (meaning “Red Basket”), an enrolled member of the Fort Berthold Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. In this introductory video, Kathy shares one of the most important Indigenous traditions to her, the receiving of a Sahnish/Arikara name and being honored with a naming ceremony.

The significance of naming is present in many, many cultures, though it may not always be done in the same ways, to celebrate accomplishments, or at specific times beyond birth. Ask your students if they know why they were given the name they have or if there is special meaning behind it; if they could choose a new name or were gifted a different or traditional name based on qualities or characteristics they possess, what might it be?; encourage a discussion at home to learn more about their own family’s heritage and if cerain names have been passed on throughout generations and the significance of those names.

If you are interested in working with Kathy to incorporate Native culture into your classroom(s), you can reach her at kathy.froelich@k12.nd.us or learn more at the CREA Multicultural Center | CREA (creand.org).