Written by Doris Guo and Ali Wang (Class of 2027)
Pictures by Selene Luong (Class of 2027)

The freshman class went to Mendocino College to attend a Native American fair with much to be observed, heard and even tasted. Each booth had its special theme, special objects to display, and a booth owner with a story. The girls were amazed by the delicate creations, beautiful designs, and how people enjoyed continuing their legacy. One of the students shared, “It was amazing to see how traditional Native American culture is combined with modern culture.” There were many daily objects at the fair, which were made using natural materials and based on Native American heritage. There were dolls made of shells; cloth with Native American symbols; sport shoes made of deerskin; painted feathers; blackberry jam, and fashion accessories such as earrings. There were even animation characters with Native American themes, such as Powerpuff girls fan creations at the fair. 

It is really inspiring for the girls to see many people who were proud of their traditional culture and are developing creative ways to preserve them. Each object also had its own moving story. “My mom used to make these artifacts. She passed away a few years ago, but her artifacts and the technique she used remained. Whenever I’m making my own artifacts, it reminds me of her and our family legacy,” said one booth owner. After the trip, two of the girls interviewed their teacher, Dr. Victoria Patterson, about ways to preserve Native American culture.

Q: Are young Native Americans proud of their roots? If they are, are they just happy to be different, or are they really proud of their roots, tribe, and everything? 

Dr. Patterson: They are really proud of their roots. Many of the young Native Americans today are eager to learn about their own culture and to preserve it. There are now Native American language classes in universities, and a lot of Native Americans are writing down their language for the first time. Nowadays, as a lot of prejudices against Native Americans are disappearing, young Native Americans are able to recapture and be proud of their ancestry.

Q: Is it possible for Native American cultures to be combined with more modern art forms like pop music to become more popular and loved? Is that okay to do in the first place? Are such art forms disrespecting the culture? 

Dr. Patterson: Absolutely, yes. There are a lot of collectors who collect Native American artifacts, many first-class writings written by Native American authors, and a lot of songs which contain Native American themes. In fact, such art forms are becoming so popular that people would pretend to be Native Americans so they can use this art to get famous.