Cultural Preservation
The Iowa Tribe was fortunate enough to have been awarded an ANA grant which we
entitled cultural enrichment. The grant covered a number of activities. One
important aspect of the grant was the construction of traditional Ioway homes,
including long houses and bark houses. The grant was written to urge this
construction in a traditional manner rather than using tools. Adjacent to the
houses, a traditional garden was planted with corn, beans, and squash. Our attempt
was to do all of our work without modern technology, including using a garden hose
to water the garden. An antler rake and a bison scapula were used as tools.
Members came away with an increased respect for our ancestors, and a greater
appreciation of the challenges they faced. If a crop failed due to lack of water
in a nearby stream and a lack of rain or a home was not completed prior to the onset
of winter, this is precisely what the ancestors would have faced. The construction
activities served as a great learning tool, particularly for the younger
generations.
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