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Photo by CHRISTINA BARBY
Chris Kelsey, Emma Kelsey and Blaine Kelsey demonstrate American Indian dancing. |
People of every color sat in a circle in Boyd Dining Center Thurs., Nov. 7, for the American Indian Celebration cosponsored by the Office of International and Intercultural Programs and the American Indian Council. During the event, The Red Crooked Sky dance troupe performed several traditional and contemporary dances and answered questions about its culture. The multi-generational troupe has members from various parts of the U.S. and is composed of many different tribes including Cherokee, Saponi and Lakota.
"We really represent a wide spectrum of American Indians," said Blaine Kelsey, a troupe member who introduced and participated in many of the dances. The five dancers varied in age from about seven to 60. Their clothing was adorned with bells, mirrors, colorful embroidery, fringe and feathers, representing their dances and their individual families, tribes and origins. The first dance, the Grass dance, was performed by Dan Garneaux. It was derived from a story about a small crippled boy who finally becomes strong enough to dance and it represents endurance and strength.
"The Grass dance is a way for me to communicate with my people and honor those who have died," said Garneaux. He wore a headdress, made by his mother, with two feathers and was dressed in an embroidered outfit of black, silver and red. He also wore bells around his ankles to keep time with the drums that are an important part of American Indian music, representing the heartbeat of the Earth. Another dance, the Women’s Fancy Shawl, is strenuous and fast-paced. It was performed by Kelsey who wore fire colors: red, yellow, orange and black. During this dance she imitated the movements of a butterfly with her arms spread and long multicolored strips of cloth trailing behind her.
Kelsey’s younger sister, Chris, performed the Jingle Dress dance. She wore a sparkly purple and silver outfit with 365 small "jingles", small silver pieces attached to it. This created a jingling sound as she danced in a circle, moving her feet in a repetitive pattern. "When the creator looks down and sees you, he should see a ball of pure body and mind," said Garneaux, explaining the prayerful purpose of their dances. The Traditional, one of the oldest dances usually performed by the elders of the tribe, was performed by Thomas Lewis. It is different for every dancer based on his individual experience, heritage and nation. Lewis, 60, wore buckskin and carried a staff of deer horns and a fan made from the wing of a red hawk. He had bells on his ankles and wore two strips of mirrors intended to reflect and protect him from evil thoughts.
Kelsey informed the audience that during this dance, everyone in the tribe customarily stands out of respect, although it was not necessary for them to do so. However, gradually, Wesleyan students and faculty rose in deference to Lewis. Many Wesleyan students and faculty participated in the Snake dance, or Friendship dance, similar to follow the leader. Everyone joined hands and danced in a winding pattern, lead by members of Red Crooked Sky. "I thought it was very entertaining. Participating in the snake dance was really fun. I brought my son and he really enjoyed it," said Kelly Jackson, the administrative assistant for The Center for the Study of Religious Freedom. "I just think it's wonderful that we have these programs on campus that let us know about diversity and other cultures."
Both Thomas Lewis and Daniel Garneaux have previously served in the US military. Lewis served in the army under President Kennedy and Garneaux is a marine and fought in Desert Storm. When asked why they would serve a country which has persecuted their people, Garneaux explained their need to protect their families. "We were warriors long before we joined any armed forces," he said. "We are still here, we are still breathing, and as you can see, we come in many colors." The meaning and purpose of the their dancing extends into their family, tribal and prayer lives and allows their culture to live on through modern changes "You'll notice that we dance in a circle," said Garneaux. "Everything in life is a continuum."
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| Photo by MARIBEL RODRIGUEZ Amber Mitchell studies hard despite medical challenges. |
Amber Mitchell, 21-year-old Virginia Beach native, is a Math major set to graduate this May. People on campus may see her as a normal college student, but Mitchell is anything but normal. At 18, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, a liver disease. She was given one year to live by her doctors. Born prematurely to a 41-year-old mother, Mitchell was infected by one of two blood transfusions that were necessary to keep her alive at birth. She is not angry or even upset over the infected transfusions that may shorten her life.
"I wouldn't have had 21 years without that blood, so why am I going to be upset at having 21 years that I wouldn't have had otherwise?" she said. She found out in her freshman year she had contracted the disease when she donated blood to the American Red Cross. The ARC sent her a letter denying her donation. "Mind you, this was the second time I donated," she said.
She had donated a year earlier, but no one had said anything then. "Anyone could've gotten my blood," she said. Ironically, Mitchell is a Red Cross DAT (Disaster Action Team) volunteer. The first year after finding out her diagnosis was rough. Most of her friends did not keep in contact with her after she told them. Some were afraid of the unknown; others were unable to accept her.
Every month she would get a new story from her doctors about how long she had to live, how sick she would be, or what was going to happen to her. She did not have many goals and her GPA dropped. She did not see the point of getting a four-year education. "Why am I going to go and stay up all night to write a paper that's due tomorrow?" she asked. "Because what the hell difference does it make whether I turn it in tomorrow?" For several years Mitchell has depended on medication to keep her alive and somewhat well. She stopped taking them in May for exams because the hotter the temperature gets, the more of a reaction occurs and the sicker she gets from her medication.
Although those were tough times, she admits they gave her a new way to look at life. Mitchell's new attitude on life came about when she realized the constantly changing stories from the doctors. "The doctors," she said, "are full of...." They told her to stay in bed all day because she was going to be sick from the medication which she was. “It's mind over matter and Ibuprofen is a miracle," she said. She doesn't go anywhere without Ibuprofen because she never knows when she will get sick. She'll wake up, pop a couple of Ibuprofen, lay back down for 15 minutes until they kick in, then start her day.
She laughs, "I look like a pill popper." Whatever Mitchell's remedy is, it is working for her. After all, how many students on campus have flown airplanes, scuba-dived in the Red Sea or jumped out of an airplane? "Just because I'm sick," she said, "doesn't mean I can't do stuff." Aside from flight school, working out, being a college student, Mitchell also finds time to volunteer. She is a big sister to a fourth-grader through the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, a math tutor at Wesleyan, and a special friend to a seven-year-old girl named Molly.
Mitchell began to baby-sit Molly freshman year. Dr. Thomas R. Fanney, professor of mathematics and director of the PORTfolio Program, asked her to watch his daughter. They first met in a calculus class he was teaching. "The first day I went to class," she said, "I really didn't know I was in math class. I had no idea what he was writing." For the whole semester, Fanney tutored her in his office until she got caught up with the rest of the class. When she found out about her illness, she told him that she thought it would not be a good idea to keep watching Molly. Fanney thought otherwise.
"She's always impressed me because she's very upfront and honest and has a high degree of integrity and responsibility," Fanney said. "She's always been straightforward and I've always felt like I knew what was going on. If there were something going on, in terms of Molly, she would tell me." Fanney and Molly see Mitchell as part of the family. She was a constant in Molly's life when her parents separated. "I just can't tell you how much she means to us and how much I can trust her," said Fanney. Mitchell attends a support group and says that most of the members are much older than she is. The youngest of the members are in their 40's. They talk about new drugs dealing with side effects, liver transplants and getting better.
"Hepatitis C is called the silent killer, because it has no symptoms," she said. The only way one finds out is through a requested liver enzyme test. More information on Hepatitis C can be found on the Center for Disease Control (CDC.gov) website. Although she does not agree with much of what CDC provides about Hepatitis C, she still recommends the site for information on the disease. She has been asked to appear on a local television station to speak on Hepatitis C in the near future. She will also be going to Washington, D.C. with a group of supporters to petition US officials for funds for research and an awareness campaign. Many students complain about how stressful college life can be. For Mitchell, stress is the least of her problems. She is just glad to be alive. "I've had it all my life," she said, "so what does it feel like not to have it? You tell me, what's it like to be you?"
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