On Local Motion, we celebrate Native American Indian Heritage Month.
We first pay a visit to the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose where KVNF's Cassie Knust meets CJ Brafford, the museum's director and care keeper.
The museum sits at the heart of traditional Ute territory. It was originally built in 1956 near the ranch of Uncompahgre leader Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta. Administered by History Colorado, the museum and grounds are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The grounds include Chief Ouray Memorial Park, the grave where Chipeta was buried after her death on reservation lands in Utah in 1924, and a native plants garden. The museum grounds are linked to the city-wide trail system… It includes shady picnic areas, quiet walking paths, and a memorial to Spanish conquistadors who traveled through the area in 1776.
In addition to Spanish and French classes, Durango High School added a new language course this year.
But it’s not a foreign language. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, Clark Adomaitis of KSUT and KSJD reports on the school’s decision to create a Navajo language class.
For 150 years, Native Americans were sent off to boarding schools supported by the U.S. government. They were stripped of their language and other cultural ties, and forced to assimilate into an American lifestyle.
Arizona journalist Sierra Alvarez spoke with her 84-year-old grandmother about the experience in this special report for the Mountain West News Bureau. The Intermountain Indian School closed its doors in 1984. Utah State University built a campus over the remains of the school.
Diné photographer and artist Eugene Tapahe shares about his Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project to bring awareness to Native American causes through the healing power of the traditional Ojibwe jingle dress dancers. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, here’s KRCL’s Valene MC with more.
The importance of local journalism cannot be overstated—it’s what keeps our community informed and connected. The Giving season officially kicks off on Giving Tuesday - or what we’re calling “Giving Newsday” - November 28th. The KVNF news team is fortunate to be one of 30 Colorado newsrooms receiving a matching grant thanks to the Colorado Media Project. Consider making a year-end gift and double your impact for KVNF news and public affairs. Go online to kvnf.org and click the donate button to learn more.
