Students Gather for Indiahoma Public Schools Feather Ceremony

On Saturday, May 4, Indiahoma Public Schools held an eagle feather ceremony for area high school seniors at the Indiahoma High School gym.

Indiahoma Public Schools Superintendent Don Wise said he wanted students and their families to know that graduating is an important event, including the eagle feather ceremony.

“I wanted to do something that would bring back the protocol of receiving an eagle feather,” he said. “The eagle feather is given for a significant life event. This is a significant life event. When a student is ready for graduation and actually graduates after 12 years of hard work. It's a significant life event, and it's the first steps that they take away from their family into adulthood and going into this large expanse of the world. And so, we wanted to really create a condition for these students and bring back the significance of giving them an eagle feather as part of the ceremony so that it would send them off in a good way.”

The ceremony included several guests who brought prayers, knowledge and gifts. Those guests included Ron and Verna Burgess, Stan Holder and JB McClung.

“We had two concentric circles that we formed, and the students were on the inside circle,” Wise said. “We had really two sets of students, and we have the Native American students that were receiving an eagle feather today, and then we had the non-Native American students who are supporting our Native American students, which I think is just wonderful. It's wonderful. And on the outside of the circle were the parents, the grandparents and the relatives. And the idea behind the two circles, is that the outer circle, as the students progressed through their life, always protected the inner circle. That's something that is seen not only in Native American culture but also in the symbolism with the buffalo. When the buffalo are protecting their young, they form a circle around the young. And so, this type of thing we wanted to express to our family traditionally and to our students traditionally so that they can understand some of the meaning behind what we were doing.”

Students also participated in a tipi smudging before a meal was served.

He said they were honored to have students from other districts at the school.

“What has happened is that some…of the families that are outside of our school district had asked if they could receive eagle feathers here, and we were honored to do that for them,” Wise said. “Any outside person that wants to come into our circle and receive feathers or receive anything from us, we were more than willing to do. And that's how it's supposed to be. If other tribes or other people wanted to come in, we would graciously say, ‘Yes, come in. We're honored to have you here.’”

He said students need to understand every significant decision they make will impact them for years after.

“You do something with the idea that you're going to understand the impact on seven generations is very important,” Wise said. “And so, as I was talking about the Tata Topa, the Four Directions song, the students need to understand that their ancestors prayed, and they prayed for good things for their family and that these students were the answer to those prayers.”

He said the Four Directions song means the ancestors are always there no matter what direction the students look. He also encouraged them to do things with humility and understand that God is above, a source of strength and courage.
 

“And I mentioned the fact that there was a Lakota elder that had talked to me, and she said, ‘Whenever you get exhausted, whenever the obstacles seem overwhelming, and you don't think that you can take another step, imagine all of your ancestors standing behind you praying for you and pushing you forward,’” Wise said.

He encouraged the students to always try to help others and not be afraid to receive help.

The school district also hopes to continue the tradition.