Volume 2, Issue 1 Dr. Jeanne Mather, Editor September 1999

Hispanic & Native Thanksgiving and American Resources Other Harvest Holidays September 15th - October As fall approaches October. of plants. This was followed 15th is designated as Hispanic thoughts of football, Related to this is the by a day of fasting and then Month, while the month of autumn, Halloween, and National Day of Mourning. a feast in hopes of the November is designated Native Thanksgiving arise. This The first such day was in goddess granting them a American Month. If you are gives teachers a great 1970 and was a response to the good harvest. The Romans interested in finding resources opportunity to share the actions of The Commonwealth similarly honored their grain to help you incorporate history of fall festivals, not of Massachusetts. At that time goddess in an October information about these groups only Thanksgiving, but the Commonwealth asked festival called Cerelia, with into your lessons the following Chung Ch’ui, the Festival of Frank James, Wampanoag music, parades, games, may be of assistance. Thesmosphoria, Sulloth, leader, to deliver a speech. sports and a thanksgiving Resources with a Hispanic Deepavali, Cerelia, When it became feast. flavor include: Mexico: A and Rosh known that his Chung Ch’ui, is an Literature-Based Multicultural Hashanah. Take a speech was an ancient Chinese harvest Unit (Grade 1-3) by Betsy few moments and angry statement festival. The 15th day of the Franco (Evan-Moor Pub.), learn about fall regarding the 8th month was recognized as ISBN 1-55799-256-8 which festivals around the historical the moon’s birthday. includes cross-curriculum world. oppression of Special moon cakes were activities; Fiesta! Mexico’s Th anksgivin g Native Americans, baked and while Americans Great Celebrations by was first celebrated t h e speak of “the man in the Elizabeth Silverthorn e in October of 1621 Harvest Festivals Commonwealth moon” the Chinese speak of (Millbrook Press), ISBN 1- to celebrate the “uninvited” him. “the rabbit in the moon,” 56294-836-9 with historical alliance of the Pilgrims and Many looked upon this action thus their moon cakes had a information and related the Native Americans which to silence a voicing of picture of a rabbit stamped activities; Kids Explore enabled the Pilgrims to historical wrongs done to the on them. During this three America’s Hispanic Heritage survive their first year in Native American people as day celebration there was by Westridge Young Writers the New World. A national shameful. Thus, the National also a thanksgiving feast. Workshop (John Muir Pub.), day of thanksgiving Day of Mourning was born. It But this celebration was not ISBN 1-56261-034-1 written following the harvest was is recognized each year by only to celebrate the Moon’s by kids for kids with suggested in the late 1770’s supporters who stand atop birthday, but also to wonderful information, by the Continenta l Coles Hill overlooking remember the victory the recipes, & activities; and The Congress, and was officially Plymouth Rock. Chinese had over an Hispanic Question Collection, proclaimed by Abraham The ancient Greeks honored invading army. The Chinese by Linda Schwartz (Learning Lincoln in 1863. Canada their goddess of corn at The used messages baked in Works), ISBN 0-88160-263-9, celebrates Thanksgiving Festival of Thesmosphoria. In moon cakes to plan an a collection of over 200 similarly to the United autumn the married women attack against the invaders. questions about Hispanic States of America, but on would build leafy shelters Sukkoth is a Jewish history, geography, culture, the second Monday in furnished with couches made (Continued on page 3) etc. There are so many Native Table of Contents American resources, you may not be familiar with the following. One of my Thanksgiving & Other Harvest Holidays, Hispanic / Native American Resources 1 favorites is More Than Famous Hispanics and Native Americans 2 Moccasins: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Traditional North The Literature Connection, Halloween History 3 (Continued on page 4)

Classroom Spice Famous Hispanics and Native Americans Other than Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Enrique Iglesias how informed are you and/ or your students about successful Hispanic and Native Americans? This is a great conversation starter and research motivator. Take a few minutes and see how well you do. Information for these questions came primarily from Extraordinary American Indians, by Susan Avery & Linda Skinner, Children’s Press; ISBN 0-516-00583-9; The DID YOU KNOW: Biographical Dictionary of Hispanic Americans, by Nicholas Meyer, Facts on File, ISBN 0-8160-3280-7; Native American Scientists and Hispanic Scientists by Jetty St. John, Capstone Press, ISBN 1-56065-35-0 & 1-56065-360-4; and Hispanic, September 1996. One of our (Answers are provided on page 4.) Astronauts WHO AM I? is Native American? Clue Identity Lt. John B. Herrington, born in 1_____In 1889 she became the first Native American A. Will Rogers Wetumka, OK, is America’s woman physician first Native American B. Luis Alvarez Astronaut. 2_____1964 world record setting, Olympic athlete C. Carlos Ramirez 3_____In 1986 became the first Hispanic American astronaut in space D. Eloy Rodriguez Many English words are borrowed from 4_____First woman chief of the Cherokee Nation E. Susan La Flesche Native American 5_____Pima soldier & World War II Hero, immortalized F. Jim Thorpe Languages? as one of six who raised the flag over Iwo Jima G. Wilma Mankiller Most borrowed words are 6_____One of the most sought-after composers in Hollywood from the Algonguin language. H. Billy Mills Borrowed words include 7_____Navajo marine biologist whose lab was featured chipmunk, raccoon, skunk, in Free Willy 2 I. Sequoyah moose, opossum, hickory, and pecan. 8_____Inventor of the Cherokee writing system J. Ira Hayes

Tinker Air Force Base 9_____Nobel winning Hispanic physicist, & leader K. Carlos Finlay in the asteroid theory of dinosaur extinction is named in honor of M. Scottie Henderson an Osage pilot? 10____Cherokee cowboy humorist, writer, & actor N. Frank Chang-Diaz Clarence Tinker was placed in 11____Established a new area of research involving charge of the remnants of the the study of plants & other natural products used O. Te Ata Air Corps in Hawaii following “by” animals as medicines (zoopharmacognosy) Pearl Harbor’s attack. He P. Lalo Schifrin reorganized & trained these 12____Tishomingo born Chickasaw storyteller, forces, along with those which declared an Oklahoma State Treasure in the 1990’s would later win the Battle of Midway . He attained the 13____Olympic athlete who later played professional rank of Major General, and football “and” baseball was awarded the 14____Biomedical engineer working on an artificial pancreas Distinguished Service Medal. to help diabetics, as well as skin implants

15___Hispanic physician whose work on Yellow Fever enabled the completion of the Panama Canal

2 Classroom Spice (Harvest Festivals—cont’d from page 1) harvest festival which has been celebrated over 3000 years. This The Literature Connection festival lasts eight days and is a Introducing the reader to books which who waged peace, and of those who lost so recognition of the huts (succots) help promote multicultural education is a much—fascinating. Moses and the Israelites lived in regular feature of Classroom Spice. A An elementary level book Buffalo Days during their 40 years in the desert. prime example of that is Under Our Skin: by Diane Hoyt-Godlsmith (Holiday House), During Sukkoth the Jewish people Kids Talk About Race, by Debbie ISBN 0-8234-1327-6, tells the story of a build small temporary huts of Holsclaw Birdseye and Tom Birdseye Crow family whose responsibilities include branches in which they eat their (Holiday House), ISBN 0-8234-1325-X care of the tribe’s buffalo herd and follows evening meals comprised of fruits and which relates the stories of six twelve and them as they celebrate the Buffalo Days and vegetables. thirteen year olds of varying ethnicities Crow Fair and Rodeo. It provides a look at The ancient Egyptian harvest and their perceptions on race. A how people today are trying to maintain festival featured a parade, music, wonderful treatment of a very important their cultural roots. dancing and sports. Out of fear that topic. Tundra Books publishes a series on their god of vegetation and fertility Since the fall Native dwellings, which is very informative. would become angry the farmers includes Hispanic For example in Houses of Adobe by Bonnie would weep and pretend to be grief- Month and Native Shemie ISBN 0-516-08173-X we learn stricken when harvesting their crops. American Month about the architecture and building Note also that in Egypt harvest occurs the rest of this techniques of the Southwestern Native in Spring, so the harvest festival was issue’s reviews Americans including pueblos, cliff actually a Spring event. will concentrate on children’s Hispanic or dwellings, and kivas, plus information about In Malaysia, the Festival of Native American literature. See what great how Native Americans were able to live in Lights, Deepavali, is a day celebrated books are available with a possible tie-in to such arid regions. around October and November. It is your content/grade level. Bill Wallace’s The Final Freedom is a the day when good forces overcome An excellent secondary level or great middle school and up book about a evil and involves decorating with tiny reference text is Indian Chiefs by Russell young boy who meets Geronimo while the lights, prayers, incense, and food. Freedman ISBN 0-590-45357-2. It relates latter is imprisoned at Ft. Sill. It tells of So you see, fall festivals and giving the story of the decline of the American friendship in an Oklahoma setting. thanks are a worldwide tradition. Indian from the perspective of six great For a more current day story, and higher Help your students become global Indian Chiefs: Red Cloud, Satanta, Quanah reading level, try The Owl’s Son by Janet citizens. Try and share similarities Parker, Washakie, Joseph, and Sitting Bull. Campbell Hale. This tells the story of a and differences in traditions and It tells of the historical events, and the Native American high school student’s celebrations found around the world. lives of those who waged war, of those (Continued on page 4)

Is Halloween an American holiday? scare the spirits away. when Christians would walk from village Actually Halloween is a combination of Related to Halloween, is the Day of to village, on All Saints Day, begging for several worldwide traditions and the Dead, Día de Muertos, celebrated by soul cakes—not candy. In exchange for beliefs. For example it comes in part Mexican-Americans on the first and the soul cakes they would promise to say from early Christian’s All Saints Day, second day of November to honor family prayers for the donor’s dead relatives in November 1st. On that day Catholics and friends who have died during the hopes of accelerating their ascent into would celebrate a mass called year. Many Mexican and Latin heaven. The official term “trick-or-treat” Allhallowmas (the mass for all Hallows Americans believe that the souls of their didn’t start until the 1930’s. or saintly people who did not have a departed relatives return to share a feast Pranks are also often associated with special day of their own). with the living. The celebration includes Halloween. In fact in Another belief about Halloween small altars in each home surrounded by northern Britain it is says that it originated as the Celtic New pictures and other mementos of the referred to a s Year’s Eve, October 31st. That was the recently dead, lots of food, clean up and “Mischief Night. ” day when the disembodied spirits of placement of flowers in the cemetery, These are just a few those who had died within the papier-mâché skeleton masks worn of the Halloween preceding year would go in search of during processions and plays, prayers, roots. Hope you new bodies to inhabit . To ward off and a mass. enjoyed the holiday being taken over, people would dress up What about the tradition of “trick or trivia! to scare the spirits away. treating?” It began in the ninth century

3 USAO Multicultural Resource Center 1727 W. Alabama Chickasha, OK 73018

Phone (405) 574-1291

Email: [email protected]

In This Issue... Fall Celebrations, Hispanic Month and Native American Month Information

(Resources—Cont’d from page 1) (Literature—Cont’d from page 3) American Indian Life by move from an Idaho reservation communion and his parent’s some of the English Laurie Carlson (Chicago to a California city and the application for amnesty. An translations. The translations Review), ISBN 1-55652- problems he encounters. The excellent, up close look at one may be true to the text, but not 213-4 packed with cultural author, himself Coeur d’Alene, immigrant family’s life. to the beauty of words. A notes, fast facts, and all artfully addresses racism, social Everyone knows what a great book for ESL students or kinds of activities and crafts isolation, and many of the Piata looks like. But there is students studying Spanish geared for ages 3-9, but problems of today’s youth. a lot more to being a piata which even nonspanish selected items will interest Gaucho, by Gloria maker than just knowing your speaking students can enjoy. even older students. Gonzalez, is similar in that it way around papier mâché. (If you are curious Arroz con Another great resource is tells the story of a young This bilingual book is Leche, means rice and milk, is Read & Respond: Native Hispanic who is living in New appropriate for elementary a song based on a dish. The American Literature by York and hating every minute through junior high and can author provides the recipe on Karen Brown & Holly of it. It shows many aspects of easily be used to talk about the back cover.) Engel (Edupress), ISBN 1- the Hispanic culture, as well as culture and/or art. Remember books can be 56472-029-2, for grades 3-6 inner city culture. This book is Arroz con Leche: Popular seen and checked out from the and is reproducible. It aimed at middle school and up. Songs and Rhymes from Latin MRC at USAO. includes 8.5" x 11" color Hector Lives in the United America by Lulu Deacre shares posters, book summaries, States Now: The Story of a the children’s songs and related activities and Mexican-American Child by rhymes from her childhood. Answers to Quiz blackline masters. Another Joan Hewett, photographs by The lovely illustrations and source A Unit about Richard Hewett, is also about a Spanish/English text is a must 1 - E 6 - P 11 - D Woodland Indians by Elaine young Hispanic boy who lives for any library. Hopefully 2 - H 7 - M 12 - O Cleary (Evan-Moor) is one in America, but Hector likes it. readers will attempt to read 3 - N 8 - I 13 - F in a series including Native This elementary through middle orally the “Spanish” rhymes 4 - G 9 - B 14 - C American history, culture, school book follows some of and songs as the beauty of the 5 - J 10 - A 15 - K games, and critical thinking his family’s major events such rhythm and rhyme are lost skill activities. as his brother’s first when read silently or through 4