Indigenous Peoples – Fake Flamenco

Afro-Latinos, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Spanish Culture and Language, The Americas

South to Freedom from Slavery

Songs, quilts and legends celebrate the history of the Underground Railroad to the north. Those are wonderful stories, yet most of us don’t realize heading south was another way Blacks successfully emancipated themselves. Both routes had great dangers, but for southerners, they were far closer to Mexico. As Felix Haywood, a former Black slave said, […]

Indigenous Peoples, The Americas

He Dreamed of 4 Jingle Dresses

100 years ago, an Ojibwe elder dreamed of four women wearing a beautiful new style of dress. They taught him the special songs they danced to and how to make the garments. He woke up and told his wife everything he had heard and seen. Together, they made four dresses, in yellow, green, blue and […]

Indigenous Peoples, Nature, travel

Autumn Near the Wisconsin River

Have you ever traveled one hour away from home and found yourself in another world? I’m just back from two days in the woods with our child’s class of fourth and fifth graders. We had a complete 24 hours in nature. Last night we had a camp fire, s’mores and a starry hike. This morning […]

Chile, Indigenous Peoples, Spanish Culture and Language

Who Owns Rapa Nui – Easter Island?

Officially, since 1888, Chile has owned the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui. For 300 years, the name Isla de Pascua or Easter Island has been its moniker. However, as of May this year, the Chilean Senate voted to amend the name to Rapa Nui – Isla de Pascua. Although that is progress, the Native population […]