Campers and staff from Camp Confluence 2023. Confluence held its first-ever camps this summer, funded through a No Child Left Inside grant and managed by the Recreation and Conservation Office through the Washington Parks system. Native educators were invited to share their knowledge with campers.
Campers and staff from Camp Confluence 2023. Confluence held its first-ever camps this summer, funded through a No Child Left Inside grant and managed by the Recreation and Conservation Office through the Washington Parks system. Native educators were invited to share their knowledge with campers.
THE GORGE — For the first year ever, the nonprofit group Confluence hosted a children’s educational camp to bring indigenous cultures to a wider audience. The camp offered two one-week programs that involved about 40 campers total and were funded by the No Child Left Inside two-year grant through the Washington State Parks System, managed by the Recreation and Conservation Office.
This Washington grant program was created to get more kids outside and into parks.
Confluence is a community-supported nonprofit founded in 2002 that has been involved in education training since 2007. Their mission is to “connect people with the history, living cultures, and ecology of the Columbia River system through indigenous voices.” Over the years, Confluence has offered online libraries, field trips, school programs, journals, books, and art installations for community engagement and education. They also provide professional development for teachers who want to align with tribal education by connecting indigenous educators with schools.
“When Confluence started in 2002, we were mainly working on indigenous art installations along the Columbia River, but we have evolved into education and children’s programs,” Executive Director Colin Fogarty said. This required a big stretch of resources, as well as major involvement and funding from the state of Washington to help with Confluence’s capacity.
Above, Aaron Webster teaches a lesson at Camp Confluence.
Contributed photo
Previous art installations completed by Confluence feature work by Maya Lin, Johnpaul Jones and other artists as well as contributions from tribal elders and leaders. Cape Disappointment State Park, Vancouver Land Bridge, the Confluence Bird Blind at Sandy River Delta, Celilo Park, Sacajawea State Park and Chief Timothy Park are all sites along the Columbia River that commemorate native culture and history with Confluence Project art installations.
Many of these sites with art installations were used as field trip destinations and education opportunities for Camp Confluence, and they invited tribal leaders and teachers from various tribes to create lessons and activities for the campers. Roughly 15 Native educators gave their time to the camp to share stories and teach about topics such as canoes, cedar and cattail weaving, plant relatives and reciprocity in nature.
There was also an opening ceremony and blessing from leaders of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, the Chinook Nation and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Other native groups that were represented at the camps included the Tuscarora Nation, the Cheyanne, the Shoshone-Bannock, the Nez Perce, the Wasco, the Comanche and more.
Campers listen to Sam and Mildred Robinson outside.
Contributed photo
“This education doesn’t end at camp. Both the campers and us, those in charge of the programs, learned a lot in the process of creating the camp. We did a survey with parents afterwards and the feedback was all positive,” said Fogarty, adding the kids wanted more authentic opportunities for connection with tribal elders and parents expressed their desire to be included in the programs at the camp too.
“This has been a dream for many of the team members at Confluence, even up to the board and advisory committee,” said Heather Gurko, education manager and member of the Tlingit Nation. They don’t want the camp to be a one-off event, but rather a development point for the organization to deepen their relationship with tribal elders and continue reaching kids and parents in a positive way. The responses to the education sessions, storytelling, field trips, and crafts encouraged the Confluence team to keep pursuing this dream, she said.
Emma Johnson shares her knowledge with kids at Camp Confluence.
Contributed photo
“We hope to connect young people with tribal elders and indigenous roots so that they have the tools to create generational change in our understanding of the history we all share, since we also all have one shared future,” said Fogarty.
Campers said they loved turning nature into something else and appreciating it for the material good it can provide. A common highlight for campers was spending time with elders, and Confluence aims to get family members more involved with the camps next year so everyone can share in holistic living and indigenous education together.
“[The camp’s] been a great way to help kids connect to indigenous voices with all of the native educators and local tribes that get involved. Teachers also learn how to better lift indigenous voices in their classrooms,” Fogarty said.
Confluence aims to have more summer camps next year in 2024 with the same grant funding, as well as camps offered over Spring Break. More information can be learned at their website or on their Instagram, @confluencenw.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.