e-culture: Prairie Dog Postponed, Camp Meeting Thursday, Upcoming Travel
July 15, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE WHO WANTS TO BE A PRAIRIE DOG? CAMP DOS CABEZAS CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES

Good afternoon, I hope you are safely weathering the storm. Please forward the following educational event updates to anyone you know who might be interested. Thanks.

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WHO WANTS TO BE A PRAIRIE DOG?

The program scheduled for tomorrow at Koinonia Community Center, "Who Wants to Be a Prairie Dog?," will be postponed. The storm today is making it difficult to remind the children and their parents. This "Listen for Clues" Summer Kids Program on the "Anasazi (the Ancient Puebloans) and the Modern Navajo" featuring the Navajo folk tale, "Who Wants to Be a Prairie Dog?," will be rescheduled very soon. Remember, adults are welcome, "If you think you're smart enough to compete with the kids." Let us know if you are interested (713-521-3686), so we can make arrangements for you to attend when we set the new date (You may be assigned to cookie or punch duty). The Koinonia Community Center is located at 3229-A Hadley Street.


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CAMP DOS CABEZAS

There will be a general information meeting on Thursday, July 17, at 4:00pm in the African American Studies Conference Room at the University of Houston. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce Camp Dos Cabezas, an educational camp for children who may be at risk of dropping out of school. The purpose of the camp is to give these children an experience they will remember throughout their lives and motivate them to achieve and pursue more great experiences for themselves and those around them.

The camp is organized as a plan that any organization can implement into its own activities. The meeting on Thursday is for school and community organizers, and potential volunteers, to help identify contacts in the community who can help make this important effort possible.

The camp needs many volunteers and different perspectives: Mentors who care about the future of at-risk and underprivileged children. Camp volunteers who are willing to work hard to make the experience possible. Community members who are dedicated and qualified to select children for the camp.

Please attend, even if you are unsure of how this cultural education camp fits the mission of your organization. You may have good advice, or know of important contacts, or even learn of a great place to take your own family for a great educational and recreational adventure.

Join us for this informal meeting and presentation on Thursday, July 17, at 4:00pm in the African American Studies Conference Room, 315 Agnes Arnold Hall at the University of Houston. This is a great opportunity to visit the African American Studies Program as Dr. James Conyers and Dr. Ahati Toure are moving ahead, doing great things for the community. Welcoming us into their academic space to get this effort underway is just a minor part of all that they are doing.

Soft drinks and light snacks will be provided.

A Camp Overview will be available tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16. Let me know if you would like to have it sent to you by email. It will appear on the camp web site, with other information that is currently available.

http://www.houstonculture.org/camp


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CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES

We have a couple of fun and educational trips planned for the summer and fall:
The Tarahumara of Copper Canyon, November 21(pm) - November 30
Native American History and Culture in the Southwest, July 30(pm) - August 11
(to include Zuni and inter-tribal activities, and San Lorenzo Feast Day ceremonies)

This is a great time to participate in many Native American activities and learn about important events in our nationšs cultural history. We will spend several days of the trip hiking in the mountains and visiting lakes and springs -- not a bad way to escape the summer heat, and hurricanes!

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial
Zuni Arts and Cultural Expo
San Lorenzo Sunset Dances at Picuris Pueblo
La Fiesta de San Lorenzo (on the date of the Pueblo Revolt, August 10) at Bernalillo, New Mexico
Native American summer education programs and dances at the Cortez Cultural Center (This where I met Samuel Sandoval, Navajo Code Talker, last year. I havenšt stopped talking about him since.)

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES
Mesa Verde National Park (Prehistoric Indian Cliff Dwellings and Ruins)
Coloradošs San Luis Valley and Spanish Peaks (historic Spanish frontier)
Historic Colorado mining and ghost towns
Zuni Pueblo and Hawikuh Ruins

SCENIC AND WILDERNESS AREAS
Great Sand Dunes and Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Rocky Mountains Collegiate Peaks Wilderness
Maroon Bells Wilderness
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Blue Lakes in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness
San Juan Mountains
Bisti Wilderness (Painted Desert)

The very scenic 10-day loop will take us from New Mexico to Trinidad, Colorado, to Aspen, Montrose, Durango, back to Gallup, New Mexico, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.


Get more information on line:
http://www.houstonculture.org/travel/itinaug03.html


Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


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