Spring Concert Honors Native American Traditions
This year's 2nd-4th Grade Spring Concert, "Honoring the Caretakers," paid tribute to Native American traditions, dance, and music from a variety of nations. Two special guests helped to build that context for students.
The first was Neena McNair, a California Native American who is the keeper of a Plains-style drum and worked with third and fourth graders on how to wrap drumsticks. She performed with students for several numbers in the concert as well, guiding all performers on how to properly care for and respect the drum. "Neena also talked about how everything/one is connected: the elements, the animal people, water people, tree people, the sun and moon...and how we all are connected to each other and the earth," said Ms. Lisa Mandelstein, Lower School Music Specialist.
Ms. McNair also taught the final dance, which encouraged parents to participate as well.
The second guest was Burke's LS Learning Specialist Emily Khan, whose family has deep Native roots and who taught all of the performers how to sing the "Cherokee Morning Song." "[She] explained that the term 'Great Spirit' in this video's translation can be understood in different ways," Ms. Mandelstein said. "While some feel it to mean God or Goddess, others feel it to mean the interconnectedness between all things, and even our Mother, the Earth herself."
Towards the end of the concert, fourth graders debuted a symphony that they worked with Ms. Mandelstein to compose, which was based on their recent reading of the book The Island of Blue Dolphins. Click here to watch (and listen) to their work, and click here to see more photos from the entire concert.