2019 Creator Games

Last week three of our summer interns Ruth, Carter and Anna and one of Tikkun Olam’s teacher Hannah were clan leaders at the 5th annual Creators Game on the Buffalo Ranch in Montana. The Creator Game is a five day camping experience for the Native American children on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Children ten years and older were allowed to stay overnight at the campsite and slept in a Tipi; which is a tent made of animal skins upon wooden poles. Transportation was provided for individuals who could not spend the night and the kids were picked up at a designated location in each town on the reservation.

Tipi’s set up for campers

Ruth, Carter, and Anna

On Monday morning, the camp commenced with a buffalo hunt on the Buffalo Ranch. Shortly after our Tikkun Olam staff arrived to camp, a truck bed carrying a dead adolescent male buffalo drove into camp. Our staff got to watch the cleaning and processing of the buffalo while the game warden for the Reservation taught the adults and children about the use for each part of the buffalo, how our Native American ancestors hunted buffalo, and how we respect and honor the buffalo for giving us life. Throughout the week, the directors of the Creators Game incorporated the buffalo meat in the daily meals for the campers and adults while other thinly cut meat was drying in the sun to become buffalo jerky, otherwise known as dry meat. Volunteers from the community also taught the kids about cleaning, staking, and stretching the hyde to use it for leather or other goods. The entire experience was informative and enriching as the adults and children learned together.

Tuesday morning, the children were divided into groups of 7-10 and were assigned to a clan leader. Each clan came up with a clan name and participated in morning activities led by the Native Hope Facilitator Dr. Clayton Small. Some of the morning activities included an indoor scavenger hunt, team building activities, and dance battles. In addition, children were selected to be a part of an improvised skit that depicted problems on the reservation such as addiction, alcoholism, suicide, car crashes, and even sexual assault. After the skits, each clan got together with their members and talked about which skit each person related to the most. The clans were also instructed to discuss what strategies can be used to prevent and reduce these problems. Dr. Clayton Small also did a great job teaching the kids ways to tackle these issues such as talking to an elder, going to see a counselor, being surrounded by positive friends, and engaging in positive activity. The kids received prizes if they won a challenges. Each day lunch was then served at noon after the morning session was complete.

Anna with her clan

Afternoon skits

After Dr. Clayton Small’s daily morning activity, each clan was assigned an afternoon activities such as Arts and Crafts, Tipi painting, Lacrosse, Horsemanship, Archery, Gaga ball or an education class to learn about the culture and traditions The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. The clans had an hour and a half at their first station and then rotated to a second station with a different activity.

            On Monday evening before dinner, a group of Samoan performers came and performed their traditional songs and dancers while everyone gather and watched. They also did extreme physical challenges such a breaking bricks, turning an iron pot into a burrito like shape, lifting a 200 pound wooden log while laying on a bench with nail attached to it. They discussed the importance of family, peace, spirituality and protecting women. They also brought two huge Pigs which they cooked in the ground with hot rocks for almost 14 hours. Everyone at the camp had a chance to eat the pig for dinner.

Kids enjoyed Gaga ball, especially when they got Carter out

Horseback riding was a crowd favorite

Learning about natural medicines

Smoked pig turned out great!

Thursday evening, a group of Aztec dancers from Mexico came to perform their traditional dance and taught everyone the basic elements to their dances. They also talked about their heritage. Overall, the creators games was intended to provide healing and teach the younger generation  Native Americans how to use their traditional and cultural values to navigate today's society. Through the activities the children are able to learn communication skills, teamwork and positive life skills that can help them see their life beyond the daily struggle they are faced with.

Aztec dancer in from out of town

Aztec dancers honoring the four corners

Carrie Manning

Big shout out to Carrie Manning for putting together the Creators Games and to all the wonderful people who worked hard to make this camping experience a success for the children on the Fort Peck Reservation. This awesome event could not have happened without Carrie and the great staff that helped all week. Although the weather didn’t always cooperate, everyone made the best of it and the kids took home some wonderful memories!