Chinook History & Ancestral Skills @ Shining Star Waldorf


Today my friend Eric and I went to the third grade class at Shining Star Waldorf school in Portland. They are learning about the Chinook Indians and since my friend who works there knew that I know Chinuk Wawa, she called me to see about coming in and teaching the kids a little bit about Chinook Culture, past and present. I brought my friend Eric, who is a Chinook, to talk with the children about what being a Chinook was like in the past and what it is like today. He shared stories and his persepctive on things. I was there to show the kids a little bit about ancestral technology in general. I demonstrated how to make a friction fire using my cottonwood bow-drill set that I have made to take with me on Lynx Vilden’s summer immersion program. Then I showed the kids how to make cordage while Eric told a few more stories. We had a great time!

3 Comments on “Chinook History & Ancestral Skills @ Shining Star Waldorf”

  1. He couldn’t tell any myths because it is no longer winter, and those stories are only spoken in winter. He told most of his personal story and a lot of information related to things we were doing. He would relate things like my fire-making to the kids, telling them that kids might just be learning how to do the bow-drill at their age, but their main job was gathering firewood and tending the fire. Things like that.

  2. Yay!

    What a wonderful experience that must have been Peter, to have shared your Chinook knowledge as well as your skills with the Shining Star Waldorfians!

    Thank you for nurturing the young!