Tennison Wade Big Day, Apsaalooke (Crow), is a sophomore at Montana State University majoring in environmental science land rehabilitation with a minor in anthropology.
Why is it imperative to keep your Native culture top of mind while away at school?
Culture is important because after graduating from high school we leave the reservation for college. Our elders equip us with basic Crow principles or instructions that are similar to the Bible — our “basic instructions before leaving Earth.” But from a Crow’s view, these principles are the Apsaálooké language, clan system, and culture. I was brought up in a house that only spoke Crow and did things the old way. The more I was exposed to the culture, the more it helped me to understand how important language can be. It is my understanding that my grandparents are the biggest contributors to our culture and our grandmothers are the matriarchs of our family. Being raised by them, along with my parents, has taught me a lot about our Crow culture’s history and ways of our clan system. When we are born, we inherit one clan from our mother’s and one from our father’s side. Both clans are important to me because the clan system teaches who we are related to and who we can tease and not tease, in a matter of respect for our elders and leaders.
READ MORE
.jpg?cb=223506)
