Photo By Sgt. Jose Lora | Through storytelling, hands-on demonstrations, and discussions about the significance...... read more read more
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VICENZA, ITALY — Capturing the attention of a room full of 10-year-olds is no easy task. But for one Italian-based soldier, he accomplished it effortlessly, captivating the students with engaging stories about his Mohawk heritage and culture.
U.S Army Staff Sgt. Gary Bowers, a paratrooper with 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, shared his Native American history with approximately 100 fifth-grade students at the U.S. Army Vicenza Elementary School, Nov. 21, 2024.
“So for example, my best friend's son's name means bug eater. How do you think he got that name when he was a baby? He ate bugs,” said Bowers. “Well, I got my name for playing with a bear when I was two.”
Bowers opened with a story about how he received his tribal name, explaining the tradition in which individuals are not named at birth but are given their names later in recognition of a significant accomplishment during their early years. For personal reasons, Bowers did not wish to share his tribal name.
Additionally, each indigenous culture features its own version of a medicine wheel, with variations in color, symbolism and meaning. While North and South American tribes topically have distinct interpretations and designs, the core principles and symbolic significance generally remain consistent across traditions.
For Bowers, the color white symbolizes spiritual presence and the sky. Red represents emotions, particularly those tied to the past, as well as the sunset. Black signifies the physical realm and the earth. Yellow denotes the mental aspect and is associated with sunrise.
During his visit, Bowers also brought several artifacts to share with the children, such as a medicine bag, using them to highlight important aspects of his culture. A medicine bag is a sacred and personal item in Native American culture, traditionally used to carry objects believed to hold spiritual or healing power.
“This is a very traditional medicine bag. It was redone, but it originally belonged to my mother. There’s more that’s supposed to be inside it, but I’ve just placed a few items here to show you the kinds of things we consider medicine,” said Bowers. “This is sage. Sage is used for smudging—cleansing a home, your soul, and yourself.”
The U.S. Army celebrates National Native American Heritage Month in November to honor the history, culture and contributions of Native Americans to the United States. Bowers’ visit to the elementary school provided a unique opportunity for the students to learn about and appreciate Native American culture.
Through storytelling, hands-on demonstrations, and discussions about the significance of items like the medicine bag and medicine wheel, Bowers was able to share not only the spiritual and cultural practices of his people, but also offer the students a deeper understanding of the values that shape his heritage. By engaging with the children in such a meaningful way, Bowers helped foster respect for diversity and encouraged a sense of curiosity about cultures beyond their own.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.03.2024 03:31 |
| Story ID: | 486453 |
| Location: | VICENZA, IT |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Native American Sky Soldier shares culture with school kids, by SGT Jose Lora, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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