Local Native American Youth Attend Unique 'Sound In Silence' Camp

CAZADERO, CA — Nearly 30 high school students from Native American households in Sonoma and Marin counties recently participated in a week-long overnight performance camp at Camp Cazadero, a 1,000-acre site in the hills northwest of Santa Rosa and the Russian River with open meadows and groves of redwoods, madrones, firs and oak trees.

The camp sponsored by Graton Rancheria is a combination of the Gathering of Native Americans — GONA — curriculum and Sound in the Silence — SiS — an intercultural and international remembrance project centered on historical education that engages young people through various artistic forms.

"The Sound in the Silence program is very important and I am a huge advocate of this camp," said Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Tribal Chairman, Greg Sarris.

During the morning hours of the week-long camp, students focused on GONA teachings. In the afternoons, they paired up with an artist to create a visual performance piece that would be shared with their peers on the last day of camp. The six options they had to choose from included beat-boxing, film, hip-hop/rap, movement, storytelling and singing.

"It's an essential component for Native American youth to build skills associated with performance art and movement, such as confidence, strength and personal identity," Sarris said.