AJC program connects Native American youth with their roots

• Houle

Clinton Houle, 15, displays a dream catcher that he created. “The dream catcher represents real medicine,” said Anishanabe cultural coach Babette Sandman, “if our children are having trouble with nightmares we will make dream catchers. Photo by: Naomi Yaeger
• Hayward

Emilio Hayward, 16, holds the beaded bear claw medallion he made. Photo by Naoimi Yaeger
• Long

Nate Long, 17, created beadwork. He looks at his work hanging in a special case at the Arrowhead Juvenile Center. Photo by: Naomi Yaeger
• Petonquot

Xavier Petonquot, 17, holds a beaded black and red medallion he made. To the left is one bearing the name “Chase,” one of his twin sons. He is also making one for his other twin.Photo by: Naomi Yaeger

Talk about it

In sub-zero temperatures one day in January, Steve Thomas was heating 28 large rocks in a wood fire. Then he used a pitchfork to place them inside a sweat lodge located on the property of the Arrowhead Juvenile Center on Arlington Road in Duluth.

Inside the detention facility, where teens from all over the St Louis, Carlton, Cook and Lake County region, are held, American Indian youth serving in the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative were preparing for the sweat lodge by staying mentally positive.

Thomas is a community resource specialist employed by the Fond du Lac Band. The sweat lodge is a part of the JDAI program, which aims to connect youth offenders with their culture as one way to reduce incarceration rates.

“The kids are supposed to get into the mindset for a sweat four days before a sweat,” Thomas said. That means staying positive and respectful, he said — “Don’t call people names and that type of thing.”

Emilio Hayward, 16, is one participant. He affirmed its calming effects.

“When I come out of a sweat, I’m like a whole new person,” he said. “Every time I’ve ever gotten out of one, the next day I want to go (back) to a sweat. It’s just something that I want to go do.”

Another activity is beadwork.

“When I’m angry, I’ll bead. It calms me down,” said Xavier Petonquot, 17.

Added 14-year-old Keith Javener: “I usually have my beads by me all the time. If I get mad, I just pick up my beads and start beading.”

Babette Sandman, an Anishanabe cultural coach in the program, said it’s more than just an arts and crafts activity.

“It’s not just beading. They are feeling their own culture,” she said.” That calmness that they’re talking about … we are trying to bring our Anishanabe youth back home.”

Designed as a way to intervene with young people before they become repeat offenders, the JDAI program was started in 2009, said Sue Lawson, a JDAI coordinator.

“All the people involved in the (region’s) juvenile justice systems came together to look at ways to reduce the secure detention,” said Lawson. They noticed a disproportion of Native American and African Americans in the system, leading to the creation of the programs—one for Native youth and one for African American youth-- supported by a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Kathy Trihey, superintendent at AJC, explained the program’s effectiveness by citing statistics showing its success in reducing recidivism.

“In 2011, about 500 youth were in secure detention at AJC,” she said. “Of this group, about 27 percent are here on new charges for the first time. … Therefore, the other 63 percent are youth who are on probation or have not appeared for court.”

Significantly, she added: “Only 7 percent of the 500 came back on new charges and violations of probation.”

Rochelle Norton, 17, is one of those who has served her time and hasn’t returned to the facility. Beading may be one reason why, she says.

“Beading is a way to connect with the spirits. It shows appreciation for our Anishanabe,” she said. “It’s very relaxing and every single bead is a spirit that holds a thought. Our thoughts should be good and we should wear them with pride.”

Tags: native american, northeastern minnesota, news, ajc