The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008 - (Page 19)

F o c u s o n t h e F u t u r e , r e s p e c t t h e pa s t year on a three-month study abroad program, and during her time off, she traveled by herself in France, Spain, Italy and Ireland. “I love Italy—everything about it. I’m studying the language here at school. I’m going back to visit my friends there soon. We talk on the phone and email in Italian during the week,” she said. Welch is also learning how to play the violin. “I call it my fiddle,” she said. “When I was traveling in Dublin, I heard a lot of traditional fiddle music and people there encouraged me to learn how to play. I practice a lot. It’s coming along.” Besides travel, school, and her friends, Welch is involved in keeping native traditions and history alive and College Fair at respected through her work Viejas Recreation Center with the North American Indigenous Student Organization at her university. “You can barely get a Welch has been actively decent job—you know, the involved with the group since kind where you don’t have to her freshman year, helping say ‘Do you want fries with plan student pow-wows and that?’ without a degree. It’s cultural events and helping so important for everyone to her fellow students learn about get an education. It really proNative American issues and vides so many opportunities. I history. She even spoke to her think it is especially important fellow classmates in a course for native kids who are lucky about Native Americans. enough, like me, to be blessed “I spent a whole class answerwith the financial resources to ing students’ questions about go to school,” said Welch. growing up on a reservation. “Future generations should Some people think all Indians use that money to go to school, — Vanessa Welch, Student at Michigan State University are rich, which isn’t true. I am to follow their dreams, [and] just fortunate that my tribe is not just sit around and treat that money like another form of welfare. I’m getting my educa- able to provide for me. I feel incredibly blessed and I want to be tion now. Then I want to go out into the world and get some life able to go back and help my tribe,” said Welch. “Pursuing an eduexperience,” she said. “After that I’ll be better equipped to go cation is a way to not only help yourself, but to help future generations of native people. Our people struggled for a long time. The home [to Viejas] and do something to really help others.” elders, like my uncle Anthony Pico [who spoke in Welch’s class on campus], and my great grandfather Tom Hyde, have told me No More Dreams Deferred Decades ago, very few Viejas members had opportunities to the stories [about our ancestors].” Welch adds: “I think my generation doesn’t really understand pursue their educational and vocational goals. The scholarships that the tribe provides are not only beneficial to young people how difficult it once was for us. We have to be able to carry on academically; the money offers them the opportunity to explore our traditions and history. We can’t be afraid to look at our the world. Besides going to school, Welch has enjoyed educa- history and remember and respect what our ancestors went tional exploration in Europe. She attended school in Rome last through to give us what we have today.”  “ I want to go out into the world and get some life experience. After that I’ll be better equipped to go home [to Viejas] and do something to really help others. ” 19 Winter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008

The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008 Contents Kumeyaay History Looking Back at the River of Tears Keeping the Borders Open for All Kumeyaay Tribal Security—Safety First Cultural Embrace Viejas Tribal Member Rescues Eagle Education for All Future in Their Hands Viejas Pow Wow Honors Native American Veterans Growing Traditions—Viejas Community Garden Remember When

The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008

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