For the first time in college history, Native American college students at Salamanca Junior-Senior High School in upstate New York wore traditional regalia instead of commencement gowns during the college’s 131st commencement on June 23, 2017.The Salamanca Press reported that the rite opened with Ganö:nyö:okay, the Seneca welcome, by J.W. Bova, “which seemed even extra poignant this yr with Native American students dressed in their conventional regalia for the first time in college history.”
The Board of Education unanimously accepted a resolution in April granting the Native American college students the option to put on their conventional regalia in place of caps and robe, said The Salamanca Press.
“THIS STARTED OUT IN FEBRUARY. STUDENTS CAME TO ME WANTING TO WEAR TRADITIONAL REGALIA AT GRADUATION,” JERRY MUSIAL, A HISTORY TEACHER WHO ALSO TEACHES SENECA HISTORY, TOLD THE SALAMANCA PRESS. “THERE WERE SOME INQUIRIES AND IT GREW FROM THERE. THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH A LONG PROCESS AND TALKED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.”
In March, a collection of Native American college students presented their request to wear regalia at a Board of Education assembly and shared their reasons why it is important to them.
“It is our maximum formal manner of dressing. We put on it to our ceremonies and different formal activities,” senior Adrianne Cook instructed The Salamanca Press after the presentation in March. “I usually pay attention approximately the school trying to sell the variety inside all and sundry who attends here and what they believe in. I suppose it might be high-quality for us to put on our regalia at graduation due to the fact it’s far selling range and our cultural historical past. It suggests we have pleasure in who we are and what our formal attire is to everybody.”
As indexed by means of The Salamanca Press, the Native American students said they desired to wear their regalia for some of reasons including to heal historical trauma related to boarding colleges; to create harmony thru variety and decreased discrimination; to honor their elders and previous Native American graduates; and to inspire more youthful Native American college students to maintain with school and to sooner or later wear their regalia at graduation.
“Something for the little children to appearance as much as. What else is there?” board member Kerry John told The Salamanca Press. “If you’re going to graduate sporting your traditional clothes and these children see that, it could be sufficient to maintain them in college. I love it.”