Native News Network

Elders of all races were welcomed and honored Saturday at the 28th annual Northwest Intertribal Gathering and Elders Dinner in Eureka.

About 5,000 people came to the event last year and it looked as if this year's event would match that total at the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. The Northern California Indian Development Council organized the event, said Operations Director Andre Cramblit of NCIDC. Many of the meals were free of charge for the community elders -- 700 meals were given away last year out of 1,500 served.

The event is held this time of year to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, to honor local veterans and to have a salmon and turkey dinner in the spirit of Thanksgiving, Cramblit said.

”It's an opportunity to show respect and honor for our elders,” Cramblit said.

Elders 55 and older were also given a token of gratitude for coming to the event and one of the newer items the NCIDC has been handing out are emergency kits to help residents during fires or power outages, he said.

Older family members are traditionally greatly respected in American Indian cultures and honoring them is important, Cramblit said. Elders in these cultures are typically not sent to care facilities but are the “culture bearers” that live with the family to help raise children and pass on the traditions to the next generation.

”They help connect us to our past,” he said.

As the honored elders entered the dining hall, they were given different colored ribbons depending on their age.

Several intertribal dances were demonstrated throughout the day, including a hoop dancer, a Tolowa honoring dance and a brush dance. The local tribes of Hupa, Yurok, Karuk and Tolowa were represented at the event, as were the Aztec and Miwok tribes.

The dances not only help celebrate each culture but also educate others in the community, Cramblit said.

”It gives us a chance to share our culture with the broader society,” he said.

Fortuna resident Lana Kemp came to the event with her friend Eileen Carter of Rio Dell for just that reason, each wearing a ribbon of honor. They came to watch the American Indian dances and take part in the “wonderful” salmon dinner, Carter said.

A big draw for Kemp was the cultural aspect of the event.

”I think it's cool the older people are teaching the young people the dances and the language and keeping it alive,” Kemp said.

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors commended the NCIDC Tuesday for hosting the event and “for sharing the Native communities' long tradition of respect for the gift of Elders,” according to the board's resolution.