Leadership, tradition central as 600 Indian youths gather

Put 600 American Indian youths in one room and what do you get? Grandparents, of course.

Two prominent elders were in attendance at the Spokane Convention Center on Friday for the 34th annual Northwest Indian Youth Conference. When asked how many of their grandchildren were attending this year’s event, Deb and Norma Jean Louie had to stop and count them out on their fingers.

“I think there are seven here,” said Deb, who is a member of the business council of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. His wife, Norma Jean, is a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Business Council. The two have been married for 40 years.

Their grandkids came from both reservations to join youths representing Native peoples from as far away as Wyoming and Alaska. This year’s event is sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

“It’s very important for all our children’s cultural orientation,” Deb Louie said.

Motivational speakers came from across the United States to speak to the children and show by example that Native Americans also have a place in a society dominated by European-Americans.

“They say we are walking in two worlds,” said Lori Delorme, youth program coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. “But it is really one world, and we have to walk together in it.”

Leadership, culture and tradition are the central themes of the five-day event that ends Tuesday, said Delorme, a conference organizer. She said attendance is down this year because of the economy. About 800 Native youths attended in 2007, the last year the conference was brought to Spokane by the Kalispel Tribe.

Alcohol and drug prevention is a big part of the program, as organizers do their part to end the twin epidemics that have plagued previous generations, Delorme said.

She cited last week’s car crash involving alcohol on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation that resulted in the deaths of a mother and daughter, whose funeral was Monday.

“Some of these kids are close relatives of that family,” Delorme said.

The conference, including a powwow today and Sunday, allows Native youths from many different tribes and Alaskan villages to share a common bond.

“When they see even one young person speaking a Native language and participating in dance, it inspires everyone,” Delorme said.