Kha'p'o Community School
Our Voice, Our Stories: Preserving Pueblo Culture Through Film and Art
It is the mission of the Kha’p’o Community School to nurture our children through education that embodies Kha’p’o Owinge culture, language, and values that is academically challenging and enjoyable. Working together as a community, we enable them to be proficient Tewa and English speakers, support their physical and emotional well-being, encourage their critical thinking and imagination, and inspire their love of learning.
From the generous support of the grant provided by the Santa Fe Community Foundation, our sixth-grade students were able to begin "Our Voice, Our Stories," which is a documentary filming curriculum. Teaching traditional arts and digital storytelling captures culture, language, and intergenerational learning.
Due to the reduction in funding, there is a continuous need for monetary support for art materials, to provide a stipend to artists, and funds towards an end of the year trip to Ancestral Puebloan sites including Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. This is a unique opportunity that our students deserve.
"Storytelling, intergenerational learning, and connection to self-identity and cultures define who our students are as Tewa people. "
As one of our students shared, "I am proud of who I am. I have a voice."
The students voices were captured in a year-long film documentary that captured Pueblo wisdom and strengths through learning traditional artwork, including pottery, building an outside oven, weaving traditional Native belts, sewing traditional Native dresses and ribbon shirts, making traditional Native moccasins, and capturing their stories of what it means to be of Kha'p'o Community School through the creation of individual seal paintings that are on display in the school. In addition, students had an opportunity to learn of their ancestors by going to Canyon of the Ancients NM, Mesa Verde NP, and Chaco Canyon.
We are grateful for the Native American advised Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation for supporting us. We hope to be able to continue similar opportunities for our students now and for many future generations. Therefore, in order to do so, there is always a need for monetary donations to support us in their unique and amazing opportunities that our children deserve. Thank you again Santa Fe Community Foundation in supporting Kha'p'o Community School!
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its nonprofit partners to submit stories related to our November topic of Native American Heritage.
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