Proctor's relationship with Native American cultures and communities remains a tenuous stitch in the fabric of the school; only a few devotees work to keep the connection alive. Thanks to the efforts of this gallant constituency, Proctor's connection to the Lakota people is being reborn. Despite falling into obscurity in the years following the departure of George Emeny and David Fowler (the founders of the Proctor-Lakota relationship), this year marks one of the most diverse events Proctor has seen in recent memory. Students today can participate in a variety of ways to strengthen a relationship deeply rooted in Proctor's identity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay What is essential to maintaining and building this valuable element of Proctor? “Connection is built on friendship.” says Lori Patriacca, director of the Program. Lori, who traveled to South Dakota over the summer on the Rosebud Reservation, continues, “Over the past two years we have continually reinvigorated the bond by investing in our relationships… We are so fortunate to have such authentic relationships with people like Jon Jon Around him and Emily White Hat. They are both willing to have difficult conversations with us. The key is to approach each person and each topic with deep compassion and humility.” The larger Proctor community supports these relationships in various ways, for example having JR White Hat tour the campus for Earth Day, visiting Mountain Classroom at the Rosebud Reservation and meeting the people working to restore the connection with Native Americans, and Tom Morgan's class connecting with Jon's class Jon Around Him in Baltimore. Proctor Native American Connection isn't just about learning about other cultures and their history; it's about meeting people, about struggling to understand their reality. As Lori said, it's first and foremost about compassion. There is a painful history surrounding Native Americans, which can be difficult to talk about. The true value of the Native American Connection is revealed when you realize that it offers a universal learning opportunity, where lessons learned can be applicable to many different experiences. Indeed, compassion is immeasurably important to learn and unquantifiably difficult to teach. Proctor students have a truly unique opportunity to practice compassion and open-mindedness through the Native American Connection. For students interested in celebrating the Native American connection: An excellent way to get to know others involved, inside and outside the Proctor community, is to participate in an Inipi ceremony. The Inipi ceremony, held on select Sundays at the Elbow Pond sweat lodge, is also known colloquially as "a sweat," because that is what participants will do. Inside the low-ceilinged, insulated sweat lodge, hot rocks are placed in a central hole and water is poured over to create heat waves. When the blanket covers the entrance, the loggia becomes perfectly dark. Steve Lamb conducts this ceremony. Lamb is a local man who traveled to the Rosebud Reservation with the Proctor faculty group and whose knowledge of Lakota traditions is invaluable in rebuilding the connection with Native Americans. During the Inipi ceremony, Lamb speaks to participants through Lakota philosophy and explains parts of the ceremony as it proceeds. He plays the drums and sings Lakota songs, and his rhythmic chant and energetic beat resonate in the chests of all who cower and gasp and sigh..