By: Keva N. Lockhart, Contributing Writer
In commemoration of Native American Heritage month, on Friday November 15, 2019 the St. Leo University community held an event called “How to make your own rain sticks.” Carla Sanchez Trejo, a Junior and a Political Science major assisted students in making their own rain sticks. She explained materials needed such as a long cardboard tube, aluminum foil, small dried beans or rice, tape, scissors, crayons or markers.
From the beginning of civilization, humans have relied on rain so they could grow crops and have drinking water. The article “Legend Behind the Indian Rain Stick” written by Mark Bingaman, gives a meticulous historical background on the Native American’s tradition of Rain Sticks.
Adding beans or rice is important to create the sound of rain sticks.
Rain sticks remain a part of Native American culture today and have been utilized by indigenous people living in dry, desert climates across the globe. Often employed in religious ceremonies, the purpose of rain sticks is to draw life-sustaining hydration from the heavens.
The legend behind the Indian rain stick points to supernatural intervention; the hope is to mimic the soft splash of raindrops to remind the “spirits” or “Great Spirit” that the people of Earth have need for a drenching rain for their crops, animals and thirst. The rain stick remains in use today in Native American culture and is present for both sale and use at powwows and other tribal gatherings. It has also been adopted by non-indigenous cultures and is often utilized as a soothing tool for meditation and music production.
The ideal way of making rain sticks is to crunch the aluminum foil into a long, thin- spring like shape and insert the aluminum spring foils into the cardboard tube. Furthermore, the beans or rice is added to the cardboard and serves the purpose of making the sound for the call for rain.
Senior Director and PDSO for The Multicultural and International services office, Mrs. Paige Ramsey- Hamacher stated that Native American heritage month is nationally recognized in the month of November, therefore the St. Leo University community celebrates the same time. The MISO department advertise all the events that are happening throughout the week each year to the students, staff and faculty. The St. Leo University community have been celebrating Native American History Month for at least 20 years.
Celebrating Native American Heritage month allows the St. Leo University community to gain understanding of Native American History and allows students like Juliassa Buitron to feel at home. She is a freshman and a major of social work who is of Native American decent. Juliassa stated that celebrating Native American Heritage month allows her to connect with her Native American roots. She explained that the rains stick in her home country is used to bring tranquility to the community.
Materials used to make rain sticks include beans or rice, aluminum foil and a long tube of cardboard.
