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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Unit Tsa-La-Gi Head Start class gets hands-on experience with cultural activities. The special class for 3 and 4 year olds incorporates the Cherokee language and culture in every aspect of the curriculum.

Sandra Turner, Cherokee language curriculum specialist for ECU, shared a Cherokee delicacy, crawdads, with the children one day last week. Turner brought the crawdads to the children’s classroom to let the children experience what the animals look like while they were alive. After showing the crawdads to all the children in Head Start and Early Head Start, Turner showed the kids in the learning center how the crawdads are cleaned.

"While the children played during their recess time, I cooked the crawdads for the children," said Turner. "Most of kids tried the crawdads, some really liked the taste."

Some comments made by the children were, "Look at the Bugs!" "Where did you get these crabs?" and "Can I have one of those crabbies?"

The children also had the experience with possum grapes the next day. They helped Ms. Turner take the grapes off the vines to get ready to wash. Everyone participated, and everyone had a chance to taste the grapes before taking them to the kitchen to boil.

Eva Hooper

Eva Hooper, a student in the tribe’s Early Childhood Unit’s Cherokee Language Learning Center, pats out her dough to make grape dumplings. "I think Eva has had some experience making dumplings," said Turner. "She has done very well."

With the juice of the possum grapes, Turner made grape dumplings. The children got to make the dough for the dumplings, and they all took a sample of the grape dumplings home with them. Turner will be doing a hands-on experience with the children in the learning center at least twice a month.

For more information about the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma's Head Start program, call (918) 458-4393.