Be A Maverick. The University of Texas at Arlington
Generations of wisdom
Sharing traditions and connecting with brothers remains a high priority for Eugene Brown. He fulfills the role of elder for the UT Arlington Native American Student Association.
“I want to preserve American Indian culture,” he said. “If just one generation keeps it and doesn’t pass it on, then it is lost.”
November is National American Indian Heritage Month and a busy time for Brown. The student organization recently hosted an event called This Is Not A Costume. Representatives from nearly a dozen area tribes participated, modeling authentic apparel and performing songs and dance. Participants shared information about their culture, dress, families and history.
Brown, 83, didn’t dance, choosing to share his knowledge in a different way. He donated a hand-carved flute as a door prize. The two-chamber instrument, made of red cedar has the student organization insignia carefully burned into the hand-rubbed exterior. He is well known within tribal circles for his flutes, particularly a 6-foot, story-telling flute preserved in a museum in Indiana.
The skilled craftsman is a member of the Miami Nation of Indiana and also has Cherokee and Shawnee heritage. He lives in Grand Prairie and enjoys designing flutes from backyard tree limbs or reeds along Abram Street. He routinely teaches others interested in learning the talent and tradition.
“Flutes carry cultural stories for future generations,” he said. “They help link the generations.”
That’s exactly what an elder does for Native American communities. The role bridges generations and builds a chain of information.
“He brings us together as a student body,” said Les Ridingin, chapter co-adviser. “He passes down his wisdom, giving us a greater continuity.”
Ridingin also has Native American roots and works in the Honors College as a student development specialist. The college supports the student organization, especially the planning of its 13th Annual Pow Wow scheduled for March.
Pow Wow traditions date to Oklahoma in 1877. The family event represents a reunion of tribes, cultures, dance and spirituality. Once limited to Native Americans, the contemporary event welcomes all races and cultures.
“This is a way of preserving the past,” Brown said.
But his interests include the future, too. He encourages students to keep their eyes wide open so they can see the outdoors, the sky, the trees and all life forms. He focuses on the health and well being of individuals and the entire planet. He wants resources used carefully and wisely.
“Eugene Brown has been a wonderful link,” English Professor Kenneth Roemer said. “He connects us to a network of Indian communities in the Metroplex and into Oklahoma. That’s a valuable niche for us.”
Dr. Roemer has been the student organization’s adviser for a dozen years. He has no Native American roots, but has lifelong connections with Indian communities in South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Encouraging student education motivates him, he said.
Students keep Brown motivated, too. He wants to preserve more than just American Indian culture. He wants all races and cultures to work together to guarantee a future for the young.
“Brothers must be careful and work together to take care of our surroundings so our trees can stand strong,” he said. “When a beaver chews on a tree too much, that tree falls.”