Corps of Engineers employees immerse themselves in local Native American culture
In October, Corps of Engineers employees unplugged from daily routines to immerse themselves in local Native American culture. The Corps Native American Environmental and Cultural Resources training was conducted at Indian Lake on the Umatilla Reservation. Students lived in way that promoted deeper understanding of traditional meanings behind foods and customs that have sustained tribal cultures for centuries. Tribal members presented their natural resources conservation program, expertly intertwining history and traditions into briefings and hands-on cultural activities such as flintknapping, weaving and participating in the sweat, a physical and spiritual cleansing ritual.