Indian teens from Oklahoma come to Ocmulgee to learn about heritage

MACON - Teen-agers from Oklahoma are climbing to the top of a historic Muscogee Indian mound in Macon for a lesson in history and heritage. <br> <br> About seven teens, calling themselves the Dreamcatchers, left the far removed comforts of home for a two-week excursion to a sacred American Indian ground for the chance to experience the culture of their ancestors. <br> <br> ``I didn&#39;t really know what a mound was before we made the trip here,&#39;&#39; said Kristin Bencoma, 13. ``You learn little about your culture in public school.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The teens will remain camped at the national monument through the end of the week. <br> <br> During their time at the Ocmulgee National Monument one of the 10 most endangered national parks in the country they&#39;ve had a chance to learn about tribal customs, archaeological digs and have helped restore the area. <br> <br> ``We&#39;ve been rebuilding the steps to the mound, and the placement of the new steps was selected by the Muscogee people,&#39;&#39; said Sylvia Flowers, a master ranger at the monument. ``This group is helping us remove what&#39;s left of the old steps and bring it back to a natural state.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The Great Temple Mound and surrounding grounds is where the Muscogee Indians formed their nation hundreds of years ago. The mounds are preserved in separate sections of the national monument with about a mile of privately owned forest, wetlands and overgrown fields between them. <br> <br> The project was created months ago through the help of members of the Muscogee Nation, The Macon Telegraph reported in its Saturday edition. <br> <br> ``Every year, we try to put together a special project to help the community, and this year we thought it would be great to help some of the children learn about their history,&#39;&#39; said Shirley Almerigh, who works for a hospital auxiliary in Okemah, Okla., a town with a large American Indian population. <br> <br> Almerigh said she hopes the trip will spark an interest in the Dreamcatchers to carry on the traditions of their ancestors, which have mostly disappeared as tribes have been absorbed into modern culture. <br> <br> The Oklahoma group helped raise some of the money needed for the 740-mile van trip to the grounds. The Muscogee tribal council picked up the rest. <br> <br> Monument superintendent Jim David said he hopes the trip becomes an annual event with ``fantastic possibilities and potential.&#39;&#39;

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