Harris-Jobe Elementary students were encouraged to keep a reverent silence as Native American dancers stepped and spun on the school stage.

Gary Whitecloud sang and kept a steady beat as members of the All Nations Indian Youth presented all sorts of tribal and inter-tribal dances.

Tuesday’s performance was one of dozens of events scheduled at all schools in Muskogee Public Schools during a week-long Indian heritage celebration.

“What we are trying to do is have all our children be aware of Native American history,” said MPS Director of Indian Education Maxine Glory. “We are in Indian Country, and we want all students to learn.”

Noting that 39 federally recognized tribes are located in Oklahoma, Glory said she tries to reflect the diversity of Native American culture during each annual celebration.

She said such diversity “varies from year to year.”

“At the high school, we are going into classrooms with storytellers and cultural specialists,” Glory said.

For example, Cherokee storyteller Sequoyah Green will visit several high school classrooms today. Musician John Timothy, director of Ataloa Lodge at Bacone College, is performing throughout the week at the high school.

At Harris-Jobe, Principal Kim Fleak said she welcomed the dancers.

“I just think students need to be more culturally aware of the diversity we have in Muskogee,” she said.

More than half the students at Harris-Jobe raised their hands Tuesday when dancer Alice Whitecloud asked how many were of Native American descent.

The dancers showed diversity.

Whitecloud said dancers represented various tribes, including Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, Osage, Choctaw, Cherokee, Eucha and Shawnee. Dancers each belonged to several tribes.

Dances included a Warrior Dance, to pay tribute to those who fight.

Recalling that Nov. 11 was Veteran’s Day, Whitecloud asked students, “Do you know someone in the Army? They are warriors. Do you know people who served in Iraq? Korea? Vietnam? They are warriors.”

Native Americans also revere living things, plants and animals, she said.

“The drum is made from skins of animals and wood from trees, living things that gave their lives so that we may use them,” she said.