Tunica-Biloxi Tribe Celebrates Earth Day with Kite Flying and Tree Planting

The Tunica-Biloxi tribe of Marksville celebrated Earth Day with kite flying and a tree planting ceremony.  ABC 31 News’ Joel Massey has more on why they chose to celebrate this way.

John Barbry, Tunica-Biloxi director of development and programing said, “Among our people we know that the earth gives us many gifts.  The Creator created the earth for food and sustenance, and we have to do our part to help protect and preserve mother earth.”

Barbry helped to celebrate Earth Day beginning with kite flying by some youth of the Tunica-Biloxi tribe.  Proctor & Gamble also sponsored the event.

“As corporate citizens both Proctor & Gamble and the Tunica Biloxi tribe believe in preserving the earth and doing our part to give back.”

Brandon Vanderburg with Proctor & Gamble leads the Native American affinity group for the company.

“We do a lot of outreach programs and support, community service with Tunica-Biloxi and with state parks and with other surrounding tribes as well.”

Vanderburg says learning and passing on Native American culture is what the program is all about.

“You get to learn the culture, the heritage.  You get to learn from experience bring back to the site and teach your fellow employees and the community as well.”

The group planted four longleaf pines on the grounds, trees which have a special significance for the Tunica-Biloxi tribe.

“Those trees are important to our community because we use the pine needle to create baskets.  It’s one of our long-term traditions for the tribe and the longleaf pine is in short supply on our reservation.  We have to go all the way to Kisatchie to get enough pine needle to do our basket weaving so by planting the trees, returning them to the reservation this is our start to get that going to get more longleaf pines planted on the reservation.”

If you would like to celebrate earth day in the Alexandria area the zoo is hosting a celebration this Saturday from 10 to 3.