Gathering of Native Americans coming to Fort Belknap

The Fort Belknap Indian Reservation’s Chemical Dependency Center will host a Gathering of Native Americans, or GONA, a three-day event geared toward reducing the suicide rate in Indian Country.

Jill Harris, an adolescent counselor at the center, said GONA will run Monday through Wednesday from 2 to 9 p.m. each day in the Red Whip Center across from the reservation’s police department at the Fort Belknap Agency.

GONA will consist of group discussions, traditional games and practices, arts and crafts, free food and prizes.

Harris said the Chemical Dependency Center decided to hold the event after receiving a $25,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to curb the reservation’s high rate of suicide. She said the grant was offered to the Chemical Dependency Center after a survey from the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee revealed that Fort Belknap has one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S.

The Chemical Dependency Center was offered the money on the condition that a GONA be held. Harris said the additional $10,000 will be added to the grant after the event. The money will go toward suicide prevention activities for youth.

Tribal members have been selected to perform opening activities, including Tuffy Halgeson, who will give the opening prayer. There will also be a drum group, creation stories about the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine tribes will be told.

Harris said people will be able to sign up to have their portrait taken and hung on a wall. Attendees will then write compliments on each others pictures. People will then be able to take their own portraits home after the event,

Dinner and snacks will be provided and individuals who are present will have the chance to win prizes ranging from beaded earrings and basketballs to a laptop and saddle.

A healing room will be set up should people become emotional and need to step aside for a few minutes.

Harris said the GONA event is free and open to the public.