PN-G Traditions

[IndianFan]

During the offseason I will be doing some work on the web site including the addition of more content.

To help with this effort, please list all the PNG traditions that you're aware of.

There may be some that have been lost with time. Hopefully the older grads will be able to remember those.

 

[CardiacKids 92]

Sounds great. During my senior football season I brought a small totem pole (about 2 ft tall) made by Cherokee Indians up to the field house. We hung the totem pole above the door to the football field and everyone touched it as we headed out the door. For us it was all about honoring the Cherokee Nation and never giving up on the football field.

Not sure if anyone else did something similar, it might have been a one time thing. I've still got the Totem Pole if anyone wants to revive our tradition...

When my dad played (Bum Philips Era) I know he told me they used to make the underclassmen bow to the Totem Pole on campus. Of course back then it was a wooden one and he told me the week they played Nederland someone cut it down with a chainsaw and he and some other football players placed a piece of the totem pole in their helmets for motivation.

 

[NDNMom83]

Okay, this one will date me back to the days before freshmen were at PNG, but remember the sophomore class being called to the stadium field and having to get on our knees and hold our hands high in the air while reciting "The Creed"....this tradition ended when the 9th grade became part of the high school. ALL these years later I still remember the final part of "The Creed" which said "although, I'm the lowest form of life on the reservation I'm still better than any student anywhere...so help me Geronimo!" then having to bow to the senior class three times. That really brought us together as Warriors and Braves and made us Indians. It was one of those rites of passage that you dreaded happening and then had fun when it did happen. Even when you had to keep starting over, because the juniors and seniors couldn't hear you, lol. :clap: :clap:

 

[indian20106]

this year the team moral was more about starting a new era. a new age. everyone wanted some rock and roll or rap song for our entrance... we loved cherokee but that just shows you how much is changing.

 

[EX79NDN]

this year the team moral was more about starting a new era. a new age. everyone wanted some rock and roll or rap song for our entrance... we loved cherokee but that just shows you how much is changing.

A new era and a new age is fine for somethings, but one of the things PNG has ALWAYS been known for is their TRADITIONS. In my opinion, Rock and Roll or Rap does not fit in with the Indian/PNG Traditions. :sorry: Everything has always been centered around Cherokee, Cherokee Indians or Indian in general. If PNG ever lost or did away with their traditions, for a new era or a new age, I know they would loose me and a whole lot of other supporters. :nono: Supporters that help mental, physically and financially support PNG and the PNG school district. Throughout the years different classes/era's have set small but new traditions. A lot of them were the old traditions with a new twist. But I just can not picture a Rapping Indian or Geronimo. That is one of the things that is so great about PNG and all the Alumni (old and new) have in common, is sharing some or all of the same traditions. :clap:

For an example NDNMon83 wrote:

Okay, this one will date me back to the days before freshmen were at PNG, but remember the sophomore class being called to the stadium field and having to get on our knees and hold our hands high in the air while reciting "The Creed"....this tradition ended when the 9th grade became part of the high school. ALL these years later I still remember the final part of "The Creed" which said "although, I'm the lowest form of life on the reservation I'm still better than any student anywhere...so help me Geronimo!" then having to bow to the senior class three times. That really brought us together as Warriors and Braves and made us Indians. It was one of those rites of passage that you dreaded happening and then had fun when it did happen. Even when you had to keep starting over, because the juniors and seniors couldn't hear you, lol.

When I was in school we did the same thing but it was on the patio, around the Totem Pole. The Totem Pole in those days was located in the middle of the patio where the Planetarium is now. They had to take the Totem Pole down in 1979 to build the Planetarium,, so that tradition (according to NDNMom83) was still carried on but moved to the stadium field. I remember when we had to bow to the Totem Pole (as it was called back then) the band was out on the patio and all the cheerleaders where up on top of the roof over looking the patio. It was a really big thing to do as a Sophomore. Like NDNMom83 said, it was like you where still a Braves, Warriors or Chief (Jr. High football teams at the time) until you took your Sophomore oath to the Totem Pole. That is when you became one......an Indian!!!! :clap: :clap: :woot:

 

[indian20106]

well... its happening. new coach new stadium... even the new helmets are silver this year coming.

 

[IndianFan]

A song played during a stadium entrance isn't a tradition. School and football traditions are much more enduring than a pop song.

 

[IndianFan]

well... its happening. new coach new stadium... even the new helmets are silver this year coming.

Silver helmets?

 

[indian20106]

yeah. silver revolution speed helmets. with an indian head.

 

[PNG NDN Fan]

http://www.riddell1.com/newsite/product_info.php?cPath=104_76&products_id=1605

Silver helmets just don't seem right. Who decided on that change?

 

[NDNMom83]

IMO I think if anyone tried to change the important traditions associated with PNG, that they would need school board or at least school admin. approval. With that said I don't see anyone getting approval from either the school board or the admin. The district knows that the alumni who support this district would basically revolt if they gave their approval. I would think that what 20106 is talking about is the music that would go to the video played on the jumbotron before the team comes out. Like Nederland uses, but when the team runs out the band plays their fight song.

As far as the uniform stuff there are many rumors going around. Once again IMO I think there may have been different company mock ups of what they could choose from and kids saw them and the rumors started. I don't know anything about the uniforms one way or the other, but know that more than one rumor has been started this way.


EX79....I was a soph. in the fall of 1980 and our junior year was the last time "initiation" ever took place. It was fun to look up and have the band in the stands, cheerleaders and twirlers on the track and Geronimo on the 50 yd. line. It was my senior year that the freshmen moved up and that tradition ended :flaming:

We need to make sure the important traditions continue:

1. Cherokee and standing each and every time it's played.
2. All students and alumni displaying pride in our words and our actions.
3. Alumni passing down the traditions and standards of our district to all our new students and their parents.
4. IMO one of the most important "Always be faithful"!

I'm sure their are many others that I've not mentioned like the Indian Spirit and headdresses. But, my point is let's keep PNG as special for the present and future students as it was for all of us alumni. Don't forget "PNG has a special spirit....Pass it on!"

 

[CardiacKids 92]

A song played during a stadium entrance isn't a tradition. School and football traditions are much more enduring than a pop song.

Agreed, you can play rock, rap, country or whatever else gets you fired up in the locker room. But when you run out as a team of PNG Indians in front of all of the Indian Faithful on Friday night nothing gets you more fired up than 5,000 screaming fans and the sound of Cherokee blaring from the Indian Band!

If that doesn't get you fired up then you are not a PNG Indian and you don't bleed purple.

On game days we would start out with some relaxing music, we even listended to Hank Williams Sr. on occasion. Just before game time we would all gather in the locker room take a knee and start with a prayer. As soon as the prayer was over we would hear "Bells" Dong...Dong...Dong...that's right we started with a little AC/DC "Hells Bells" then we would jam to a little "Enter Sandman" by Metallica. On the way out the door we slapped our "Cherokee Nation" totem pole then it was off to the 5,000 screaming fans and CHEROKEE!

I still get chills when the boys run out on Friday night ;D

 

[CardiacKids 92]

http://www.riddell1.com/newsite/product_info.php?cPath=104_76&products_id=1605

Silver helmets just don't seem right. Who decided on that change?

Silver does seem very odd, it has always been White or Purple. Kind of goes hand in hand with the school colors don't you think?

 

[1984NDN]

I heard from one of the football guys that one of the new jersys are going to be Purple and black with white #'s ?

 

[NDNMom83]

I heard the purple with black and white numbers would be the away jersey

 

[indian20106]

its alternate jerseys... silver is a flashy color

 

[squaw]

its alternate jerseys... silver is a flashy color

IMHO, this is sickening! There is nothing finer than solid purple uniforms with white trim and sold purple helmut with an arrow in white. I personally prefer this uniform over the white ones. If someone wants flashy, go to a disco. For the PNG fans, we want class, not flash! Our traditions have held for many years resulting in the hugh fan base. If you want to look like everyone else, destroy our traditions and you'll have only band parents at the games.

 

[PNG NDN Fan]

Anyone have an example (photo or link to a photo) of the uniform with a similar design.

Silver has no place on the Indian uni, IMO. Colors are Purple and White. (with some allowance for black to outline numbers).

 

[IndianFan]

Silver helmets sounds like a bad joke. Perhaps there is just some misunderstanding by someone.

 

[squaw]

Silver helmets sounds like a bad joke. Perhaps there is just some misunderstanding by someone.

Sorry, I meant "solid" purple helmuts, not "sold". Other than that, I agree with you--it does sound like a bad joke. What is wrong with these young people today?