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YMCA's Indian Club program strengthens bonds between parents and their children By Robbin O'Neal San Diego Union Tribue http://www.uniontrib.com/ February 9, 2002 ENCINITAS ? Jacque Via Cova said she knows firsthand the benefits of the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA Indian Club program, believing it cemented the relationships she enjoys with her two daughters, Elizabeth, 22, and Emily, 16. She credits an invitation to visit Elizabeth, who studied for a year in Italy, to their participation in the Indian Maidens program. "When she asked me to visit her, I was surprised and flattered, and took it as quite a compliment that she actually wanted to hang out with her mother," said Via Cova, the YMCA's financial development director who also coordinates the program. "And I think it was a direct result of us going away together when she was little." Indian Maidens is part of the Y-Indian Club program that was established in 1926 to honor the ideal of American-Indian culture that holds both parents responsible for raising their children to be productive, capable and caring adults, she said. The program is divided into Indian Guides, for fathers and sons; Indian Braves, for mothers and sons; Indian Maidens, for mothers and daughters; and Indian Princesses, for fathers and daughters. All focus on forming strong relationships between parents and their children. "We hope to develop parents' roles as teachers," Via Cova said. "This program is ideal for kids in grades K through three because that age tends to want to spend time with their parents. It gets them before they start breaking away and asserting their independence." About 2,000 families are involved in the Y-Indian clubs at the Ecke YMCA, she said. When parents and their children join the program, they become part of a tribe, which is their primary social group for activities. Several tribes come together to make up a nation. Tribes usually have between 10 and 20 parents who may participate with one or more or their own children, Via Cova said. Each tribe elects an adult tribal chief who is in charge of organizing events and meets regularly with other chiefs. About once a month, tribes have big events such as weekends at Camp Marston in Julian, walking in the Encinitas Holiday Parade, and going bowling. Just before their big weekend, the tribes meet in each other's homes for a program as well as sharing, storytelling, crafts and a snack. This also gives the parents time to get everything coordinated for their upcoming outing. Marina Lindsay, 6, and her father, Jim Lindsay, of Carlsbad are members of the Runnamuccas Tribe of the Palomar Nation. Marina, known in the tribe as Water Star, said she likes being with her dad, Water Bear, without her little brother, Dylan, 4, being around. Lindsay agreed with his daughter that uninterrupted time for just the two of them is special. "I've really enjoyed seeing how she shares and interacts with the other girls," he said. Via Cova has her hands full keeping track of all the activities the Ecke tribes are involved in, with 11 calendars for 140 tribes running concurrently, she said. In addition to their scheduled activities, which follow the school year, the tribes are encouraged to spend time together during the summer to keep the friendships alive. "We tell them that the tribes that play together, stay together," Via Cova said. The bottom line is that she urges parents to spend time with their children, no matter the activity. "If you take the time to be with your kids when they're young, like go away on trips and stuff, then when they're older, they'll share more of their lives with you," Via Cova said. "It's a great way to establish that relationship, and it sets a pattern that you really need when they're teen-agers. "If you haven't ever said anything to them like 'let's spend time together' before then, they'll look at you like you're crazy when you finally do." -- André Cramblit: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Operations Director Northern California Indian Development Council NCIDC (http://www.ncidc.org) is a non-profit that meets the development needs of American Indians and operates an art gallery featuring the art of California tribes (http://www.americanindianonline.com) ============================================================ Crack of the Bat, Click of the Mouse. Taking someone out to the ball game is great, but when you can't make it to the park, Baseball Weekly is the next best thing to being there! Sign up here! http://click.topica.com/caaacQ2b1ddNBb2HgmNf/TopOffers ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. 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