Nesbitt Memorial honors Native American Heritage month

COLUMBUS – The Nesbitt Memorial Library is holding a special program on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. to celebrate Native American Heritage Month.

Sunshine Reyes, pastor at the First United Methodist Church is going to present the history and significance of Native American Dance.

The Native American Peoples have a deep spiritual relationship with nature and ‘Mother Earth’. They have kept this active through their dances and regalia. Despite their atrocious and tragic history, they continue to dance and worship as they did centuries ago.

The history and stories of these dances are passed down from generation to generation through words and ceremony. This is what will be explored at the event, and hopefully those in attendance will come away with new respect and knowledge of these ancient people.

Sunshine was born a Kootenai Ksanka Indian from the Flathead Reservation in Montana. She was taken off the reservation after being abandoned by her biological mother, who was an alcoholic.

At the age of four, Sunshine was adopted with two full blood sisters by a Methodist Minister and his wife. They were raised in Montana and grew up in the church.

Sunshine never even knew she had biological sisters and brothers until her bio brother, John, started doing research to find all twelve children.

There are still five living siblings; two on the reservation, and three outside of it.

She tries to go back to Montana at least every other year to connect with her biological family. Once a tribal member reaches the age of 65, they become “elders”. Sunshine was honored to receive that title as it is one of great respect among tribal members.

She has lived in four states and had many jobs, but the one she retired from was the Adult Probation Department in Bastrop after a little over 20 years.

She became a licensed local pastor in the Methodist Church in 2020 just before the pandemic, and she has lived in Columbus since June 2022. She has six adult children and 12 grandchildren with one on the way.

Join us for an interesting and informative program.