North Clackamas
School District
Surprise Performance Drums Up Excitement at Rowe
With their attention already fixated on the amazing sights and sounds of a Native American Heritage Month assembly, Rowe Middle School students and staff members suddenly slid to the edges of their seats after seeing one of their own Shamrock students join the guest performance by the regionally renowned Four Directions Drum & Dance group.
For seventh grader Izaiah Granbois, it was all a family affair…as he was simply drumming alongside his father and uncles in a performance he knows very well. “I guess you could say I was born into the group," says the talented 13-year-old, who says he's been drumming with his relatives for as long as he can remember. "My dad and uncles have been involved with it for a long time and passed the skill on to me."
Granbois' fellow students were amazed to see their calm and collected classmate flawlessly drumming along during the special assembly, but Granbois admits he hid his stage fright pretty well.
“At first, I was so nervous—I had never been in front of the whole school before. And then I found out we had to do the performance twice! It was really exciting, though.”
Like his relatives, Granbois is a member of the Ojibwe Sioux tribe and says performing is his way of connecting with his family and heritage. “Drumming is cool, it’s fun, and it can sometimes hurt your hand!” he laughed.
NCSD Student and Community Engagement Specialist Cheryl Shane leads the Indigenous Student Association (ISA) at Rowe, and invited the Four Directions Drum and Dance group to perform at the assembly. Just like Rowe students and staff, she was just as surprised to see Granbois confidently drumming in front of his peers.
“I was so proud; it looked so natural to him!” said the ISA leader.
What's next for Izaiah Granbois? Along with drumming alongside his relatives in the Native group, he plans to continue attending Pow Wows with his family and remaining active in Rowe's ISA.
“I joined the ISA because I wanted to get to know more Native people like me,” said Granbois.
And thanks to a surprise performance at a recent assembly, more people throughout Rowe surely know him.
find more information about Rowe’s Indigenous Student Association here