Dancer Mattias Big Bear heals with hoops during Bemidji Middle School visit

BEMIDJI — Mattias Big Bear heals with hoops, sometimes 50 at a time. A world hoop dance competitor at a mere 9 years old — and one of roughly 20 in the state of Minnesota — Mattias shared his talents with students at Bemidji Middle School on Wednesday as part of programming for Native American Heritage Month. Indian Education Home/School Liaison Jari Eller caught sight of Mattias and his grandfather, Joe, last spring at an awards ceremony for the Young Artist/Young Writers Competition in Detroit Lakes, hosted by Detroit Lakes Schools’ American Indian Education Department. “I had some students over there picking up awards, and because of our experience watching them and because it’s Native American Heritage Month, I was looking for something to bring to the middle school,” Eller recalled. “I thought they might be a great fit, reached out and they were more than willing to come.

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