What is a Kiva?
One of the focal points of our building has turned out to be the Kiva located in the Gilles-Sweet Library. Many people wonder why we call it a Kiva. The answer is simple. Mrs. Cooper would far rather stay in a Kiva most of the day than in a pit. Wouldn’t you?
The Kiva is actually named after the Kivas found in many Native American cultures, namely the Ancestral Pueblos (Anasazi), and modern day Hopi, Zuni and other tribes. Traditional Kivas were ceremonial gathering places. However, at Gilles-Sweet we like to consider it a meeting place. In keeping with the reverent nature of the Kiva, students are not allowed to speak loudly while in the Kiva, nor should they run, jump, push, or kick. It is where we go to read quietly and maybe sit for personal introspection.
Although traditional Kivas are circular in shape, space wouldn’t permit our Kiva to be a complete circle. However, if you follow the lines of the Kiva out to the Courtyard, you’ll see that the circle is completed on the other side.
To learn more about the Kivas that inspired the creation of the Gilles-Sweet Kiva, visit the National Park Service’s website at: www.nps.gov/meve/forteachers/artifactgallery_kiva.htm
Our Library also has several books about our National Parks, including Mesa Verde, as well as many up-to-date titles about various Native American tribes. Come check them out!
One of the focal points of our building has turned out to be the Kiva located in the Gilles-Sweet Library. Many people wonder why we call it a Kiva. The answer is simple. Mrs. Cooper would far rather stay in a Kiva most of the day than in a pit. Wouldn’t you?
The Kiva is actually named after the Kivas found in many Native American cultures, namely the Ancestral Pueblos (Anasazi), and modern day Hopi, Zuni and other tribes. Traditional Kivas were ceremonial gathering places. However, at Gilles-Sweet we like to consider it a meeting place. In keeping with the reverent nature of the Kiva, students are not allowed to speak loudly while in the Kiva, nor should they run, jump, push, or kick. It is where we go to read quietly and maybe sit for personal introspection.
Although traditional Kivas are circular in shape, space wouldn’t permit our Kiva to be a complete circle. However, if you follow the lines of the Kiva out to the Courtyard, you’ll see that the circle is completed on the other side.
To learn more about the Kivas that inspired the creation of the Gilles-Sweet Kiva, visit the National Park Service’s website at: www.nps.gov/meve/forteachers/artifactgallery_kiva.htm
Our Library also has several books about our National Parks, including Mesa Verde, as well as many up-to-date titles about various Native American tribes. Come check them out!