Aliyah Chavez
ICT

The spring season means graduation ceremonies will soon kick off across the country. With it? A growing trend among Native students to wear traditional regalia on their big day.

The Native American Rights Fund says each year it is contacted by Native students who are prohibited from participating in the practice of wearing eagle feathers or traditional outfits at graduation ceremonies.

NARF Attorney Morgan Saunders spoke with ICT to offer advice to students, and tribal leaders, in hopes of ensuring a smooth and celebratory day. 

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First, Saunders says, students should decide exactly what they plan on wearing to graduation — whether that’s an eagle feather, moccasins, a ribbon skirt, or a beaded graduation cap.

Next, one should look into graduation specific policies outlined by their school. This can typically be found online or at the headquarters of a school district. If one can’t easily find the graduation attire policies, they are encouraged to reach out to a trusted counselor, principal or advisor.

“The earlier you can get a clear answer on what is, or isn’t allowed at your school, the earlier you can take steps to address any concerns that you have — and potentially try to get an exception, if an exception is needed,” Saunders said.

If your request to wear regalia is denied, NARF encourages students to follow their school’s grievance process, which could result in an appeal to a district superintendent or school board.

“Do not ignore rules against eagle feathers,” online guidance from NARF says. “Violating school rules can have negative consequences. Your school may ban you from participating in commencement, subject you to fines, or refuse to give you your diploma.”

Additional NARF advice includes organizing a Native student group to approve or distribute graduation regalia; gathering support from American Indian education parent committees or tribal education departments, and advocating for police changes, saying “you are likely not the only student to request to wear an eagle feather at graduation, especially if there is a sizeable Native population.”

Area tribal leaders play an important role, Saunders told ICT. They are encouraged to issue public statements to explain the significance of wearing regalia ahead of local graduation ceremonies. The statements are also encouraged to cite any relevant state laws, especially if tribal nations are giving out special honor cords or eagle feathers.

According to NARF, 14 states protect the rights of Native students to wear eagle feathers and other tribal regalia at graduations:

So what are some of the reasons school administrators deny Native students from wearing regalia at graduations?

“The issues we hear the most are uniformity, and ensuring that all students feel equally represented on the day of graduation,” Saunders says. “There’s a lot of references to the seriousness and formality of the event and not wanting to detract from that. And also just a concern about the administrability of having too much going on, or having exceptions for some students and not others.”

NARF officials say they take the position that the U.S. Constitution protects Native American religious and free speech rights, which would include wearing tribal regalia at these public events. It can get tricky, however, for private schools where different rules apply.

“I really hope that everyone who’s going through this important milestone feels like it can be the experience that they want,” Saunders said. “So take heart in that you’re doing an important thing by considering wearing tribal regalia… and that there really is a lot of support out there for this important practice.” 

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