Dancer, Sunmiet Maben

Sunmiet Maben Grantee Spotlight

For Sunmiet Maben, The Dance Goes On Madras, OregonA Resiliency Fund Grantee Partner Sunmiet Maben grew up dancing. On the Warm Springs Reservation in north-central Oregon, dancing was an integral part of worship services, social gatherings including pow wows, and funerals. “We kind of joked that I danced before I was born,” she says. “And I say that about my son because while I was pregnant, I was still dancing.” At the same time, Sunmiet was not so enthusiastic about sports in general, which “was a huge, huge thing on the reservation.” “I was not athletic,” she says. “I was not good at basketball, I’m not good at softball and volleyball. I was little and that just wasn’t my thing.