NOTE: Issues range from 1996–2006. Contact information in earlier issues could be outdated. For current information, please contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, 907-474-1902.
Browse the glossary using this index
Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL
I |
|---|
Inupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:Northwest Arctic Borough School District (NWABSD), North Slope Borough School District (NSBSD), Bering Straits School District (BSSD), and Nome City School District (NCSD) will host a district-wide subsistence curriculum development workshop that produces curriculum resources reflecting subsistence practices of the region and utilizing indigenous knowledge and the way of teaching. They will also participate in the regional Academy of Elders in which they and the Native educators will work on the development of indigenous curriculum resources for use in the schools. Ilisagvik College will participate in the development of a prototype curriculum framework based on Inupiaq cultural precepts and principles that will be shared with the other districts in the Inupiaq region. They will provide support for the documentation of Inupiaq Ways of Knowing. Ilisagvik College will also assist in supporting the activities of the North Slope Inupiaq Educators Association, which will provide guidance for the implementation of an Inupiaq Academy of Elders, drawing on the support of the Ciulistet Yup'ik teachers and the Association of Interior Native Educators. Kawerak, Inc. will provide support for the documentation of Inupiaq Ways of Knowing and Teaching that can serve as the basis for the teaching of all subjects in the schools. They will participate in the development of a prototype curriculum framework based on Inupiaq cultural precepts and principles that will be shared with the other districts in the Inupiaq regions. Finally they will assist in the establishment of a Bering Strait Native Educators Association that will provide guidance for the implementation of an Academy of Elders drawing on the support of the Association of Interior Native Educators. The BSSD will also utilize the Native educators to assemble and document Siberian Yup'ik and Inupiaq curriculum resources that can be utilized to bring indigenous knowledge and perspective into the school curriculum. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) chapters are coming to a reality in the Inupiaq region. Thanks to those who have committed their time for the Alaska RSI project. When you begin planning, fundraising, etc., local governments such as the traditional councils or IRA councils, city governments and search and rescue organizations are always willing to donate money to support school functions. Start planning your science project for the science fair to be held somewhere in the Inupiaq region. Our elders will assist in the judging of the science fair projects. AISES project coordinator, Claudette Bradley-Kawagley and teacher liaisons attended the 1996 AISES conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah. We will read their reports in the next issue of Sharing Our Pathways. I will give you an update on the progress of the AISES chapters and the Scientist-in-Residence program. If you have any questions or concerns, call me at (907) 475-2257. Happy New Year! | |
|
Inupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:Goals for Native Ways of Knowing * To incorporate Alaska Native ways of knowing into the pedagogical practice (teaching methods) of schools in rural Alaska in such a way that knowledge can be drawn from the local culture and physical environment. * To identify strengths that Alaska Native teachers and parents bring to their teaching and to create an educational environment that capitalizes on those strengths. * To integrate appropriate Alaska Native pedagogical practices into the pre-service and in-service preparation of teachers for rural schools. Benchmarks: (Year 1) * All teachers have integrated some form of experiential learning activity into their planning each week. * All participating school districts have reviewed their teacher evaluation procedures, taking into account local culture variations in successful teaching practices. * All schools report a significant increase in parent interest and involvement in school activities, including a ten percent increase in attendance at parent-teacher conferences. o. Native student enrollment in teacher education programs has increased by ten percent. * The proportion of time in in-service programs devoted to cultural issues associated with teaching has increased by twenty percent. ANCSA and the Subsistence Economy The North Slope Borough School District, Northwest Arctic Borough School District and the Bering Strait School Districts' goals and benchmarks for ANCSA and the subsistence economy are: * To achieve a balanced and thorough treatment of the role of cash-based and subsistence economies in rural communities through a comprehensive and culturally-aligned curriculum design adaptable to local circumstances. * To develop a curriculum structure that takes into consideration the context in which learning occurs and makes use of local resources. * To form a coalition of organizations associated with resource management and related economic issues to coordinate curriculum resources and technical support for rural schools. Benchmarks: (Year 1) * Each participating school district has an articulated curriculum design that integrates the study of issues associated with ANCSA corporations and the subsistence economy and lifestyle. * Students in all participating districts are actively engaged in activities associated with the everyday life of the community. * A coalition of organizations and resources have been drawn together in each region to provide curricular support for rural schools in teaching ANCSA and the subsistence-related issues. The following organizations will participate in the implementation of the goals and benchmarks: the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative, the Alaska Native regional and village corporations, the Indigenous Peoples Council for Marine Mammals, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the Eskimo Whaling/Walrus Commissions, the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, the Alaska Natural Resources and Outdoor Education Association, the Alaska Society for Technology in Education, the Alaska Association of Economics Education, the Alaska Association of Social Studies Teachers, tribal colleges, school districts and the rural campuses. "The Inupiaq region will also serve as the initiator for the first of a rotating annual meeting of representatives from all resources, technology and economics education-related professional organizations throughout the state, to promote the incorporation of ANCSA and subsistence-oriented issues in school curricula in culturally appropriate ways." The North Slope Borough School District, Northwest Arctic Borough School District and the Bering Strait School District will hold subsistence curriculum development workshops. If everyone works together, the tasks will be easier to accomplish. I will keep you updated on planning meetings and other events. Charles Kingsland and Elmer Jackson at the ANREC meeting in Sitka April 23 and 24, 1997. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:Ambler will host the first regional Native Science Fair. Many students in the Iñupiaq and the Athabascan regions will enter Native science fair projects. These projects will have Native science themes. For example one student's project might be the study and development of a scale model of a mudshark (tiktaaliq) fishtrap. In the fall, after freeze-up, the Kobuk River people build mudshark traps utilizing long spruce poles. The poles are formed into a circular, square or diamond shape that serves as the trap or holding area for the trapped fish. The Inupiat key to the successful fishing technique is the trap: a one-way entrance made of willow. Once the fish enter, they cannot get back out. They remain in the holding area. Other science projects might be the process of tanning muskrat skins or the study and research of traditional medicines. The list of possible science fair projects are numerous. The students will need many research questions answered. We ask for help from the elders and parents to teach the children in the Native way of knowing and teaching. We do not realize that we are involved in science in our daily subsistence way of life. Whether it be trapping, fishing or hunting, science is present in all of the parts. The Iñupiaq translation of science, according to Rachel Craig, is supayaat kaniqsisautaat. It translates simply, "everything that the Inupiat understands or knows." Indigenous knowledge is a precious source of information for survival in the Inupiat subsistence way of life. Presently our elders are the bearers of that indigenous knowledge. They will share their knowledge during the districtwide subsistence curriculum development workshops. This documented information will lead to the development of curriculum for use in the classroom. The school districts that will participate in the development of indigenous Inupiat curriculum are the North Slope Borough School District, the Northwest Arctic Borough School District and the Bering Strait School District. The school districts will participate in the regional Academy of Elders during the district-wide subsistence curriculum development workshops. Every aspect of the Inupiats' subsistence practices will be documented. Another objective is to involve the Native educators and to establish a Native teachers association whose membership will include the bilingual teachers. This association will create and develop lesson plans that will be shared with other teachers in the Iñupiaq region. The Bering Strait School District will also implement St. Lawrence Island Yup'ik and Iñupiaq studies materials documentation. Ilisagvik College and Kawerak, Inc. will provide support for the documentation of Iñupiaq Ways of Knowing and Teaching. The documented information can serve as the basis for the teaching of all subjects in the schools. The college will participate in the development of a prototype curriculum framework based on Iñupiaq cultural precepts and principles which will be shared with the other districts in the Iñupiaq region. The North Slope Inupiat Educators Association which will provide guidance for the implementation of an Iñupiaq Academy of Elders, drawing on the support of the Ciulistet Yup'ik Teachers Association and the Association of Interior Native Educators. If you have any questions, please call. You can reach me in Kiana at (907) 475-2257 or fax the AFN office at 276- 7989. Thank you. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:The first annual Native Science Fair was held on November 20-22. Thanks to elders, teachers and students for making the fair educational and scientific in the Native Ways of Knowing. A total of twenty-one students, some working on team projects, presented thirteen science fair projects. Some schools sent in projects for display during the fair. Poor weather conditions and other school activities kept many students from participating. Students in grades five through eight presented the following science team projects: Nunanaik Kipitirrun-Alder Willow Dye; Furs That Keep Us Warm; Why Don't Wolf and Wolverine Furs Frost Like Other Furs? and Uses of Low Wattage Electric Bulb by Using an Inverter. Eight students in grades five through eight, had individual projects. They were the Deering Salted Salmon; A Caribou's Life Cycle; Caribou Antlers; How Do Leaves Change Color; Air-The Effect of Smoking On Our Lungs; Northern Lights; Alcohol and You and a first grade science project Ptarmingan: An Arctic Bird. The NWABSD, Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative and the National Science Foundation sponsored the fair. On Friday night an awards ceremony and a feast was held. A combination of Native food and pizza was served. The evening's highlight was the awesome Eskimo dancing by the Kotzebue Northern Lights Dancers. Taikuu (thank you) to the Northwest Arctic Borough for the use of their facility and the Northwest Arctic Borough School District for feeding and accommodating the participants. The science fair was planned through teleconferencing, the AISES planning committee deserves a thank you. Thanks especially to Ruth Sampson, Mike Dunleavy and Debra Weber-Werle who helped make the science fair was a success. And to the students and their teachers: you made history by participating in the First Annual Arctic Region AISES Science Fair. On November 22-23 two teams, one from Barrow and the other from Bering Straits, participated in the Science and Math Unit Building workshop. Kit Peixotto, the program director for the Mathematics and Science Education Center of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory located in Portland, Oregon, facilitated the workshop. The Barrow team did their science unit on whaling while the Bering Straits team worked on developing a unit on plants. The initiative for 1998 is Culturally-Aligned Curriculum Adaptations. A culturally balanced and integrated curriculum of Native and non-Native knowledge and skills will be utilized, using local examples and resources wherever possible, while at the same time articulating with state and national standards. NWABSD sponsored the Subsistence Curriculum Development Workshop in Kotzebue December 10-12. Native educators and elders started curriculum development for teachers in the Iñupiaq region. Lesson units in subsistence will be shared with teachers in various school districts. A report on the workshop will be available, listing the units that were developed. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:It is time for Elders, teachers and parents to guide and help students plan and organize their science fair projects. The Second Annual Native Science Fair will be sponsored by the NWABSD in November, 1998. Welcome again MOA partners: the Alaska Department of Education, Peggy Cowan and the Alaska Science Consortium, Nanci Spear, who are continuing work in curriculum standards and assessment. The North Slope Tribal College Consortium will be sponsored by Ilisagvik College. MOA partners, Kawerak, Inc., NWABSD and the Nome City School District, will participate in the Alaska Tribal Consortium to begin the planning process for the development of a Tribal College system in Alaska. Kawerak Inc., will prepare a higher education needs assessment for the Bering Straits region. The Bering Strait School District will work with the St. Lawrence Island Yup'ik Academy of Elders with a focus on curriculum development. The NWABSD will host a district-wide Academy of Elders and Teachers in a Subsistence Curriculum workshop. In this workshop, lesson units will be created for teachers. These units will reflect the subsistence practices of the Iñupiat people in the Kobuk River region. The knowledge gained and the way of teaching will be the focus on the development of these units. The Subsistence Curriculum workshop will be held in Kotzebue, October, 1998. MOA partners NSBSD, Nome City School District and BSSD will participate. Rachel Craig of the NWABSD will be working on a genealogy project. A workshop for bilingual teachers, focusing on "A Family Tree Gathering" will be held in October in Kotzebue. Reminding parents, teachers and students that the Second Annual Native Science Fair will be held in Kotzebue, November 1998. This is in association with the activities of the districts' American Indian Science and Engineering Society high school chapters. Students from schools in the Iñupiaq region will enter their science fair projects. Grand winners will participate in the nationals. Grand winners from the nationals will compete in the International Science Fair, 1999. Both locations are yet to be announced. Student participants have the opportunity to receive scholarship monies for future college careers. Welcome Iñupiat region MOA participants in the implementation of AKRSI goals. Welcome, also, to Frank Hill, new co-director for the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative. Thank you Dorothy M. Larson for your guidance and direction. Taikuu! | |
|
Iñupiaq Region by Elmer Jackson:The AKRSI initiative for the Iñupiaq Region for the year 2000 will be Elders and Cultural Camps. Summer camps have been in existence in the Iñupiaq region for a number of years. The organizers of the 1999 cultural summer camps have been busy. Illisagvik Camp is located between Ambler and Shungnak on the upper Kobuk river. Last year, they held their first camp and plans are underway for a second camp. Further down the Kobuk river is the Kiana Elders' Iñupiat Illitqusrait Camp located near Kiana. The Kiana Traditional Council plans and sponsors this camp with funding coming from the Robert Newlin Aqqaluk Trust Fund. Northwest Alaska Native Association sponsors the Sivunniigvik Camp, located near Noorvik. Many Elders and youth from the region attend this camp. In the village of Selawik, Elders and planners usually take students camping or to a residential camp for part of the summer. At these camps, the students and young people are taught the Iñupiat Illitqusrait or the way of life of the Iñupiat. Some of the topics taught are fishing, hunting skills and other skills for gathering food with an emphasis on the Iñupiaq values. The planning for next year's AKRSI initiative has begun. I do not have the camp schedules at the present. If you would like more information, you can call me at (907) 475-2257 or e-mail me at fnej@uaf.edu. Many thanks go to all who participated in the 1999 Alaska Native/Rural Education Statewide Consortium held in Kotzebue, April 15-17. | |
|
Inupiaq Region: : | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Academy of Elders and Culture Camps 2000 by Elmer Jackson:The theme was "A Gathering for a Time of Learning and Sharing." The goal was to teach the young people the subsistence way of life through fishing, hunting, berry picking and gathering edible and medicinal plants. One student commented that after drinking tilaaqii (labrador tea) her sinus cold began to clear. She also said that she was going to take some home. There were many edible plants and sweet roots growing near the shoreline of the camp: masru (sweet roots or wild potatoes), qusrimmaq (rhubarb), quagaq (sourdock) and patitaaq (wild chives). The academy shared and gave algaqsruutit (advice), sang love songs and told stories. Algaqsruutit are words of advice to the young. Gill nets and seine nets were used to catch salmon, quasrilluk (whitefish) and other Kobuk River fish. Some were sealed, cut, washed and hung on poles to dry. Some of the fish were half-dried for iganaaqtuk, that can be baked or boiled and tastes delicious with seal oil. Summer youth workers from Kiana met and interviewed Elders for the Oral History Project sponsored by the Kiana Traditional Council. The youth workers participated and helped the staff and campers. They are to be commended for their great help. An eagle flew over, observing the camp. I could see the caring eyes of the Elders for they knew that a large eagle is capable of flying off with a small child. Yet they were also awed by the sight of the large golden eagle perched on a spruce tree. During one of the evening sessions, the Elders shared the following algaqsruutit with the young campers: * What your parents and grandparents teach you is important. * We will depend on you; you are the ones who will run our Native corporations. * Give the best kuak, puugmiutaq and seal oil to others and one-tenth to the church. * Research your family tree to find out who you are related to. * The more you learn in grade school, the easier time you will have in college. * When you help others, especially Elders, don't ask for payment. * Don't make fun of people, especially those who are disabled. * When you have a head/sinus cold and are coughing, spit out the mucus; it is not healthy when it stays in your body. * Learn the Iñupiaq way of life as well as the Western way. Don't forget that you are Iñupiaq. * When we were growing up our parents and grandparents taught us to leave other people's property alone. * Don't steal. If you leave people's things alone, you will make the right choice. * Respect nature. * We are never too old to learn. * Keep your camping area clean. * Don't throw plastic trash into the river. The fish, birds and other animals can get caught in it. * When you are out boating, do not throw your trash on the land or in the water. If you do, it will keep the animals and fish away. * Do not leave your campfire burning while you are away; it could cause a forest fire. * Hunter and campers have a responsibility to keep the land and water clean. * When you are camping with other people, share your food with them. * The Elders' way of life is the truth. * Culture camps need more support. The Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative and AFN supported and provided for the Academy of Elders. Thanks to MOA partner Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Ruth Sampson and staff, the Kiana Elders Council and the Kiana Traditional Council for their support of the Academy of Elders and the Iñupiat Ilitqusrait summer camp 2000. The camp staff did an excellent job and the food was great! Thanks. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: ARCTIC Immersion by B. Yaayuk Alvanna-Stimpfle:Twenty teachers from throughout Alaska were immersed in the use of technology in the classroom. The ARCTIC project I produced is on a "Weather Forecasting Unit". The project teaches upper elementary students how to predict weather in various ways. They learn to compare weather forecasting using traditional Iñupiaq ways and modern equipment used by the weather stations. I chose this theme since it has made a positive impact both with students and parents. In the past, students were assigned to observe the moon and stars as homework. Parents were involved by helping their child. Both were involved in the learning process. The web site I developed for my students shares how the Iñupiat have learned to predict weather by observing the moon, stars, sun, wind and clouds. The web site includes Iñupiaq terms the students will be studying. While the students are studying and observing these items, they form a data chart comparing their findings. The web site address can be found at www.nomeschools.com. From there, go to Nome Elementary School, then to Fifth Grade and finally go to Mrs. Alvanna-Stimpfle's teacher page. There you will find the Traditional Weather Prediction unit. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Discovery, Native Science After-School Activites by Katie Bourdon:Paula Herzner and Katie Bourdon, EHP staff, have been using Alan Dick's Village Science and the Alaska Native Knowledge Network website as resources for class ideas. Barbara Pungowiyi, Nome Public Schools Native Programs Director, has provided Native science fair exhibits from her junior high and high school students. These exhibits have served as examples for the young students in the Discovery class. Elder Esther Bourdon joined the group on the first day to talk about harvesting salmon and the various ways to preserve it. The students were willing and eager to begin cutting fish for hanging, smoking and salting. An experiment was done on frozen fish, dry fish and fish left out at room temperature for a few days. The youth learned about bacteria, the importance of weather and keeping blow flies away and about surface area. Elder Esther Bourdon sitting on the right and Zachary Bourdon cutting fish to hang. Watching from left to right are Maggie Ahkvaluk, Cody Sherman and Rachel Pomrenke in the front. * to R: Maggie Ahkvaluk, Darla Swann, Emma Outwater; teachers Josie Bourdon, Joel Bachelder, and Jenny Bachelder. Teachers Miss Bourdon and Mrs. Bachelder both picked the campfire coffee. Recently, the kids did an experiment with coffee. Local Elder Frank Okleasik regularly gets his tea water from Glacier Creek and donated the creek water for an experiment. The kids made percolated "campfire" coffee using the Glacier Creek water. Filtered coffee was also made using regular tap water. The students went around to 6 different teachers to find out which coffee was preferred. "Old-timers say that campfire coffee is the best" (Alan Dick's Village Science). Students hypothesized about the outcome of the experiment; most guessed that three out of six would know the difference. Zachary Bourdon's hy-pothesis was correct: five out of six preferred the campfire coffee. The students had fun making the coffee, presenting their experiment to the teachers and documenting their results. Darla Swann packs tomcod with baking soda to begin the mummifying process. Another fun (and in the kids' words, "cool") activity was mummifying tomcods. Paula Herzner's family had fished for the tomcods prior to class so the students were able to gut them in class, weigh them and document their observations of the fish before the mummifying process. Loads of baking soda filled and en-capsulated the tomcods. The following week, the students again weighed and documented their findings. They cleaned out the old baking soda and repacked the tomcods with enthusiasm. After two weeks of dehydrating, the results were mummified tomcods! We want to share our experience to encourage other communities to have their own after-school Native science class. The resources are available, as long as there are volunteers in your community who are willing to plan and work with the youth. Please contact Kawerak Eskimo Heritage Program at (907) 443-4386 or at ehp.pd@kawerak.org for more in-formation about having your own Native Science after-school activities. Visit the Alaska Native Knowledge Network at www.ankn.uaf.edu for class ideas and activities and to find Alan Dick's Village Science. Go Native Science! Editors Note: Village Science by Alan Dick, is available online at www.ankn.uaf.edu/VS. An interactive version for the computer is also available online or on CD free-of-charge from the ANKN offices. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Elder Highlight by Elmer Jackson:By Elmer Jackson Minnie is one of the most well-known and beloved Elders in the NANA region. She has been actively involved with the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative since the first consortium meetings began. At that time, she was one of the main advisors for the Northwest Arctic Borough School District's Iñupiaq Language and Culture Curriculum Committee. In addition she was active in teaching traditional skin-sewing skills to the young people in the village of Ambler. Minnie has been a advocate for Iñupiaq language and culture training for as many years as she has lived the culture. She was born in 1924 in Kobuk, Alaska. She was one of three surviving children of the late Robert and Flora Cleveland. She is the widow of the late Friends Church pastor, Arthur Gray. Minnie attended school for six years as a child in the village of Shungnak. After being a pastor with her husband in two villages, she became a bilingual teacher in August, 1973 and retired in 1994. She helped to produce many books to help teach the Iñupiaq language and culture. One of the early books published by Maniilaq Association was Timimun Mamirrutit, which is a book about Iñupiaq medicine. Minnie contributed to this publication because of her knowledge of traditional ways of healing, especially in the use of plants and herbs. She later worked at the National Bilingual Materials Development Center to work on other publications. One of the most extensive books she worked on was titled Black River Stories-a book of stories told by her late father, Robert Cleveland. She also written two books titled Birch bark Basket Making and Net Making. Other contributions included the Kobuk River Junior Dictionary, How Stories, More How Stories, Atuugaurat (translated children's songs) and Taimmaknaqtat, a book about traditional Iñupiaq Eskimo beliefs. There are more publications; I have listed a few. Minnie's beautiful looks, traditional clothing, wonderful friendly smile and graceful stature have been photographed by friends she has made over the years. Her photograph is on the cover jacket of A Place Beyond by Nick Jans. He wrote a wonderful story of Minnie and her friend, Sarah Tickett, seining for whitefish. Minnie is known for her hospitality; she has been a hostess to visitors and friends who have graced her home over the years. Whenever Minnie travels to AKRSI meetings, she shares her knowledge of the Iñupiat Culture, through hands-on demonstrations and songs. At curriculum meetings, she taught how to make snares using salmon skin and gave demonstrations of various traditional tools. She told the mudshark bone story, using actual bones, to Iñupiaq immersion students at Barrow. They enjoyed this story demonstration very much. Here are some of her own thoughts about bilingual education. She voiced them in Iñupiaq and they were translated into English: Iñupiaq should be taught at an early age. I have seen that the younger students are responsive, the more they learn. It is fun to teach these young people. As an Iñupiaq language instructor, I realize that children need motivation to learn. I motivated my students by offering them a variety of ways of learning. They cannot learn by only writing, so I took them out for field trips and taught them about the plants that grow. In the spring, when they got tired of writing, I took them outside and taught them the name of the many different birds that migrate north. This motivated them tremendously. I had projects for them such as skin sewing and making other crafts like birch bark baskets. I allowed them to play Iñupiaq games when they became restless. Sometimes, I even took them home and taught them how to prepare an Iñupiaq dish, such as cranberry or blueberry pudding. Other times I taught them how to make akutuq, Eskimo ice cream. I also boiled the head of the mudshark, which have many bones; I told them the individual names of the bones. This is an interesting project and the students think it is fun. For added variety, I sang songs and told them Iñupiaq stories and legends. Students should learn about life in school. They should learn practical skills such as skin sewing and cooking. Many students need these basic skills. They should know the names of our Native foods and know how to prepare them. It is practical to learn theses skills because our environment is going to be the same in spite of the changes in our lifestyles. We still need warm clothing and we will need to gather food. Students should know about the weather because we cannot predict what the coming seasons' weather will be. They should also know their regional geography. They should know their local subsistence areas, their trails and place names of creeks, rivers and other landmarks. They should be able to know where they are and be able to communicate exactly where they are as they travel out in the country for it is a matter of survival. Last summer, Minnie taught and instructed students at the Ilisagvik Camp, a camp between Ambler and Shungnak. They were taught about camping and fishing, everything about the Iñupiat Illitqusrait, the way of life of the Iñupiat. Minnie continues to share her knowledge of the Iñupiat culture. Those who have been taught by her have been blessed, her love for her people is immense. Thank you, Minnie, for being a great role model for us all. Taikuu. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Eskimo Heritage Program: Kawerak Board Report, March 2001 by Branson Tungiyan:Much has been happening at the Eskimo Heritage Program since the beginning of the New Year. Topping off the list is the new memorandum of agreement that was signed between Kawerak, Inc. and the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) on December 1, 2000 by Julie Kitka of AFN and Loretta Bullard of Kawerak. This MOA is to implement Phase II of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI). Both Kawerak, Inc. and AFN agree to "collaborate for the purposes of implementing the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative" funded by the National Science Foundation. Through this agreement, AFN and Kawerak, Inc. affirm their commitment to work together on behalf of improving the quality of education in Alaska. In furtherance of this commitment, Kawerak, Inc. agrees to perform the following tasks between November 1, 2000 and February 28, 2002: 1. Focusing on the Iñupiaq Region, Kawerak, Inc. will participate in the Consortium for Alaska Native Higher Education (CANHE) to pursue the continued development of a tribal college system in Alaska. 2. Kawerak, Inc. will continue to develop the institutional infrastructure for the Iñupiaq region that will serve as the basis for establishing a tribal college with the capacity to address the educational needs and cultural well being of the Native people in the region. I have been selected, through the Eskimo Heritage Program, to be the regional coordinator for the Iñupiaq region. This is going to be very challenging because it requires overseeing many different initiatives in our region. Some of the specific responsibilities include: * Encourage collaboration of educational partnerships on a regional and statewide basis, including support and assistance for the regional tribal college initiative. * Coordinate and organize at least one regional Elders' council meeting each year. * Coordinate activities of memoranda-of-agreement partners both for regional and local village/school initiatives. * Travel to and/or meet personally with MOA partners at least two times annually in partner's location. * Additional and training workshops on AKRSI resources and activities. * Identify, research and complete individual cultural curriculum projects. * Participate in statewide activities relative to promotion and development of AKRSI initiatives as a representative of the specific cultural region. Another important thing that happened was that we had a retreat for the Eskimo Heritage Program on January 4, 2001. The purpose of the retreat was to review and assess where the program is on its long-range plan, what the accomplishments have been, set goals, establish a plan of action and determine who will be responsible in making sure the goals are achieved. We went through the following: Accomplishments * EHP office still in existence. * Supplemental funds from AKRSI to move forward with goals. * Iñupiaq (except for King Island and St. Lawrence Island) and Yup'ik collection digitized. * 92% of individual Elder interview audio tapes complete. * Hosting of successful Elders conferences. * Development of K-3 and 4-6 readers. * Through the EHP, Elder advisory committees started at the village level. Trends Affecting the EHP Program * Acknowledgment nationwide by Native Americans. * More funds available (both government and private). * Bigger voice. * "Professionals" put credibility on Native cultural knowledge. * Revival of Native dancing and singing in the region. * Roles of Elders in the community disappearing. The next step in the process is to identify what challenges (gaps) exist in accomplishing the mission statement of the EHP Program and what needs to be done in order to overcome those challenges. We turned the challenges into two-year goals and what needs to be done into the action plan. From there, we established who would be responsible in making sure the goals are met. I have also been working with the Kawerak Elders Advisory Committee (KEAC). One of the activities of the KEAC is attending the Bering Sea Coalition Conference in Anchorage with the Council of Elders. Clarence Irrigoo and Charles Saccheus, Sr. of Elim had attended the last two conferences held in Anchorage. The KEAC decided that the same two individuals should attend the conference and be the representatives from the Bering Strait region for the next two years. Two different Elders can be selected for the following two years, and so forth. Jacob Ahwinona and Anders Apassingok attended the first Bering Sea Coalition conference. I have been attending a series of meetings and conferences since becoming involved with AKRSI. The first one-week trip was to meet with the AKRSI staff and attend the Association of Interior Natives Education Summit with the Athabascan educators. This trip was very beneficial as it gave me a better picture of my role as the Iñupiaq regional coordinator for AKRSI. I will be working closely with our MOA partners: Nome Public Schools, Bering Strait School District, Northwest Arctic Borough School District and North Slope Borough School District. The second one-week trip was to attend a meeting in Anchorage with representatives from the Pueblo and Navajo tribes of New Mexico and Lumbee of North Carolina in connection with the Rural Schools & Community Trust project. Alaska is currently one of the states that have Native groups in the project. This meeting was concurrent with the Native Educator's Conference (NEC) and the Bilingual Multicultural Education & Equity Conference (BMEEC). The Native educators adopted two new sets of guidelines: Guidelines for Nurturing Culturally-Healthy Youth and Guidelines for Strengthening Indigenous Languages. The purpose of these guidelines is to offer assistance to educational personnel and others who are seeking to incorporate the Alaska Standards for Culturally-Responsive Schools in their work. Using these guidelines will expand the knowledge base and range of insights and expertise available to help schools and communities nurture and pass on their cultural heritage with respect and integrity. A highlight of the Eskimo Heritage Program has been in regards to establishing the Eskimo Cultural Center as one of the priorities. It has gathered enough support that it is being presented in the state/federal issues packet. This is something that has been identified as a need for the Bering Strait region. With the long cultural histories in the Bering Strait region, there is no place for the representation of the strong cultural heritage we have as Native groups. We definitely need to have a cultural center to put on display the region's wealth of cultural heritage. All in all, I feel that the program is heading in the right direction, with goals set in place. It makes me feel more comfortable to have goals to follow with an agenda. There are other activities happening on a daily basis. An interesting trip is coming up in early May where I will be following the Unalakleet group to Washington, D.C. They are going there to review objects at the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History. There are 90 objects in all at the two places from the Norton Sound region. I have been invited to attend as an observer, with the opportunity to bring a contingent from Nome and the surrounding villages at a later date. The Kawerak Elders Advisory Committee will also be inviting Dan Karmun, Sr. to their next meeting to explain about the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority's upcoming trip to Nome and onto the villages in the region. A group of 30-plus people will come up from Anchorage and travel to six villages to conduct meetings and return the next day and assess their village trips. Norton Sound Health Corporation is assisting the group with their studies of the villages' social problems. I will be contacting the village Elders' advisory committees to get input and suggestions in regards to AKRSI. Phase II of AKRSI will concentrate on initiatives that were successful in Phase I and develop them at a higher level. There are five sets of initiatives being rotated in the five cultural regions. Each region will have an opportunity to implement each initiative. These initiatives are: * Elders & Cultural Camps-Academy of Elders * Indigenous Science Knowledge Base-Cultural Atlas * Culturally Aligned Curriculum-Cultural Standards * Native Ways of Knowing/Teaching-Parent Involvement * Village Science Applications-AISES/ANSES Camps The Alaska Federation of Natives will continue as a sponsor of the project. We look forward to working with the communities and Elders to help continue its success. Thank You. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Heritage, Love and Science by Wilma Osborne:When I walked into the Eskimo Heritage office in Nome, it felt like I had come home. In the recordings stored in this office live voices, letters, words, ideas, knowledge, advice, struggle, tragedy-so many lives captured by the technology. Memories surround me as though I am reviewing my life before I die. I felt loved. People before me wanted me to know things from how to hunt and take care of game to old wives' tales. And another group of people took the time and care to document, transcribe and store this information. That is love indeed. It allows me to understand my place in the world as a woman raised in the Arctic. It gives me security. It allows me to know what is expected of me in the context of this land and people and carry myself forward with intention. There is a question that Western science has of humanity in relation to the rest of the universe. Where do we fit in? What separates us? Such is the task of a scientist. It is people's blazing imaginations that send probes thousands of miles out of our atmosphere and into other planetary orbits-the same questions drive individuals, even groups of people on quests. So let us ask the question, how is heritage scientific? Heritage is something handed down-the rights, freedoms and burdens as a result of being in a certain place and time. It is intellectual property, knowledge and imagination. People have applied themselves here for a very long time; they know how to deal with stress specific to the North and have passed along lifelong, scientific information about weather, animals, land and sea, as well as how to form lasting, meaningful relationships with each other and everything around them, including the past and future. Native people thrive because they ask these questions of their place in the universe, but heritage is an equal partner which gives those queries beautiful, intense meaning. Western science is in its infancy and has tended to separate humans from the universe. This is beginning to change. Indigenous people all over the world have immense understanding and wisdom to contribute to the spiritual "coming of age" of Western science and allow it to blossom into something we see merely as a ray today. Heritage is the imagination we give to science that makes life more than worthwhile. It is through our heritage that love is given to scientific knowledge and makes life worth living, worth sharing, worth protecting, worth giving. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Integrating Culturally-Responsive School Standards in Education by Yaayuq Bernadette Alvanna-Stimpfle:Last fall, the Bering Strait School District held their Third Annual Educational Conference from October 21-24. There were many workshops and meetings offered for all the participants from the fifteen sites within the region. It was exciting to see so many teachers coming together from the Bering Strait region. On Tuesday, October 22 during the breakout sessions I facilitated two sessions on "Integrating Culturally-Responsive Standards." At both sessions I guided the participants in brainstorming on subsistence activities throughout each season. In the first group, there were enough participants to break up into smaller groups to help each other in preparing lessons. In each of the groups, it was suggested that we create a circular calendar listing the seasonal activities. Teachers can brainstorm with students and have them create a subsistence calendar. The illustration shows activities both groups came up with. Suggested Activities for Implementation of Subsistence-based Curriculum * Have students brainstorm what activities are happening in the community. * Create a circular seasonal calendar to record and display traditional activities with these labels: Early spring Summer Early fall Late fall Winter * If possible, include the Native names of each season. * Have students illustrate the calendar. * Have students research and interview Elders or local experts. * Compare and contrast traditional and modern subsistence activities. * Create a website on the activities. * Participate and get involved in the community activities. * Invite guests for storytelling. * Create and display student work. * Hold a science fair on the research done by the students. Assessment and Rubrics * Teachers can create an assessment and a scoring guide for the projects. Performance Assessment * Hold a community night to display student work. I know there are many activities I have left out from this list. Teachers can add them with their students. Both sessions I worked with were very good about sharing their activities and lessons. Quyaana to all the participants who were part of the workshop during the BSSD Education Conference! Related winter activities include trapping, hunting, dog sledding, Native dancing and potluck celebrations, storytelling, sewing parkas, mukluks, mittens, slippers, ruffs and carving with ivory, wood or baleen. Sports-related activities include basketball, volleyball and wrestling. Native games include the World Eskimo Indian Olympics games such as the High Kick and Finger Pull. Related fall activities include ivory carving, hunting, skin sewing, knitting, weaving grass baskets, ice fishing and preparing for the winter holidays. Some communities can practice Native dancing and children can do different sports related to the curriculum (Native games). Related spring activities include bear hunting, hunting out in the sea ice, drying meat, making seal oil and preparing for summer fish camp. Many hours are spent preparing and putting away dried foods. Related summer activities include fishing, going to fish camps to prepare dried salmon, picking various greens, picnics, put away dried fish and meat, store edible greens and seal oil, freeze berries for the winter. Communities have their own techniques to prepare salmon and greens-have students research that in their communities. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Keviq in Stebbins by Katie Bourdon:Once the giveaway is completed, the song leader begins by singing solo the family's selected song. The band of drummers join in once it's sung through by the leader and the awaited performance of the first dancer begins. Yupik style of dance is one of repeated encores. Guests can request pumyua or "tale again" and dancers are obligated respectfully to dance the tale again. It's common for dancers to continue the same dance 10, 15 times or more to the pleasure of the crowd. It's beautiful to watch-as the dancers tire, their intensity does not and with this intensity, the dancers and drummers become one. The palpable drummers' beat rings out and the dancers glisten with sweat. The flow of the strong beat and the rhythmic dancers motion all in unison engages everyone who watches. Sixteen new dancers performed their "first dance" on Friday, February 21 to the honored guests who traveled from Kotlik and to their fellow community members in Stebbins. Dancing and giving away graced the community well into the next day and didn't stop until 3:00 AM on Saturday. Later in the afternoon on Saturday there was another giveaway from the community of Stebbins to the Elders of Kotlik of gathered Native foods that were harvested by Stebbins people. In the evening, communities gathered again for dancing. Now the new dancers are no longer first dancers and could join any dance. The dances that were performed on Saturday evening were requested by the Elders from Kotlik. Following the Stebbins dancers, Kotlik was invited to perform. Elders Joe and Martina Apazeruk, who are in their 80s, gave a performance with grace, dignity, love, respect and humor that blessed all who witnessed. We could have watched those two all night! Dancing by Kotlik was enjoyed by everyone until midnight on Saturday. The Keviq was a weekend of nurturing between two communities that cultivates and strengthens all through cultural traditions that have thrived for generations and are still going strong in Stebbins. PUMYUA! In the center April Marie Merlin, who is 4 years old, is performing her "first dance" with her great-grandmother, Christine Steve, on the left and her adoptive mother, Margaret Merlin, on the right. Pumyua! Elder Rose Anne Waghiyi dancing. Rose Anne has been an instrumental Elder in Stebbins in reviving the Kevig and traditional dancing. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Kingikmiut Dance Festival by Katie Bourdon:Pete Sereadlook recalls when the dancing used to take place in the kagzhi. The dome-shaped Native store now sits in its place and dancing now takes place in the Kingikmiut school. Pete Sereadlook and Faye Ongtowasruk, both Wales' Elders, have been devoted to rejuvenating traditional Eskimo dancing and drumming. To their credit, the youth and young people of Wales have become a large and strong group of dancers eager to learn more. What was remarkable to me during the festival was the young age of the Brevig Mission dancers and drummers. Their drummers were young men who sang out with conviction and confidence while the dancers gladly danced their songs. The festival was honored by the presence and performances of the Tikiguaq (Point Hope) Dancers and Drummers. They were the evident connection to our ancestors, as their drums have never stopped (due to outside forces). Not only did they capture the crowd's attention with powerful performances, but they also shared old songs and dances that were from Wales and Shishmaref with the young Wales and Shishmaref dance groups. Teaching was done right there on the spot. Dancers were welcomed to join in and learn. A small, young but vibrant dance group from Shishmaref participated as well and did so through dedicated efforts by Mary (Stansenko) Huntington. Traditional songs were performed as well as modern songs created by Mary. Crowd favorites were the "Cheerleader" song and "My Savior." The Diomede Dancers and Drummers made it to Wales by the second night of dancing with a warm welcome. Bench dances were performed that made us all feel like we were back in the kaghzi. The Nome Native Youth Leadership members were present with the King Island Drummers and performed crowd favorites, as well as closed the festival with the Wolf Dance. Gabe Muktoyuk, King Island Elders, shared that they enjoyed their time in Wales and will say goodbye until they meet again. The dance has the men sway to the beat back and forth with their arms moving in motion. Each dancer must run through this human arm path without getting caught. The crowd enjoyed the playfulness of the dancing. There was an excitement and energy during the dance and the crowd responded with laughter and applause. It was a joy to be part of this cultural event and I would like to encourage as many folks and dance groups to attend the next Kingikmiut Dance Festival. You will come away inspired, revived and renewed! The Wales Kingikmiut Dancers and Drummers. Left to right: Cynthia Crisci, Alicia Crisci, Angela Crisci. Mary Huntington with the Shishmaref Dancers and Drummers. She is performing the "Cheerleader" song. King Island Drummers sing the "Wolf Dance" to say goodbye. Michael Ahkinga (Diomede Dancers on the left) helps perform with Bryan Muktoyuk (King Island Dancers on the right) while Francis Muktoyuk scoots through them and Agatha Fords waits her turn. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Nalukatagvik-A Gathering for Celebration and Blanket Toss for a Successful Whaling Season by Elmer Jackson:The whaling captains and the crews host their Nalukataq in June. Prior to the celebration, they prepare mikigaq and maktak. The strips of whale meat and maktak are aged and served at the feast. The maktak, flippers and tail are stored in the sigluaq, where they are preserved by freezing. The whale meat is frozen as quaq. Fresh frozen tongue and meat are cooked by boiling and then served. Other parts of the whale that are edible are also prepared for the feast. The celebration is opened with a prayer of thanksgiving. The whaling crew and servers hold hands to give thanks to the Creator. The gathering of people are warmly welcomed. The first course is a delicious soup, bread, crackers and doughnuts. A complete course is served. Elementary school-age children serve coffee, tea, sugar and cream. After the meal, the Nalukataq begins. Many young people and adults take turns on the blanket toss. Many hold bags of candy, furs, cloth (material), and when they are suspended in the air they toss them to the crowd. After the Nalukataq, another part of the whale is shared. Whenever a course is served, those who are not present at the celebration are also given food. For instance, maktak, avatraq or cut parts of the flippers are shared with everyone. Many return home with gifts from the celebration including its delicacies. After a whole day of feasting and blanket tossing, the celebration ends in the evening with Iñupiaq dancing. "When the whaling captains and the crews are successful in harvesting whales, their labor of love and giving is celebrated. " Living the subsistence way of life, incorporating the Iñupiat values of sharing and respect of others and respect for animals and the environment are elements of the culture-these are sacred to the Iñupiat. Iñupiat in other coastal communities also celebrate and give thanks after a successful whaling season. Many land and sea mammals, fowl, fish, berries and edible and medicinal plants are harvested from the land and waters. A successful harvest of food ensures the survival of the Iñupiat heritage. Subsistence is the Iñupiat indigenous right. Our forefathers protected the land and waters-that is why we are still able to gather and harvest the fruits of the land. "Living the subsistence way of life, incorporating the Iñupiat values of sharing and respect of others and respect for animals and the environment are elements of the culture-these are sacred to the Iñupiat." | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: NANA Science Fair by D'Anne Hamilton:Northwest Arctic Recognizes Traditional Knowledge in Regional Science Fair The annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society's Science Fair encourages Native students across the country to become scientists and engineers; the Northwest Arctic Borough School District regional AISES Science Fair on March 7, 2003 reflected the unique life experience of students in the arctic. At June Nelson Elementary School in Kotzebue, students from outlying villages sat waiting quietly as judges moved from display to display, questioning the students about their hypotheses, research and conclusions on projects ranging from traditional Iñupiaq diapers to healing practices of tribal doctors in the region. The handful of students spoke confidently as they greeted visitors to their demonstration boards, explaining the specifics of their projects. If affinity is what helps light a fire in the hearts of these fledgling scientists, Kathleen Skin of Selawik should go on to do great things. The Iñupiaq/Mescalero Apache traced the onset of diabetes through her ancestors, beginning with first contact with Europeans on down to her own mother who suffers from diabetes. Skin said she feared for her own health, "Doing this project . . . I started eating healthier and exercising more." Skin demonstrates the traditional measurement of how many vegetables to eat, cupping both hands together. She then makes a fist to show how many carbohydrates to eat, and so on. Drawing on the traditional knowledge of the Elders is one of the criteria for judging the projects. One student who descended from a line of tribal doctors detailed the manipulation of the digestive system and its benefits, while another displayed the various types of moss that were used for insulation, fire and baby diapers. Lexy Staheli of Kiana said it wasn't easy researching projects like the diapers. With tears in her eyes, Staheli said "We usually talk with the Elders about this kind of knowledge. But the ones who are left didn't always have the specific information we needed, so some of that information is just gone now." The grand prize winner was Ely Cyrus of Kiana, whose display included a PowerPoint presentation of a local Elder on video who detailed traditional weather forecasting. Cyrus has won national awards for the project, which included a comparison of the accuracy of traditional versus contemporary forecasting. The Northwest Arctic Borough School District's bilingual/bicultural coordinator, Ruth Sampson, organized the science fair and has been involved with the AISES event for many years. Although the entries this year were not as numerous as in previous years, with less than a dozen entries, Sampson believes the program has made a difference in encouraging Native youth to pursue science careers. "It really opens their eyes to the world around them and helps them to see the value in the knowledge the Elders have . . . and a side benefit has been the preservation of some important traditional knowledge that might not have been documented." Students who win their regional science fairs are eligible to go on to state competition, which in Alaska is called the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Society Science Fair. Top winners in that event are eligible for the National AISES Science Fair, which is usually held in the spring. For more information about AISES science fairs go to www.aises.org and for the ANSES Science Fair go to www.ankn.uaf.edu/anses/Overallstateinfo.html. NWABSD AISES science fair coordinator Ruth Sampson (left) presents students with awards for their projects. "We usually talk with the Elders about this kind of knowledge. But the ones who are left didn't always have the specific information we needed, so some of that information is just gone now." | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Natural Products made from the Tuttu, Part III by Elmer Jackson:With winter being the longest season, warm clothing is necessary for survival. Hard and soft bottom kammak (boots) are sewn from the winter skin which has thick fur. Hard bottom kammak are made from the bearded seal skin which has been crimped. Waterproof kammak are coated with fat and oil making them waterproof. These boots are used during the spring and summer. Parkas for the young are sewn from the fawn skin, which is soft and pliable and the fur makes a warm parka. Mittens, socks, pants and other items are sewn from the tanned winter skin of the tuttu. One of the traditional Iñupiat ropes is made from the skin of the tuttu and the seal. The skin is soaked in water until the hair is removed easily. While the skin is still wet, it is cut into one long strip. It is then stretched and tied from post to post and dried. These strips can be used for making snowshoes or for tying a basket sled. There are many other uses. A tent of six caribou skins is used for a survival shelter. The floor is covered with spruce boughs and skins of the tuttu. The skin is also an excellent mattress. Caribou are the only members of the deer family where both the male and female grow antlers. The antlers can be used as sinkers for a gill or seine net. Each family had a mark on the sinkers. Grandfather Frank Jackson's mark is that of the footprint of the Sandhill crane-three marks. If a sinker was found they would know who it belonged to and would return it to the owner. The sharpest points of the antlers are used as piercing tools for dry white fish. Dry fish are pierced for the purpose of making a string of fish. The antler and bones are utilized for creating tools, spear heads, arrow heads and other implements. A useful fish scaler is made from the shoulder blade. This tool is called a kavisiiqsin. Many parts of the tuttu are used for arts and crafts and in sewing clothing. Upper Kobuk and the Nunamiut artists create face masks, molding the skin into a carved wood shaped like a face of a person. A miniature model of a sled is created using the lower jaw bones, wood, baleen and twine or traditional rawhide. Every part of the tuttu is saved. The hooves are saved for survival food. Once they are dried they will remain as they are. When food is scarce, they can be soaked in water until they soften and then cooked into a soup broth. The cooked muscle tendons on the hooves are eaten also. Generations ago, the Iñupiat endured starvation. The quest to find food was difficult, especially during the winter. The men and their pack dogs would qaqi or travel north towards Noatak and the North Slope to find caribou. The women and the young remained home, fishing and berrypicking. Food gathering kept them busy most of the day and night. To respect the animals and the environment was law-traditional law. Indigenous people passed, from generation to generation, the practice of having respect for the animals and the environment. They took only what was needed, subsisting from season to season. They shared with other people in the community. When a family did not have a hunter or provider, they were given food, wood and skins. Sharing brought a sense of contentedness to the community. People took care of each other, even in times of hardship. | |
|
Iñupiaq Region: Process Of Interviewing by Rachel Craig:Opening Exercises 1. Cordial greeting of the elders. Inquire if they had a good night's sleep. Inquire if they have anything of importance to communicate right then. Reasons for Interviewing 2. Give reason(s) for meeting. "This is what we would like to do with you (give subject of discussion). We need this information for our students so they can ____________(reasons)___________ in school and in life. We can't put this information on paper without your help. We will work closely with you. We will listen to you. We will tape record the session so we don't miss anything. But we want to be sure we understand what you are trying to tell us." Process 3. "We want you to be thinking of signing a release form while you are here so we could use the information in the classrooms." Explain the purpose of a release form. Be up front with the elders on the purposes of your work; they usually are willing to assist in any way possible. Just don't surprise them with additional details and obligations afterwards. Spell them all out at the beginning before you begin to work with them. Remember that this is a partnership; you are willing to work and open doors, and they have the information and knowledge that you need to make your work effective. 4. As you interview, keep working toward getting the deeper, more meaningful stuff. Students need to know the whys of what they are studying. Try to approach the subject from all angles. Remember that most of our students don't know much about Native stuff, but they love it when they hear it. It doesn't hurt to get the detailed stuff. Our students are trained to read. They can often read a lot better than they can write; but they can also learn to write. 5. Take breaks at appropriate times. Concentrating on a subject that you are wanting takes a lot of energy out of your partner. As the elders get older, their strength is used up more quickly. Be considerate of them. Have some juices (apple, grape, cranberry-something with not too much acid), water, tea, coffee or whatever the elders need for their breaks. Make them feel good. They love to feel that they are making a contribution to someone else's well-being, especially their grandchildren or great-grandchildren. 6. Some things to consider when contemplating getting releases from the elders: * Are the materials mainly for educational purposes? We have had no problem getting releases for educational purposes. * Are the materials gathered for commercial purposes? If money is expected to be made, a realistic percentage should be earmarked for the information source. In that case, it might also be wise to identify one of the heirs. The elders should hear your proposal and your consideration of them; you should also ask them if they have any questions or counter-proposals. Keep the discussion friendly. What are you getting out of the whole deal? What do you envision are some of the outcomes of the interviews? Elders are entitled to know what's going on. 7. Enjoy your work with the elders. Your attitude helps them to feel that they have been involved in a worthwhile project. | |
|
