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Developing Culturally-Responsive Curriculum by Esther Arnaq Ilutsik:Greetings to the first Bilingual/Multicultural Education/Equity Conference of the 21st century. I am honored and humbled to be standing before you-honored that I have been asked to speak and bring forth issues that need to be addressed by all of us as we enter the 21st century, and humbled by the great expertise that is assembled in this room. I will begin with an oral story, as is the tradition of the Y up'ik people, told and shared by my late mother Lena P. Ilutsik. She begins: And then there was this blackfish swimming up the river, maybe he was heading down the river. As he was going along he came to this fish trap. Well, he got inside and he probably had others with him. While they were trapped inside of the fish trap, they heard a person coming up on top. Well, when he got to them he pulled them up. Well, he poured those blackfish into his pack. Then that person said, "Oh my, one of these blackfish is so big! What a big blackfish." Well, he brought them home. He packed them and brought them home. When he got home he told his wife to cook the blackflsh. He wanted to eat that big blackfish. Well, she cooked and she cooked them. When they were cooked that man apparently ate that blackfish, the one he was praising. Well, he (the blackfish) got inside of that man, he was still conscious even if he was cooked. Well, he was inside the man, and when he got tired of being in there he went out of the man. Well, that man passed him. It was during the time when outhouses had not been introduced to the people yet. And people just used to go on the ground. Well, that man passed him and the blackfish who was still conscious just stayed in the man's feces. Then as he was staying there this dog started coming toward him. Well, that dog ate him. Well, he stayed inside of that dog. Then by and by when he wanted to go out that blackfish went out. Well, when he went out he stayed there in the dog's feces. As he was laying there he saw a person walking toward him. Well, when that person got to him and when he stepped on him he lost consciousness, Well, this is as far as the story I heard went. (translated by Virginia Andrew, 4/16/97) Why do I begin with a story? As a Yup'ik, as an educator, as a parent and as a lifelong learner, I find myself a part of a cultural group and a world in transition. Some of us have found ways to retain some of our oral stories and we do this by providing a theme story for the curriculum units that are developed and integrated into the school system. We, as educators, need to demonstrate by example. If we believe in something we need to demonstrate that we can also utilize the model and method of approach in our own teaching method. Addressing a group of people and sharing our knowledge and ideas is a method of teaching. Too often we hear potentially unique and aspiring methods but they are not utilized by the messenger. We need to share the approach that we are using within the classrooms. This is the theme of my presentation to you. I will be referring to it during the remainder of my talk. In the meantime, think about why would a mother share the blackfish story with her children? Remember, within the Yup'k culture, as with many other indigenous cultures, stories were told without being analyzed. They were told so that the listener would have his or her own interpretations, so that at some point in his or her life the story would surface and meaning would become clear-that is why the story was shared with me. One of the blessings of parenthood is that it makes us reflect back on our own educational experiences, both at home and in the school setting. We, as parents, are concerned about the education that our children will receive. We want the best for our children. We want to make sure that they have a good foundation-a good understanding of who they are and where they fit into this world that is being presented to them. Far too many of us remember ourselves as the "invisible" people with an aspiration to adopt the dominant culture's model. Remember the reading series, Dick and Jane and their dog Spot? What did it show us? It provided an ideal American, caucasian family living in suburban America-a mind set laid down subtly showing us that our little humble dwellings did not fit the ideal that American education was after. It brings to mind the man who desired the largest blackfish in the fish trap. The desire was so great that all the other blackfish were invisible. We too have looked at the ideals that were portrayed in the schools, in the textbooks, and other materials as the big blackfish and all other aspects of our life became invisible-our traditional foods, our stories, our dances, etc. Our desire was to consume and become like the big blackfish. Fortunately at some point in our life, we expelled the big blackfish. We became disillusioned, confused and disoriented with what we had desired. Like the man in the story, we expelled this blackfish from our body and mind, but unfortunately the blackfish still did not lose consciousness. We still find ourselves being drawn everyday to adopt another life form. Parenthood makes us bold and inquiring of what is being taught and emphasized in the school setting. We begin some innocent investigating. On the surface, the curriculum looks promising, but investigating further we find that certain textbooks, including the ones for the "core" curriculum adopted by the district and used by the teachers, haven't really changed that much since the Dick and Jane series. Now, instead of a dog named Spot, we have a dog named Bingo. Although animals from our environment may be portrayed, they are often presented with misleading information. One can wonder how our Elders would have presented this information. What would be their focus and would the information be presented in a culturally-local relevant way? Actually, I was shocked to find that none of the stories contained in one of the current reading series portrayed any of the North American indigenous peoples. There were tales from Japan, China and even Africa, but nothing from the indigenous peoples of North America. Again, we have become the invisible people. Our children can be portrayed as the dog desiring the feces of the man (the fantasy culture), with their own cultural identity again being invisible. Sure, the bilingual education and other federal programs that are offered are supposed to address this need for identity and equity, but they do so at a cost. Our children often go to these classes with reluctance, and the teachers that are hired for these positions are often paraprofessionals who are allowed only 30 minutes or less for instruction. Many of these teachers have very little training, if any, and most have to create their own materials that are often looked upon as second-rate in comparison to the flashy, colorful textbooks and materials that are being used by the primarily non-Native certified teachers. We, as the parents, want these types of attitudes expelled, much like the blackfish expelled by the dog, so that we can stamp out the undesirable and give our children the opportunity to start afresh with a new consciousness and a positive attitude about themselves. Alex Lopez practices his storyknife skills. Photo by Esther Arnaq Ilutsik. Some of us parents have taken it upon ourselves to make those changes. After attempting to go through the administration to make changes, we realized that this would require many, many years of re-education and redirection, while our children are in school now and need that foundation to set the stage for their future education. How do I as a parent make sure that my child receives the strong foundation that I so desire? As an educator, I always welcomed parent involvement, so that would be the key to getting into the classroom and influencing the teacher. I was in a fortunate stage in my life when I was between jobs and had time to enter the classroom. I was also fortunate to have been able to select the teacher that I wanted for my child. This teacher, Ina Bouker, happened to be a colleague, a member of the Ciulistet Research Group, a friend and most importantly, a relative who shared my vision of taking the Yup'ik knowledge of our Elders and bringing it into the regular classroom. We wanted to achieve integration in the true sense, not integration with 30 minutes of Yup'ik instruction three times a week, but on a daily basis through the regular certified teacher. In this way, it could truly elevate the status of the local culture. One of the first units we tackled was the "Heartbeat Unit." This stemmed from a Ciulistet Research Group meeting that was hosted up in Aleknagik where the discussion focused on Yup'ik dancing. How do we take this information and bring it into the regular classroom? Ina Bouker had this brilliant idea of integrating this information into the health strand of the school district curriculum. The heart would be the focal point. The heartbeat would connect well with the beat of the Yup'ik drum-the beat of life. The three main Yup'ik colors (red, black & white) naturally became a part of the study with basic patterns introduced and emphasized while the Yup'ik dancing and the stories they tell provided the natural flow. Legends of the Yup'ik people were shared and told through the Sonor games (a board game adapted from the Yakutsk-Sakha, the indigenous people of the Russian Far East). What a wonderful and truly memorable experience for my daughter and her classmates. In fact she still talks about the experience she received in second grade (she is now in the seventh grade) and it was not too long ago when I was at the local grocery store during "the rush" when I heard a voice, "Esther, where have you been?" I followed my eyes to the voice and saw one of my daughters former classmates. He continued, "Why are you not coming to our classes anymore? I really miss you." I was fortunate to get a job with the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative through the University of Alaska Fairbanks/Bristol Bay Campus where I have been able to continue with the curriculum process we started with the heartbeat unit. I followed my child and made sure that at least one of the units taught in her classroom focused on the local culture. In the third grade we focused on the Yup'ik fancy squirrel parka with an emphasis on patterns and the history of the Yup'ik people. At the fourth-grade level we completed the patterns on the parka integrating it into the math strand and at the fifth-grade level we looked into Yup'ik basketry. But the most important thing is that I continued to work with Ina Bouker and her students. Here we integrated many different units of study into her classroom. All the knowledge that we shared within the classroom was information that our Elders shared with us in our Ciulislet Research meetings. It was like we were finally learning things about our culture that we had missed when we went to school and now were learning them and were able to share this information with the next generation. It reminded me of what Moses went through in the Bible. Most of you know the story about Moses, how he was found floating in a basket on the Nile River by the pharaoh's daughter and was educated in the finest institutions in the then-known world. Eventually, when he was called to take his people into the wilderness, he spent another 40 years literally uneducating himself from his previous training. So it is with many indigenous peoples around the world and in North America. We have been sent to schools and literally educated out of our culture. The results have been truly devastating to many of our people, but some have miraculously succeeded and are now realizing that the knowledge of our Elders and our people is important and that this knowledge base must be taught to the future generations. Michael Filipek listens to his heart as part of the Heartbeat unit. Photo by Esther Arnaq Ilutsik. The documentation of this knowledge base must be authored by our own people. We cannot continue to rely on outside experts-professional people with prestigious degrees-to come in and study our culture and write about how we should integrate this information into the school system (even if it is reviewed and acknowledged by indigenous educators.) We need to do it ourselves-we need to demonstrate to the world that we have come to a point where the information provided is authentic and is based on interpretations by local indigenous people. We cannot continue to accept information written by a person "looking in." We cannot continue to read information that was obviously written by a person from another cultural perspective. We cannot continue to serve in the role of providing corrections and apologies. We are entering an era where we, as indigenous educators, have to author our own materials with confidence in our own abilities. We can strengthen our role by getting the Alaska Standards for Culturally-Responsive Schools to be addressed by the local schools as well as through the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. With commitment and determination, we are able to gather the knowledge of our Elders and bring it into the classrooms. We are able to author our own materials, test them in the classrooms and develop them into resources that will be available for other educators. In conclusion, we, like the man who stepped on the dog's feces and destroyed the consciousness of the blackfish, have arrived at a point where we are slowly beginning to "crush" out all the misinformation that has plagued and stereotyped us in the past. We are, by demonstration, showing the world that our cultural knowledge can be portrayed in a positive light by our own people. With this foundation we will be able to enter the 21st century with confidence-confidence that our cultural identity will play an important role in laying a solid foundation down for our descendants. Our descendants will fill those leadership roles that require an understanding and respect of themselves and other cultural groups. We will once again become whole-a complete person-that is the ultimate goal of the Yup'ik people. | |
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Dig Afognak by Sabrina Sutton:The Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) is in its second year of Spirit Camp. There are two sessions where registered children are flown out to the Dig Afognak site and spend about a week at the camp. KANA has cultural activities that include local Native artists, dancers and elders. It has been a success. The Alutiiq Academy of Elders Cultural Camp was held at the Dig Afognak facilities on Afognak Island. This was funded from the Kodiak Island Borough School District (KIBSD) and the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative. The participants included Kodiak school teachers and Alutiiq elders. The dates of the camp were August 10-August 16. The KIBSD coordinator is Teri Schneider. Teri was encouraged to do this camp after experiencing the Old Minto Camp held outside of Fairbanks. Now you can see that life on the little island is more than just a tourist stop during the summer. | |
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Dixie Dayo Assumes SOP Editorial Responsibilities:On behalf of the AKRSI staff we would like to express our appreciation to Lolly Carpluk for the contributions she has made as the editor of Sharing Our Pathways over the past four years. Thanks to Lolly's encouragement and vigilant editing, the newsletter has provided a valuable means for educators throughout Alaska to share ideas, insights and practices that are making positive differences in the lives of rural and Native students. Lolly's responsibilities have changed to incorporate teaching graduate courses on Documenting Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights. Dixie Dayo has taken over the SOP editorial reins starting with this issue. Dixie, from Manley Hot Springs, has been associated with the AKRSI as a project assistant for three years. She is well equipped to assume the newsletter editorial tasks along with the editorial support, layout and graphics of Paula Elmes. We look forward to many more stimulating issues in which rural educators share their pathways to a quality education. | |
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Documenting Indigenous Knowledge and Languages: Research Planning & Protocol by Beth Leonard:I have been preparing a research proposal for the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at UAF that focuses on "Athabascan Oral Traditions: Deg Hit'an1 Narratives and Native Ways of Knowing." Much of my current research and language learning centers on kinship and (personal) family histories. Hopefully this research will serve dual purposes in terms of both academic significance and potential value to the Deg Hit'an community. 1. The term Deg Hit'an ("local people" or "people from around here") is used to refer to the people of Anvik, Shageluk and Holy Cross. Osgood (1936) and subsequently the 1982 ANLC Native Languages map used "Ingalik" which is not a Deg Hit'an word but a Yupi'k word meaning "lice infested." Research by indigenous researchers for the benefit of indigenous communities also dovetails with political/postmodern movements of self-determination, autonomy and cultural regenesis. Maori researcher, Linda Smith (1999) states: "The cultural and linguistic revitalization movements have tapped into a set of cultural resources that have recentred the roles of indigenous women, of Elders, and of groups who had been marginalized through various colonial practices" (p. 111). Although some Deg Hit'an Elders were recorded during the Alaska Native Literature Project and more recently during the development of Deg Xinag Dindlidik: Deg Xinag Literacy Manual there remain several Elders who have not had a chance to record traditional stories and/or lend their perspectives to the history of this area. Deg Hit'an narratives will be valuable as language maintenance efforts proceed and more emphasis is placed on integrating Native knowledge and history into the school curriculum through projects such as the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative. Researcher's Background I grew up in Shageluk, Alaska, an Athabascan village on the Innoko River located in the lower-middle Yukon area. I also spent four years in neighboring Anvik, a village on the Yukon approximately 30 miles from Shageluk. My father is James Dementi of Shageluk, a multilingual speaker of Deg Xinag and Holikachuk Athabascan and English. My mother, Jean Dementi, who died in 1988, was a non-Native woman who came to Alaska from California as an Episcopal nurse-evangelist. In 1976 she became Alaska's first woman ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal church. Due to a variety of socio-historical influences, most people of my generation did not learn to speak Athabascan. Both the early Episcopal church missionaries and the territorial and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools mandated English and parents had been told not to teach their children the Athabascan language. During the time I lived in Shageluk and Anvik, there were no Athabascan language programs in place in either the school or community. I do, however, remember the first linguists from the Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) who came to the Shageluk area to work with speakers during the early 1970s. My father and other relatives often worked as consultants in these early language documentation and translation efforts. This contradiction in Native language status, i.e. continuing suppression of local language and culture by churches and schools versus promotion by prestigious outside academic interests, conveyed ambiguous and confusing messages to communities struggling to maintain their local cultures. Barriers and Challenges in Language Learning In my current role as language learner-along with other language learners from the Deg Hit'an area-I find myself struggling with the best way to learn the Deg Xinag language and share the knowledge I have documented. Although many of us as language learners work directly with linguists, obvious differences between English and Deg Xinag Athabascan are not articulated and we (the learners) are forced to stumble along as best we can. I believe this is due in part to the lack of knowledge of the deeper Athabascan cultural contexts and constructs and the failure to document language beyond the lexical and grammatical levels. I was an undergraduate linguistics student when I began my study of Deg Xinag. At that time I had no experience in learning a non-European language and was accustomed to being taught conversational language by experienced teachers using immersion methods. I was also used to having an extensive collection of practical dictionaries and grammars at my disposal to assist in the learning process. Although there is not a published grammar for Deg Xinag, there are materials that can be used for language learning. To date, publications include one set of verb lessons, a language curriculum for elementary students, one literacy manual, two books of traditional stories, several short children's stories and a limited collection of supplemental learning materials. The verb lessons explain the linguistic structures at an elementary level for language learners, however, as stated above, significant cultural constructs and concepts are not addressed. Through my academic coursework I would often run across barriers to my own self-confidence in being able to someday speak Deg Xinag fluently. For instance, there is a whole body of research on second language acquisition that says if learning begins after adolescence, the learner cannot expect to become fully fluent in the second language. In a similar vein, linguists often describe Athabascan "as one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn," thereby insinuating that one needs to be of above-average intelligence to indeed even attempt such a process. As a learner and student I have been questioned as to the potential for true authenticity (purity) of Athabascan when learned as a second language and whether or not I think the "back velars"2 will drop out of the language. 2. Deg Xinag back velars are written with "kk" and "gg," for example, here is a minimal pair which represents both the front and back velars "gag" (berry) and "ggagg" (animal). I began my own language learning by asking for phrases in the languages and listening to taped narratives and literacy exercises. I also would sit down with my father and go through sections of the noun dictionary to find the literal meanings of words. I found that, although writing and studying written language is not considered the best way to learn conversational language, it provided a base for further understanding of the language structure and helped with learning the sound system. I continue my study of conversational language through regular interactions with various members of my immediate and extended family. Sometimes this learning takes place in more formal environments such as the ANL 121/122 audioconferences or Athabaskan Language Development Institute's on-campus classes. On most occasions this learning takes place through ''Deg Xinag English Sidithniqay James Dementi, Jean yi xivi'ezre'. Sito' Didlang Tochagg nadheyonh. Vidadr (sivadr) Katherine, Susan, Louise yi xivi'ezre'. Katherine Dzox-tsey dhido. Katherine vichoy Patrick viyix dhido yi. Louise viqing' Richard yi Qay Xuchux xiditl'tth'e. Sito' vichidl (sitoy) Gilbert vi'ezre'. Gilbert vi'ot Eleanor yi Cantwell xiditl'tth'e. Singonh California nadheyonh. Vichidl (sidhi'a) Keith, Don yi xivi'ezre'. Don vi'ot Lucille yi Santa Barbara California xiditl'tth'e. Vidadr (siq'oy) Yvonne vi'ezre'. Yvonne viqing' Richard yi Redding California xiditl'tth'e. Sitsiy Charlie Cikal Dementi, Charles Aubrey yi xivi'ezre'. Sitsiy Charlie Dementi Dishkaket nadheyonh. Sitsey Lena Phillips Dementi, Ruth Aubrey yi xivi'ezre'. Sitsey Lena Dementi eggijitno', Niteghelinghdi' yi nadheyonh. Sitsey viyi xethdlan Clara, Albert xivi'ezre'. Beth Dementi-Leonard si'ezre'. Deg Hit'an itlanh. eggijitno', Dzox-tsey, Qay Xuchux, Gitr'ingithchagg xinasiyonh. University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education q'u'isineyh. Siqing' Michael Leonard vi'ezre'. Clear AFS q'u'idineyh. Siyotr'a' Samantha vi'ezre'. Fairbanks tr'iditl'tth'e. My parents are James and Jean Dementi. My father grew up in Swiftwater (on the Innoko River). His younger sisters (my aunts-father's side) are Katherine, Susan and Louise. Katherine lives in (new) Shageluk. Her grandson Patrick lives at her house also. Louise and her husband Richard live in Anchorage. My father's younger brother (my uncle-father's side) is Gilbert. Gilbert and his wife Eleanor live in Cantwell. My mother grew up in California. Her younger brothers (my uncles-mother's side) are Keith and Don. Don and his wife Lucille live in Santa Barbara. Her younger sister (my aunt-mother's side) is Yvonne. Yvonne and her husband Richard live in Redding, California. My grandfathers are Charlie Cikal Dementi and Charles Aubrey. Charlie Dementi grew up in Dishkaket. My grandmothers are Lena Phillips Dementi and Ruth Aubrey. Lena Dementi grew up in Old Shageluk and Lower Village. Her siblings are Clara and Albert. My name is Beth Dementi-Leonard. I am Deg Hit'an Athabascan. I grew up in Old Shageluk, New Shageluk, Anchorage and Anvik. I work for the UAF School of Education. My husband's name is Michael Leonard. He works at Clear AFS. My daughter's name is Samantha. We live in Fairbanks.'' informal interaction with speakers through visits or phone conversations. I still use a variety of learning methodologies, including writing the language on a regular basis. One of the more popular ways to teach/learn language involves a method called Total Physical Response (TPR). In English this would require the use of the imperative mode to give a series of commands which require some action on the part of the learner, e.g. come here, open the window, close the door, etc. In Deg Xinag, however, many of these do not equate to commands but describe instead what the subject is doing. In the case of "wake up" for instance (when speaking to a child), a more appropriate way to express this in Deg Xinag is "Xeedz tr'aningidhit he'?" which translates to "Are you waking up good?" Examples such as these reflect the deeper value system, i.e., a gentle way of relating to children as they awake. I am continually impressed with the Deg Xinag speakers' command of English and Athabascan and their strength and resilience considering the damage that has been done since contact. In the past there was a great deal of travel and intermarriage between the Deg Hit'an and Holikachuk areas, so many speakers have command of at least two Athabascan languages. As multilingual speakers, they are aware of our difficulties in learning these languages and are able to provide the context we often ignore. I have observed that in immersion or partial immersion situations, speakers will adapt their use of language so as to not totally overwhelm, but assist learners through individual levels of learning by varying the complexity of their speech. Language Learner As Researcher "Alaska Native worldviews are oriented toward the synthesis of information gathered from interaction with the natural and spiritual worlds so as to accommodate and live in harmony with natural principles and exhibit the values of sharing, cooperation, and respect" (Kawagley, 11). Kawagley's observations about Alaska Native worldviews are reflected in my initial research with the Ingalik Noun Dictionary. In reviewing this dictionary with my father, I found that the literal translations were not included. For a beginning language learner, literal translations provide a great deal of fascinating cultural information and further impetus for investigation into one's own culture. For example, the Deg Xinag words for birds, fish, animals and plants reflect complex and scientific beliefs and observations (Fig. 1.) Culturally Appropriate and Respectful Ways of Language Learning Learners, like myself, who do not have latent knowledge of the language, use a translation approach. Often we inadvertently ask for words or phrases for concepts that do not exist, or concepts that are expressed in very different ways in this cultural context. Learners also tend to provide an incomplete or sometimes total lack of context when requesting words or phrases. As English speakers, we nominalize and decontextualize many concepts, without realizing that Athabascan is a dynamic, verb-based language. One example of differences between Deg Xinag and English categorization reflects the way one would say "Where are you/where is it?" Xidanh is used when referring to people (e.g. Xidanh si'ot?-Where is my wife?), whereas xiday is used to refer to an animal or object (Xiday sileg?-Where is my dog? or Xiday sigizr?-Where are my mittens?) The same is true for counting people, animals or objects (nitayh/nitay). From what Deg Xinag speakers have said, using these words for "where" and "how many" show respect toward animals who might be offended if the wrong reference is used. This reflects a context of care and respect for animal spirits and other non-human spirits present in the environment, as well as the power of the spoken word. Fig. 1. English Deg Xinag Literal Translation black bear ggagg animal gichidl its/the little brother otter tixet'an (te xut'an?) water people (?) water snipe teyeg water spirit/shadow (its shadow reflects on the water?) junco legg ney "fish" it says (the junco calls when salmon are coming) yellow pond lilly vichingadh ethog muskrat's plate raven yixgitsiy your (plural) grandfather rusty blackbird yixgitsiy vozra raven his nephew puffball mushroom yixgitsiy nolchildl raven's (sewing) bag Fig. 2. Deg Xinag English Literal Translation Dranh ngi'egh ilyoth. It's snowing outside today. Today outside it is snowing. Getiy ghil yotth. It really snowed. Really it snowed. Chen ititlyotth. It started to snow again. Again it started to snow. Chen nititlyotth. It's started to snow again. Again it's started to snow. When learners request generic phrases for weather, for instance, it can be difficult for speakers to provide this information when not given a particular context. A more holistic context might provide the following information: * whether a phenomena is happening now, a little while ago, yesterday, last week, etc. * if a phenomena is/was happening for the first time during the specified time period, or is/was beginning again * variations in intensity-a little, very hot/really windy, etc. These limited examples gathered by members of the language class reflect both major and subtle changes in context (Fig. 2.) Documenting Oral Sources and Research Issues I write down new words and phrases gathered from speakers in my family during phone or face-to-face conversations and audioconference classes. I also record speakers (with their permission) when possible and have several tapes of recorded audioconference classes as well as phrase lists. In the past, I had not really thought about the proper way to obtain permission to record information either in writing or with audiovisual equipment. Often I would ask if I could record, but assumed the speakers knew I would use this information for learning purposes. Now I realize that there are a great many issues to deal with when documenting in writing or with audio/visual equipment, including: * Who should have ownership of audio/visual materials? * How will the material be used? * How will the material be cared for? * Where should materials be stored? * Who should have access to the materials? "Just Speak Your Language" Lately, it seems the endangered languages bandwagon is a popular vehicle for access to "other," providing many opportunities for publication through description and analysis of various Native language revitalization programs. Outside researchers continue to debate the authenticity and effectiveness of projects and programs from non-indigenous perspectives. Language revitalization, instead of being viewed holistically within social and cultural contexts, is often treated as strictly a linguistic venture, i.e. "just speak your language." "Just speaking your language" assumes abilities and resources are available to assist in this process. It involves learning cultural constructs and concepts often hidden in translation along with a myriad of other environmental, ideological and personal factors. Fortunately there are now indigenous educational models providing examples of contextual/situational learning that can be applied at a local grass-roots level. References Cited Kawagley, A. O. (1995). A Yupiaq Worldview: A Pathway to Ecology and Spirit. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc. Smith, L. T. (1999). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. London: Zed Books Ltd. | |
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Dog Point Fish Camp by Roby Littlefield:The staff are all volunteers. We don't want money to interfere with who, what and how we teach. Everyone is there because they care. Grandparents and elders make guest appearances to share language, old legends and personal experiences. Uncles and aunts teach hunting and gathering skills. Specialists are loaned from the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Corporation, Alaska Marine Safety Education Association and Sitka Sportsman's Association to teach water, boat and hunter safety. Parents are encouraged to participate as much as they can. Teachers become students and students become teachers. One of our goals is for the children to experience the everyday life of our elders of long ago. The children learn to eat Native foods, work hard, enjoy being outdoors in all weather, develop problem-solving skills and respect themselves, each other and elders. We serve twenty-five to thirty-five students at each of the three summer programs. Both Native and non-native children are welcome. There is no charge to the students but donations of any kind are greatly appreciated. For more information on Dog Point Fish Camp, contact Roby Littlefield at (907) 747-6866. | |
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Dr. Walter Soboleff: Keynote Address to the Alaska Native Educators' Conference, February, 1998:The first wave of change in Alaska came via sailing ships from Russia, England, France, Spain, America, and others over 200 years ago. To these adventurers Alaska must have been a magic picture of overwhelming beauty; the next surprise was to see people in Southeast Alaska coming in canoes to see what this was all about. The ship people had their opinion of the canoe occupants, simple, to be feared, and not their equal; the canoe crew also must have had various ideas of these newcomers who dared to enter the shores of their home. Little did the hosts know the ships' crew represented a civilization with volumes of printed pages, scholars, buildings of learning, cathedrals, teachers, art, governments, and other organizations. Alaska had its style of life amidst the beauty of nature which was their source for every aspect of health and well-being. The early hosts of Alaska, especially in the so-called Panhandle, Southeast Alaska could not offer the arrivals a printed page itemizing who they are: clans and subdivisions, historical development, clan emblems, language, personal names, geography, ceremonies, dances, songs, art, games, medicines, cosmology, healer, prophet, counselor, spiritually monotheistic, and with a philosophy. The hosts of Southeast Alaska shores were tolerant and welcomed ships as long as their resources were not plundered. Children were loved and not allowed to run free and had to have an education in customary and traditional manners. This responsibility came from the clan parents-the first teachers-supported by grandparents and kinfolk. The clan residence, HITT, was the primary school, a home of four or more families; other learning places were the river, berry picking grounds, hunting areas, mountains, bays, ocean, camp sites, rivers, trails, and the community. In other words, the world was their book of knowledge. Each day was a time of learning without sitting at a desk with book, pencil, paper, and a teacher standing before the class taking roll. Daily activities that included lessons using the Native language, observation and careful listening was like a happy experience all day long. Tlingit Native education was a pleasant experience for the family and clan. As indicated in the chart, unstructured classes continued informally in the four seasons of the year. Basic contents of information included, however not limited to: physical training (especially for boys), for all to be economically efficient or sufficient, self-determined, respecting self and others, spiritually responsive, and be a continuous learner. When the United States government and church opened their schools it was not meant to relieve parents as teachers. Many years ago American educators came up with an idea that the school system should be like three partners at work: parents, pupil, and teacher. This is the winning team. It was important for parents to be role models as well as devoted to the family. It is pleasing to know how well the clan thought of their greatest resource: their children. The matriarchal society was the school of learning-all joining willingly as volunteer teachers. Learning was by observing, hearing, and hands-on method. Often grandparents would say, "Come here grandchild, here is a lesson you must remember." An uncle would say, "Nephew, let me show you, this is the way it is done. Now do it right." "Listen, listen, remember what I said," or "Here is the knife, clean that fish like the way you were shown." "Good, good, keep improving." "Listen, listen, remember when you honor yourself, you honor the clan." "Here is a new Tlingit word." "Be a worker, we have no place for lazy people." In speaking with several Tlingit clan members the general education chart should be included yet not limited to the following: legends, history, clan stories and its origin, land ownership, food gathering areas, art, beading, totemic designs, moccasin-making, tanning skins, ceremonies, songs, dances, drumming, facial marks for dances or ceremonies, protocol, clan houses, totem carving, family values, and language. March, April, May Legends, history, clan, family values, preparing hunting and fishing gear, seal hunting, herring spawn, olichan drying and rendering oil (the same for seal), gathering two species of seaweed and cockles, language, boat safety, boat operation, boat upkeep, use of navigational aids, weather observation, rules of the road, Coast Guard boat registration, knowledge of navigational regulations and local geography, family teaching other useful lessons such as subsistence time, repairing or building smokehouse including drying rack and smoke escape, and learning how to set up camp which was usually the summer home. June, July, August Gathering chiton and proper cooking, family values, salmon fishing, canning, berrying, ferment salmon heads, salmon roe required expert preparation to avoid botulism (often fatal food poisoning), language, gathering seagull eggs, wild celery, two species of salmon, thimbleberry sprouts, soapberries, strawberries, salmonberries, blueberries, red huckleberries, thimbleberries, elderberries, highbush cranberries, swampberries, currants, Jacob berries, mountain blueberries, language, and other. September, October, November Legends, history, clan family values, deer, mountain goat, and moose hunting, salmon and meat drying, ferment salmon heads, salmon roe ferment, Coho roe (cheese), making kaxhweich (salmon eggs with crabapple), post funeral ceremonies (peer leader well prepared for traditional oration, taught well by clan leaders), and hunting and fishing gear repaired and stored for the winter. This schedule of subjects may be considered as a starting point for local consideration and revised. The planning should determine subjects required for graduation and fulfilled granting a special certificate noting this achievement. As a constant reminder, an authorized listing of the subjects should be known by the student and teachers at all times and progress noted including a passing mark and date. In general, there is a proper method of handling and preparing foods plus the art of cooking which are all an important part of Native life and learned from the teachers. There is also the important lessons of personal hygiene taught in the men's department and the women's department. Anything that would harm the physical body was not permitted. The maternal uncle was strict and stern in teaching his future leaders. In turn, the nephew would enhance his uncle's position of leadership. Matriarchal strength and wisdom was a source of quality vital to students' success. Native education included the basics for successful participation in a complex society undergirded with a philosophy of balance-this flows well in art forms, orations, and various ceremonies. The Chilkat blanket is an example of balance. Imagine a center line and note how a half matches the other half; also an oration responded to by an oration from the opposite tribe and/or clan. Native education as shared in a traditional manner gave necessary strength to their society. Finally, family values was an aid for strength of character. "E. Goahyuxhghwon": Have courage and no defeat. In promoting Native education, traditional knowledge helped our ancestors live through the ice age, wind, rain, cold, famine, cold sleeping places, not much clothing, bare feet, and a lot of willpower. Through Native education, may we get some of these powerful lessons taught at home and in the school classrooms. We are all Native teachers by example and should volunteer our time to educate our youth in the subjects as outlined in the chart. Native subjects or courses required for grade and high school promotion should be considered by Native educators, parents, and Elders, together with the school board. Including Native subjects is an excellent way to involve the family, relatives, and community. Imagine a mother, father, uncle, grandparent, and other traditional leaders together in an educational venture. Several of the Native subjects are seasonal and should not detract from the regular school year attendance; to do a special course, project, allowance should be made and not abused. The instructor should have the liberty of how to grade. The Native teachers, customary and traditional, will add quality to the program and should be honored accordingly. Yes, yes, this combination with the present school system is a long overdue "winning team." | |
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Draft Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Orientation Programs Developed by Ray Barnhardt:The guidelines are organized around various areas of responsibility related to the implementation of cultural orientation programs, including those of communities, administrators, professional educators, tribal colleges and universities, statewide policymakers and sponsors of cultural immersion camps. Native educators from throughout the state contributed to the development of these guidelines through a series of workshops and meetings associated with the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative. The guidance offered is intended to encourage schools to strive to be reflections of their communities by incorporating and building upon the rich cultural traditions and knowledge of the people indigenous to the area. It is hoped that these guidelines will encourage school personnel to more fully engage communities in the social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development of Alaska's youth. Using these guidelines will expand the knowledge base and range of insights and expertise available to help communities nurture healthy, confident, responsible and well-rounded young adults through a more culturally-responsive educational system. Along with these guidelines are a set of general recommendations aimed at stipulating the kind of initiatives that need to be taken to achieve the goal of more culturally-responsive schools. State and federal agencies, universities, professional associations, school districts and Native communities are encouraged to sponsor cultural orientation programs and to adopt these guidelines and recommendations to strengthen their cultural responsiveness. In so doing, the educational development of students throughout Alaska will be enriched and the future well-being of the communities being served will be enhanced. Following is a summary of the eight areas of responsibility around which the draft Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Orientation Programs are organized. The details for each area will be finalized at the statewide Native Educators Conference in February and published in a booklet form. The complete set of draft guidelines including indicators is available on the ANKN web site at www.ankn.uaf.edu. Draft Guidelines for Cross-Cultural Orientation Programs 1. Culturally-responsive communities, tribes and Native organizations provide a supportive environment to assist new members in learning about local cultural practices and traditions. 2. Culturally-responsive school districts and administrators provide support for cross-cultural orientation programs for district staff and for integrating cultural considerations in all aspects of the educational system. 3. Culturally-responsive educators are responsible for seeking guidance in providing a supportive learning environment that reinforces the educational well-being of the students in their care in a manner consistent with local cultural beliefs, practices and aspirations. 4. Culturally-responsive schools must be fully engaged with the life of the communities they serve and provide ample encouragement, support and resources for all staff to integrate the local cultural and physical environment in their work. 5. State policymakers and educational agencies should provide a supportive policy, program and funding environment that promotes the establishment of cross-cultural orientation opportunities for all personnel associated with schools. 6. Tribal colleges and universities are responsible for partnering with communities and schools to provide every educator with the cultural understandings and educational strategies necessary to nurture all youth to their full intellectual and cultural potential. 7. Cultural immersion camps should provide an authentic and supportive environment in which participants gain first-hand experience interacting with local people while learning the cultural traditions and lifeways of the area. General Recommendations The following recommendations are offered to support the effective implementation of the above guidelines for cross-cultural orientation programs. 1. Regional Native educator associations should pursue funding to implement an appropriate cultural orientation program to serve the needs of the school districts (and other organizations) in their respective region, including a cultural immersion camp and follow-up activities during the school year. 2. The Consortium for Alaska Native Higher Education should encourage its member institutions to develop an academic support structure for cross-cultural orientation programs in each region, including provisions for academic credit and a system for assessment of cross-cultural expertise. 3. The First Alaskans Institute, in collaboration with CANHE, should sponsor a training program for personnel associated with planning and implementing cross-cultural orientation programs. 4. Local communities and tribal organizations should sponsor local and regional cultural orientation programs as needed to prepare all outside personnel to work effectively with people in ways that are compatible with local cultural ways and respectful of the local heritage. 5. The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development should provide incentives and secure continued funding for school districts to incorporate cultural orientation programs into the annual district inservice schedule. 6. School districts should sponsor opportunities for students and teachers to participate regularly in cultural immersion camps with parents, Elders and teachers sharing subsistence activities during each season of the year. 7. The guidelines outlined above should be made an integral part of all professional preparation and cross-cultural orientation programs for educators in Alaska. 8. An annotated bibliography of resource materials that address issues associated with these guidelines will be maintained on the Alaska Native Knowledge Network web site (www.ankn.uaf.edu). Comments and suggestions for the improvement of these draft guidelines are welcome and may be submitted to ANKN at the web site address listed below. Further information on issues related to the implementation of these guidelines, as well as copies of the guidelines when they are completed, may be obtained from the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775 (http://www.ankn.uaf.edu). | |
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