To pass on the cultural baton.
Whose baton?
Indians Writing About Indian Education
Increase in Indian education degrees
Indian educators write about Indian education
Topics Indians write about:
1. How Indian nations view the education of their childrenWhy Haven’t Indians Been Writing About Indian Education?2. Extended family responsibility
3. Survival skills (economics)
4. Cultural heritage (ethics)
5. Spiritual awareness (religion)
They Have Been!
Too busy DOING to write about it
Encourage Indian Professionals to function as researchers in education
Empathy does not = understanding
“people come among us and tell us what is best for us” (Barlow 1976)
Why Indian People Should Write About Indian Education
Most research done from outside perspectives
Exploited by dominant society
Indian history & Culture must consider Indian perspectives
Self-determination perspective
Indians write about Indian education
National Dialogue Project on American Indian EducationWhat's missing when non Indians write about Indian education.Indian Nations at Risk
The voices of what the issues mean to them
-life on reservationsAmerican Indian Studies is for Everyone-preservation of language
-struggles
-economic development
-only Indians know the questions
Indian Scholars
think non-Indians do not take into account specific characteristics of Indian culture
think they have a monopoly on Indian Studies
Have direct advantage of direct access
Insight leads to deeper investigation
respect for sacred
American Indian Studies is for Everyone
Non-Indian Scholars
Interpret in Western FrameworkAmerican Indian Studies cont.All should have opportunity
Driven by theoretical and abstract
Should have consent
Respect for sacred
Regulating information about Indians
Indians often unhappy about media portrayal of Indians
media advisors are non Indian respective scholars or journalists
All boils down to $$$
The truth doesn’t sell
Issues of Scholarly review
Non Indian scholars are few-so their voice isn’t heard with the mainstream scholars
Multicultural Education is the key!!!
Who Should Study Indians?
Room for both Indians and Non-Indian scholars
Indian scholars don’t have the monopoly on Indian studies
Anybody willing to learn can participate
Scholars should have consent from the communities being studied
American Indian Studies
Indian students take degrees in mainstream disciplines
Gain knowledge about history and culture from community
UCLA doesn’t encourage major in Indian studies
Students don’t obtain information in contemporary graduate departments
Indian Advising Board
Knowledge Sources
Funding Sources
Cultural Orientation
Audience Demand
Academic Review
Cultural Disconnectedness
Value of Knowledge
Censorship Issues
Practicality
The Crisis in American Multicultural Education
Drilling
Discipline