Trauma and Resilience in the Lives of Contemporary Native Americans by Hilary N. Weaver

Author:Hilary N. Weaver [Weaver, Hilary N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Social Work, Human Services, Ethnic Studies, American, Native American Studies, Medical, Mental Health
ISBN: 9781351614658
Google: 0tSNDwAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 42362727
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-03-18T03:24:40+00:00

The value of knowledge

Western knowledge continues to be granted more credence and esteem than Indigenous knowledge. This perpetuates imperialism, colonialism, and power differentials. Even when Native perspectives are sought, Western knowledge is deemed superior and Western assumptions about good and bad, right and wrong, or standards of progress predominate (Roberts et al., 2016).

In some limited contexts, scholars and practitioners have recognized that Western knowledge is insufficient and have developed collaborative approaches with Indigenous partners (Von der Porten, De Loe & McGregor, 2016). For example, the US National Climate Assessment recently collaborated with Indigenous Peoples to gather comprehensive information on climate change. The team that was assembled included tribal members, agencies, academics, and non-governmental organizations who partnered to solicit, collect, and synthesize traditional knowledge and data from Native people across the United States. They recognized both synergy and discord between traditional knowledge and Western science and sought to integrate Indigenous perspectives in sustained ways through respectful partnerships and engagement around climate change and Indigenous vulnerabilities (Maldonado et al., 2016). However, while Indigenous expertise about environmental issues is increasingly recognized and valued, the social sciences and education lag far behind in this regard.

In another example, traditional knowledge about the cultural landscape was crucial in designation of Bears Ears as a National Monument in 2016. The Bears Ears Tribal Coalition is a multi-tribal entity contributing to a new model of federal land management. These tribes remain ready to share information about the meaning of sacred and culturally significant sites as well as Indigenous knowledge about sustainable living within this arid landscape. Having lived in this area for millennia, they have a wealth of information to share (Utah Dine Bikeyah, 2018).

The perspectives of elders and traditional knowledge holders are often discounted while people educated in Western systems are perceived to be experts. Quigley recounted a painful instance when well-intentioned educators relied on external sources rather than Indigenous knowledge holders. In an attempt to include Native American content on a standardized test for fifth-grade students, the drafters of the test inadvertently included questions about ceremonial practices that, according to traditional teachings, must not be depicted or described in non-ceremonial contexts. The Native students who took the test had mixed responses: some were able to answer the questions easily due to their familiarity with the subject matter, but others experienced shock and were unable to complete the exam on account of its highly inappropriate content. This example speaks to the challenges of trying to include diverse content in education.

Valuing input from non-Native scholars and devaluing Indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and perspectives can have serious, unintended consequences. Whether recognized and valued by outsiders or not, Native people continue to expand their knowledge base. Indigenous models of evaluation have been developed incorporating Native perspectives on worth and importance. Culturally responsive evaluation methods are grounded in Indigenous knowledge and offer an alternative to research imposed on Native people. Evaluation is important in measuring the impact of programs for Native people (Roberts et al., 2016).

The need for a cyclical evaluation model

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.