It is a very big problem being faced in my community. Many things are being lost due to the lack of teachings. It is also a big problem we all face. Many Native people feel they do not understand their roles so they stray away from our ancestral homelands. I want to understand more about my roles as a member of my community. 

In the article "Sharing One Skin" by Jeanette Armstrong, we can come to an understanding that the Okanagan people were very aligned people. The Okanagan people live a very intricate way of life. They keep the four aspects of a person in order to maintain balance. The four aspects being the physical self, emotional self, thinking intellectual self, and spiritual self. These four strong key points keep the people at peace. These rules help the People maintain life to be what it truly is. 

Armstrong, Jeanette. “Sharing one skin: The Okanagan Community” .Pp. 460-470 in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds). The Case Against the global economy. 1996. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.

The story holds much depth to itself. It explains beautifully how the stories and teachings connect to the land. These stories carry the meaning and form of the land. The stories connect people to the land both spiritually and physically. This allows you to have more respect for the land. In the end land has identity and stories are the identity of the land. 

Toastie, B. “How Place Names Impact The Way We See The landScape”. High Country News. 1 May, 2022. p p 1-8. 

The story "And I Then Went to School" holds so much emotion and meaning to itself. It is a story of Joe Suina. Coming from a traditional home he is forced to change his way of life. Doing so he takes his home (Cochiti) for granted. In the end he comes to a realization that home is the only place his heart may rest.

Suina, Joseph. “And then I went to school: Memories of a Pueblo childhood". p 1-6, Reprint with permission of the author from New Mexico Journal of reading. Winter 1985 Vol, NO. 2. Rain Bird Illustration by Tom Tea from H.P. Mora, Pueblo Designs. 

The Chaco Canyon was a divine community. This place was built with great architecture and most well thought through. The Chaco Canyon was home to many different puebloan tribes and was the route to all traders. Chaco Thrive for years and prospered with its great teachings. In the end, the people left this place in ruins in order to leave a mark of history. 

Keyes, Sarah. “Chaco Canyon”. Encyclopedia of Native American History, Volume 1, Facts on File. 2011

The Iroquois Confederacy was a very intricate and thought out confederacy.  The Iroquois brought all five nations together and joined in order to prosper.  They set aside their differences and came together to be stronger. To find peace. All but one came together but they were later convinced by the very first ever Clan mother who was set in place in order to maintain balance and harmony. 

Haudenosaunee Legendary Funding. Native American Sacred Stories, PBS.Youtube. October 25, 2018

The Pueblo Revolt was the revolt against Spanish/Europe influence. This was the introduction to Christianity and Spanish beliefs. Within this process Pueblo people fought back in order to continue their teachings and practices. In the end Spaniards were forcibly removed and later came back and reconquered only the Pueblo people.

Dawson, Alexander.  “Pueblo Revolt”. Colonization and settlement, Third edition, Facts on file. 2017 

The revitalization of the Gwich'in language was a true form of community. They portrayed what a community should look like. The people came together to rejuvenate the traditions and cultural aspects they lacked. The people willing came together with the goodness of their hearts. The Gwich'in prolonged their culture for generations after them right before it was almost lost. Community is a sense of belonging for your people and community. 

Vice News. “The Fight to Save the Dying Language”. American Indian Languages (vice) Youtube.com/vice-news/32735.GT.  September 19, 2019

The Choctaw and some of the Chickasaw nations faced major conflict af remaining on their true homelands. They were given numerous treaties and eventually it became an abnormal amount. These treaties were constantly broken by those who created them. Oftentimes they were taken advantage of. In the end the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations faced major loss of culture and tradition. This even strips them of their true identity. But they still hold onto what is left. 

Mckie, Jesse O. “Loss of the Homeland”. The Choctaw, facts on file 2014. American Indian history, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=we43&article.id=185151. 

The Apache suffered great loss in the process of the Mescalero Apache Reservations establishment. The Apache in Oklahoma refuse to leave their areas. In this way they portrayed sovereignty and strength in addressing the issue. Due to the refusal of outside sources they came together and reformed the birth of their culture and heritage. 

Jastrzembski, Joseph C. “Cultural and Political Revitalizations.” The Apache, Second Edition, facts on file, 2017. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/authIndex?aid=1826&itemi=we43articled=412638. 

Tradition and culture can help the outside world and those in your community learn with their resources. Tribes in Africa come together to stress the traditional values that great apes hold in order to help the great apes. The help of traditional roles such as traditional police and guards help ensure that the apes do not go extinct. 

Schener, Glenn. Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Revival Helps Conserve Great Apes. https://news.mongabay.com/2017/01/indigenous-traditional-knowledge-revival-helps-conserve-great-apes/. June 05, 2017

Hawaiian and Polynesian members of the Polynesian cultures decide to begin the restoration of traditional voyages / wayfinding. This inspired many other Polynesian cultures to join the Revival of traditional wayfinding/voyaging.  Together they have joined and taught cultures to involve most Polynesian Islands along each journey. They have successfully traveled using traditional techniques all without navigational instruments .

Science Learning Hub. wayfinding revival.https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/631-wayfinding-revival February 25, 2024

The Lil’wat nation's language ceased to exist and so did the nation's culture. With that, the people came together with what knowledge was available and built dictionaries and guides to help the children of their community.  Using traditional practices they use what knowledge of what was left and taught their children.  Today they successfully practice their traditions. 

 Youtube.Study to preserve indigenous languages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBze1WHZtSM . December 14, 2019