Research Log 1

Sharing One Skin

By Jeanette Armstrong

Jeanette Armstrong's narrative captured a good picture and a good look on the indigenous mindset and outlook of the world. She is Okanagan and throughout her story she explains how her people connect themselves with their ties to earth,land,and the things that surround them. They base their survival on living their life in what they call the four selves emotional,spiritual, intellectual and physical selves. The word Okanagan means “our place on land “ or “our people '' ,the author describes how the teaching within her community gives you an understanding of connection with human beings and all other life forms on the land. Things such as the land hold importance in life as people like the tribes have responsibility because it is in their teachings along with origin and history like an umbilical cord.

Being that I was raised in a community who has strong ties to their ancestral ways. I was raised in Zuni ,New Mexico. Growing up in Zuni caused me to have a connection with this narrative because in the writing it talks about one may have their own connections to beings such as all living and growing things. I can also relate to this because in our teachings we are taught to respect everyone and everything around us so with this I make my connection. We as Zuni’s connect to the land such as the Okanagan. When we look at the animals and bugs we see our Grandmas ,Grandpas, Fathers, Mothers. That's why when someone passes it's not forever.

Native American Identity

By: Perry G Horse

Perry G Horse is a Kiowa Indian and he talks about how we as native people today are so intertwined with the mainstream media today we are lost in the white man's ways and don't really possess a true self as a human. What I mean when I say this because first being from a Tribe you must be recognized on a federal level, we are schooled on a federal level, we have to prove our blood quantum to receive federal benefits. So what he is saying is what does it mean to be a true American Indian or Native American because all it is a person's perception and interpretation of these words because anybody from American can call themselves a native American. But what it means to be a true “Indian” it's not being drawn to materialistic things but it's how you view the world to live your life in harmony.

It's always interesting when you discover other native peoples' explanations and understanding of the world. It makes you realize that you are not much different from someone where they practice the same values, unlike people who live on the outskirts of cities and cul de sacs. The same people who cover the earth a lot of them cannot comprehend or understand our way of life or our understanding as a whole. That's what separates us however this understanding is not found within ethnic race only how your own perception and mind.

The “Native American languages summit 2014”: self-determination

The Native American Languages summit was held and Washington DC this summit was held to emphasize the partnership between (ANA) Administration of Native Americans, and (NALS) Native American Language Summit , and (JAIE) Journal Of American Indian Education. Along with first language speaker of the Navajo language student from Arizona State University he was invited to the NALS summit to share experiences about native and indiginous Language in areas of Native American decent. The summit's keynote speaker Dr. Raina Thiele who is an associate director of intergovernmental affairs and public engagement at the White House and an enrolled member of the Pedro Bay an Indignous Land located in Alaska. She talked about her experiences and memories that show the importance of language preservation. She relates the topic to her past to what she's seeing right now. She shares her concerns about her language's existence in the future.

I find somewhat of a connection to what Dr. Thiele had to say. But again in my community it is encouraged to speak the language of our ancestors but at the same time as the generation are getting their own homes with their own children and their children are not speaking the same as their parents did . Nowadays kids younger than 5 years are not obtaining the same amount of knowledge that their parents and grandparents were taught. In most cases given that we are in the years of 2021 so on, people from another generation are starting to become older and passing away . Without them their words and language would become lost and The “Native American languages summit 2014”: self-determination as a strategy for language revitalization and maintenance was held and Washington DC this summit was held to emphasize the partnership between (ANA) Administration of Native Americans, and (NALS) Native American Language Summit , and (JAIE) Journal Of American Indian Education. Along with first language speaker of the Navajo language student from Arizona State University he was invited to the NALS summit to share experiences about native and indiginous Language in areas of Native American decent. The summit's keynote speaker Dr. Raina Thiele who is an associate director of intergovernmental affairs and public engagement at the White House and an enrolled member of the Pedro Bay an Indignous Land located in Alaska. She talked about her experiences and memories that show the importance of language preservation. She relates the topic to her past to what she's seeing right now. She shares her concerns about her language's existence in the future.

I find somewhat of a connection to what Dr. Thiele had to say. But again in my community it is encouraged to speak the language of our ancestors but at the same time as the generation are getting their own homes with their own children and their children are not speaking the same as their parents did . Nowadays kids younger than 5 years are not obtaining the same amount of knowledge that their parents and grandparents were taught. In most cases given that we are in the years of 2021 so on, people from another generation are starting to become older and passing away . Without them their words and language would become lost and

This New Zealand Band Is Trying To Save Maori Culture One Head Banger At A Time

The Maori Culture is endangered of extinction due to modern day colonization in New Zealand but a group of teens had made an attempt to save their language by using music. Not just any type of music but heavy metal thrasher music the teens intentions are to interpret haka ,its their traditional war dance in New Zealand. But not even half of what these guys are trying to do the three teenagers all were raised on bands like Metallica and Rage Against the Machine thus influencing the music that they are making. If you are not familiar with that kind of music it may seem as if they are spreading scary thoughts or however you might think of it without translation. They are speaking in their traditional tone and are spreading words of what is going on ,issues that no one is talking about or things that are hidden in the dark. Indiginous problems like land issues and the colonization of their communities. This is just their actions to step in and help the younger generations and to inform them that speaking in their native tone is important and hopefully this will encourage them to do so.

I think this is a really great idea to help preserve and revitalize a language through things that influence a group of people that find the same interest such as the heavy metal music and this gives them something to share and relate to the with the help of some producing and outlets I think think it become something huge not only in Alaska but with good intention it will have an impact on people in surrounding areas and states. This is also a good way to be creative and for them to find a way to learn their culture. Their music also gives the listeners an insight on the things that they are dealing with causing the issues. In their recent song "RAUPATU" translates to land confiscation. As you listen to their lyrics you will understand but also you'll see the picture.