There are many ways to be considered whole and living, but to truly live, we must live by the extent of our four selves as it was stated in the article “Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community” by Jeannette Armstrong. We have four selves, our physical self, emotional self, thinking and intellectual self, and our spiritual self. First our physical self, which is one part of the whole self that depends entirely on the parts of us that exist beyond the skin, where our bodies are “the land- dreaming capacity”. Next is our emotional self, and this connects to larger parts of yourself. Where the heart is described to have the ability to form bonds and that all lessons and teachings are kept by the heart along with emotion/feeling allowing us to connect with others more strongly. Then we have our thinking-intellectual self, which is “the spark that ignites”, referring to analytical thought, where thinking can hold great power, but can also be destructive. Lastly, we have our spiritual self,  “without substance while moving continuously outward”. When self becomes conscious, it fuses together to activate it. Intuition/life sources allow new knowledge to happen. “Spirit is not something that is invisible, subjective, or in the mind. It exists.”(Armstrong 466)

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

Memories and stories are connected to our land as determined by B. Toastie in the article, “How place names impact the way we see landscape”. Stories that relate to landscape hold a very important significance not only to that place that it is being told from, but to the people that reside in close proximity. No matter the location, the place identity is a key principle for the development of native identities because of the traditions that exist from the land stories. "It'll always be there, it'll be attached to the land as long as we remember that story. I don't think those stories ever go away."(Toastie 7). Although this can differ per the pueblos/tribes practices, where most cultures are unsimilar, the traditions and stories still help us perceive and connect to the landscape on a deeper surface level of understanding. 

Toastie, B. “How place names impact the way we see landscape.” High Country News:    Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact- the-way-we-see-landscape.

The impacts of European assimilation depicted struggles in the early stages of education as stated in the article, “And then I went to school” by Joe Suina. Suina explains the development of American education that has been introduced to young natives in his community. While Suina was trying to adjust to the white-ways, he began to distance himself and began to talk down about how he used to live. He was ashamed that his grandma's house was “unsanitary”. His views on his community had slowly begun to change due to the influence of different views. "I realized then that life would never be the same again."(Suina 4). This affected his connection with his native identity and ruined his self image because he had to see the world through the white man's eyes. But, despite the inconvenience that had presented him in his life, he still wanted to be a part of his traditional ways, even when he did give up part of himself, just to live under the terms of the white man. Suina still knew where he came from and where he belonged. 

Suina, Joseph “And I went to school” memories of a pueblo childhood,”. New Mexico Journal of Reading, Winter 1985, Vol. V, No.2.

Throughout indigenous history of architecture, many examples are constantly talked about and acknowledged. The culturally rich Mayan Empire is one that is widely known for its structural buildings. In the article “Maya Architecture” by Robert J. Sharer, architecture was built by commoners that developed many different styles that come after the central lowland traditions. This was a base for the resources and design used in the houses/ temples after the original structure. Maya structures also followed cosmological order, which is in the orientation and location of said buildings. “Houses defined the center of the world for the family, while temples held the same role for the state and its gods.”(Sharer 1). The location of a structure expressed certain significance in their society. Which also impacted the way they practiced many traditions. 

Sharer, Robert J. "Maya Architecture." The American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2024, americanindian-abc-clio-com.sfis.idm.oclc.org.sfis.idm.oclc.org/ Search/ Display/2275124. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.

Comprehending cultural heritage and how it impacts the sustainability of designs in Native Architecture are clearly stated in the article “Native Culture Reflected through Architectural Design” by Juliet Pino. The people, customs, beliefs, art, and resources are recuperated within Native Americans culture and history through the newfound architectural design styles that are intensive in reclaiming culture. “Design starts with understanding the tribe, its people, and their culture.” (Pino 1). Architects are faced with the challenge of creating a hybrid indigenous architectural structure that represents native culture and traditional beliefs systems. But, communicating the design goals and visions are decided by members of the community. This is to acknowledge a fragment of tribal identities and the preventative reason of not becoming stereotypical within the designs. As current designs are influenced by the ever changing economy, technological inventions, and evolving societal needs, architecture still holds a strong connection to telling the story of a structure's importance. 

Pino,Juilet.“https://www.studioswarch.com/2019/11/26/culture-reflected-through-architectural-design/.” Native Culture Reflected Through Architectural Design.

The positive and negative impacts of architectural reuse is stated in the article “Adaptive of Russian- Influenced Religious Architecture in Harbin: Architectural Identity and Heritage Tourism”by Se Yan, Shiran Geng, Hing-Wah Chau, Tian Wang, Elmira Jamei, and Zora Vrcelj. Heritage tourism is positive in bringing recognition to historical architecture which also promotes economic growth and environmental sustainability because of the reuse of structures. “The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings with religious significance is a growing trend in heritage adaptations globally.” (Yan 2). While the negative impacts include the inefficiency that China has with providing restoration frameworks. “The study’s findings indicate that adapting these religious sites for heritage tourism often requires modifications that can conflict with conservation pursuits.” (Shiran Geng 17) This is a big concern mostly because without sufficient frameworks, this poses a challenge in how adaptive resume will take place.

Yan, Se, et al. "Adaptive Reuse of Russian-Influenced Religious Architecture in Harbin: Architectural Identity and Heritage Tourism." Heritage, vol. 7, no. 12, Dec. 2024. Gale Academic OneFile, dx.doi.org.sfis.idm.oclc.org/ 10.3390/heritage7120329. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Productive action that affects the efficacy of carrying historic roots into Modern architecture is evident in the article “The preservation of historic architecture and the beliefs of the modern movement in Mexico:1914- 1963” by Enrique X. de Anda Alanis. Most modern architects that assented with the idea of new architecture, followed the idea of preserving the structure that links to a wider historic preservation. “We feel we are the inheritors of 4,000 years of architecture integrated by the highest tradition of indigenous America and by one of the deepest branches of Western architecture, our mission is the future cannot forsake these precedents.”(Vasquez 4). A few institutions impacted the preservation process. Such as Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia which was in charge of restoring, documenting, and safeguarding all material remains of periods in Mexican History. Also books claiming contemporary architecture from the past proved Mexican architects were part of a great historical continuity. 

de Anda Alanis, Enrique X. "The preservation of historic architecture and the beliefs of the modern movement in Mexico: 1914-1963." Future Anterior, vol. 6, no. 2, winter 2009, pp. 59+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/ apps/doc/A230860593/AONE?u=nm_p_elportal&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=5ac60eaa. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.