This ethnographic study examines the Lipan Apache ("Ndé") Tribe of Texas powwow as a curriculum of culture(s) and a pedagogy of place through which culture is preserved, performed, transmitted, and transformed. Integrating both emic (insider) and etic (outsider) perspectives, I combine personal experiences as a Lipan Apache tribal member…

Informed by the notions of public pedagogy, cultural production as civic/political participation, and the multiliteracies perspective, this article explores the connection between (inter)cultural/art production, public pedagogy, and civic education in a community festival setting in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Drawing upon three examples of…

Since colonization, Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples (IAP) have fought for their inherent rights to follow their ways of life on their traditional territories. One continuing battle is the protection of sacred spaces. Sacred spaces are places recognized by IAP as deeply spiritually and powerful. Relationships to sacred spaces sustain spiritual…

The 2015 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES)--also referred to as AI/AN FACES 2015--is the first national study of Region XI Head Start children, families, and programs. Members of the AI/AN FACES 2015 workgroup discussed and provided input on the AI/AN FACES 2015 design, implementation,…

This article attempts to develop a practical theology of resistance for religious education. It is inspired by the struggle of indigenous people in Guatemala in their memorialization of the Rio Negro Massacre in Guatemala, celebrations of International Women's Day, and the creation of a school for survivors of the violence surrounding Rio Negro.…

This article focuses on the work of cultural and language maintenance and fortification with Indigenous youth populations. Here, the idea of work represents two strands of thought: first, research that is partnered with Indigenous youth-serving institutions and that prioritizes Indigenous youth perspectives; and second, the work of cultural and…

The Ute community of White Mesa, comprised of approximately 315 people, sits in the corner of southeastern Utah, eleven miles outside of Blanding. The residents, primarily of Weenuche Ute and Paiute ancestry, enjoy a cultural heritage that embraces elements from plains, mountain, and desert/Great Basin Indian culture. Among their religious…

Objective: This project collected data on cancer risk factors among urban Native American youth in the northeast to inform development of a prevention initiative. Design: Face to face interviews were conducted. Setting: Interviews were conducted in homes, at a social service agency, and in a private space at a Native American cultural event in…

What does it mean to be young in El Alto, a Bolivian shantytown? Based on ethnographic research, this article looks at cultural resilience among young people in a vulnerable urban context. It emphasises how young people value informal youth groups as a tool to valorise their own indigenous culture. This is echoed in the world of adults, implying…

The Native American sweat lodge ceremony or sweat therapy is being used increasingly in various medical, mental health, correctional, and substance abuse treatment centers serving both Native and non-Native clients. This article explores the sweat lodge ceremony's background, elements of Native American spirituality, origin story, cultural…

One way to approach the improvement of instruction is for educators to learn from student interactions in cultural events that fully engage students' motivation and curiosity. In such a context, educators get to know students in new ways and to connect student strengths to classroom instruction. This can be especially powerful when the learning…

This paper describes an ethnographically-oriented participant-observation study conducted during the annual Crow Fair, held in south central Montana. Data collected included audio-recorded interviews with participants, participant observations, photographic and video recordings. Narrative interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the constant…

For the state of Washington's one-hundredth birthday, in 1989, Native peoples there decided to revive a distinctive mode of transportation--long-distance journeys by canoe--along with an entire culture associated with it. Born as the "Paddle to Seattle," during the past two decades these canoe journeys have become a summertime staple for…

As a literary work initiated and directed by a committee of women, the "Pageant of Paha Sapa" captures the zeitgeist of the post-frontier era through the eyes of the influential women of one small town. Like all origin myths, this script presented the current populace as the rightful heirs of the place and its resources, having won them…

This exploratory cross-sectional study examined fluid cognitive skills and standardized verbal IQ scores in relation to cultural engagement amongst Tohono O'odham children (N = 99; ages 7 to 12 years). Guardians with higher socioeconomic status engaged their children in more cultural activities, and participation in more cultural activities…