Roland S. Persson's (2012a) article addresses a concern that many educators have stressed in their theoretical models, namely the importance of the interaction between the individual and the environment, and the impact of culture on not only values and beliefs, but on behaviour. As Persson (2012a) points out these models all have merit, but he…

In reading queer Native American images, Lisa Tatonetti (2010) criticizes film in which the "boundaries of nation in indigenous contexts are constructed and maintained by the heteronormative gaze" that restricts lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2) representations. The author's own work differentiates the mere…

Speaking at faculty orientation before Dine College's Cultural Center in August 2004, the late Robert Roessel, a founder of Navajo Community College, described hopes that tribal leaders of the 1950s and 1960s had envisioned for tribal colleges. Designing programs of higher learning that work from and advance Native knowledge remains a core…

Describes the baccalaureate nursing program for Native Americans in Ganado, Arizona. Closed in 1951, it is reopening with an emphasis on community health. The program, run by Northern Arizona University, is the first school of nursing for Native Americans. (JOW)

Many Navajos, or Dines, and Native American people in general, are archaeologists or are becoming archaeologists. The distinction between "Native Americans" and "archaeologists" in academia, or elsewhere, is no longer accurate. This fact should not come as such a surprise. As the epigraph, a quote by Richard Begay,…

Metaphorical teachings derived from objects and observations of daily life may provide a way to bridge the gap between the deeply religious values at the center of life for Navajo elders and the mechanized, fast-paced world of Navajo youth who find traditional teachings confusing or irrelevant. Examples of such teachings are provided. (SV)

In this article, the author shares his experiences as a teacher in Dine College, a tribal American Indian college. He recalls how teaching there for seventeen years has brought him joy and frustration. He relates that a teaching approach he discovered over the years has helped him become an effective teacher. He also discovered that some of the…

Describes the peacemaker system employed by Navajo communities. Suggests that, unlike the European-derived legal system, it utilizes a healing ceremony in which instigators are surrounded by family and friends. Discusses the role of the "naat'aanii" ("one who speaks wisely and well"), who uses persuasive powers to restore harmony and peace. (AJL)

Historically, among American Indians, the respect for the power of language has been expressed through the oral tradition: stories, myths, folklore, poetry, and song. As life experience has changed for American Indians, they continue to value these stories, recording tribal oral tradition as well as personal biography and life history. The status…

There was no need for feminism in the Navajo matrilineal culture. The author remembers growing up on the Navajo reservation, where her female relatives were valued, honored, and respected, and where women passed on to their daughters not only their strength, but also the expectation to assume responsibility for the family and therefore act as…

As the Navajo nation undergoes rapid assimilation and modernization, counseling needs of the Navajo children have changed in ways similar to counseling needs in developing or "Eastern Block" nations. An adolescent sub-culture, full of at-risk behaviors, is epidemic worldwide. The paper states that a multicultural perspective can provide…

Presents an interview with Luci Tapahonso, professor of English and writer of poetry, short stories, and children's books that depict modern Navajo life. Describes the strong sense of language in her family, her strong sense of herself as being part of a group, the importance of story telling, and how her two children's books came about. (SR)

Mainstream educational institutions could improve their success rate with Native American students by emulating strategies used in tribal colleges. It is a well-documented fact that Western institutions are extremely unsuccessful in retaining Native American students. Research focusing specifically on composition courses at the University of New…

This paper explores some examples of Indigenous philosophies from North America. It considers Navajo philosophy as presented by James McNeley and John Farella, Mabel McKay's Pomo Indian insights as presented by her student Gary Sarris, and spiritual insights into Indigenous education. These nondualistic philosophies describe the universe…

Four hataalii (Navajo medicine men) discuss why they chose and how they studied their profession, how ceremonies correct spiritual imbalance, why ceremonies cannot be done for non-Indians (differences in Navajo and non-Navajo belief systems), and how the Native American Church was founded to allow legal use of peyote and was commercialized by…