The traditional relationship and participation of Indian people with the American landscape has influenced their perceptions of themselves and of reality. The Pueblo "theology of place" is illustrated in their agricultural practices and accompanying ceremonial cycles. Modern Indian education must heal the split between spiritual and…

A connection with nature constitutes the difference between Western science and indigenous perspectives of the natural world. Understanding the synchronicity of natural and astronomical cycles is integral to Anishinaabe cosmology. Examples show how the Anishinaabe cultural worldview and philosophy are reflected in their celestial knowledge and how…

Discusses the sacred bond between the cedar and the Skokomish people and tribal efforts to protect the cedar through treaties and court litigation. Describes how disappearance of the cedar is adversely affecting traditional education practices and the survival of traditional culture and ceremonies. (SV)

Salish elder Ellen White shares her thoughts, remembrances, life experiences, and traditional teachings. She discusses traditional modes of teaching children; the importance of story telling, experiential learning, metaphors, and spirituality in traditional education; and the personal characteristics of elders. The interviewer reflects on her…

Native Americans must stop giving allegiance and attention to this other way (the Christian, westernized way) that has destroyed them. Native Americans have to reach their people in such a way that their traditional life is the first thing. They have to learn their traditional teachings well enough so that when they pass them on, their children…

Describes a Lakota family tradition of passing on the responsibilities of being caretaker of the drum of the Fool Soldiers (Akicita Heyoka), warriors who risked their lives for peace in 1862. The drum and its ceremonial use symbolize nonviolence and cross-cultural understanding between the races and are a part of Lakota spiritual heritage. (SAS)

Non-Native scholarly interpretations of The Three Bears--a traditional story of the Nlha7kapmx Nation--focus on mythology as simplistic science to explain the physical world. In contrast, a Nlha7kapmx interpretation illuminates connections of land to people. Such stories reinforce cultural identity and teach young people about the spiritual power…

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…

The Yolngu people of Australia's Northern Territory trace their lineage through places in the land and water. Movements of currents represent movements of clans over time. Patterns of sound and design are associated with particular groups and with body parts. These essences are conveyed in ritual songs that are crucial ways of knowing oneself and…

Grandmother Twyla Nitsch, an elder of the Seneca Nation, discusses the importance of honoring Mother Earth, her childhood experiences, the traditional teachings of her grandfather, her efforts to document Native American philosophy and spirituality, and her purpose in teaching individuals how to recognize and develop their gifts to the fullest.…

Based on her belief that all of our lives are stories that are pieces to a puzzle forming the truth behind the sacredness of life, Anne Dunn--Ojibwe storyteller and author--seeks to build bridges between cultures, between generations, and between oral and written storytelling. Includes a review of her book "When Beaver Was Very Great."…

Argues for the implementation of "True Education" based on Navajo knowledge associated with the four cardinal directions. Through mentorship and apprenticeship learning programs that unite children and adults and that promote Navajo language, culture, and values, a clockwise road may be built that restores students' sense of physical,…

Cree elder Louis Sunchild wrote on the nature of the mind and how to preserve mental health and balance, emphasizing that our minds were created for the exercise of compassion toward each other. Presented in English, Cree syllabics, and Cree roman orthography, with explanations on discourse style and meaning. (SV)

Examines "bimaadiziwin"--the moral structure of traditional Anishinaabe (Chippewa) religion, which is providing past-present continuity in Anishinaabe worldview. Discusses the teachings of bimaadiziwin ("good life") as governing human relations with nature and social relations, storytelling as a medium for moral teachings, an…

A member of the Oglala Lakota describes his traditional childhood; his boarding school education; and his career in the army, university, and tribal council during the American Indian Movement. In his 40s, he became aware of the spirits and changed his life. He tells the Lakota creation story and laws and advises future generations to carry the…