At the heart of sustainability is the relationship between humans and the planet. The binary of anthropocentric or ecocentric worldviews appears to be powerful in defining this relationship. Sustainability requires nuanced approaches which go beyond simple binaries, and therefore a dialectic approach which works to synthesise the binaries may be…

This paper privileges the voices of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders. Since time immemorial, Indigenous Elders, whether in a Canadian or global context, have been at the core of teaching and learning and have had the responsibility of transferring knowledge. However, their role in the transmission of culture has been undermined by the…

Every aspect of a community's life and values in indigenous Africa provide the theoretical framework for education. The holistic worldview of the traditional system places a strong emphasis on the centrality of the human element and orature in the symmetrical relationship between life and learning. This article focuses on proverbs and the words…

The Ozark Mountains occupy a large area within the state boundaries of southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and northeastern Oklahoma as well as the southeastern-most tip of Kansas. Missouri and Arkansas make up the bulk of the Ozarks, while Oklahoma and Kansas straddle their outer rim. From 1800 to 1865 the Ozarks region was in constant flux, as…

What is the relationship between Indigenous peoples and violent reactions to contemporary states? This research explores differing, culturally informed notions of attachment to land or place territory. Mechanistic ties and organic ties to land are linked to a key distinction between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples. Utilizing the…

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…

This article is a collection of stories crafted in the tradition of indigenous research. At the start of each section, the author asks, "Who am I?" From the stories he chooses to share, the answer is obvious--Kimo is Kimo. His stories are Kimo, his world view is Kimo, the language he speaks is Kimo. Within each story, the author connects…

The Anishinabe language is alive, and Anishinabe world view is embedded in it. It is important to continue speaking the language because not doing so contributes to language loss and the undermining of the Anishinabe world view. Dictionaries can help in preserving Native languages, but they must be written by Natives from a Native perspective. The…

Analyzes two Yup'ik tales depicting the cyclic relationships between humans and animals and between the living and the dead. Emphasizes the importance in the Yup'ik world view of boundaries and passages. Suggests that human actions, rules, and ceremonies create boundaries or may close or open paths between people, as well as between human/animal…

For American indigenous peoples, oral tradition maintains each group's cultural identity and world view; documents history; and links the group's past, present, and future. Storytelling has been a major mode of passing moral values and teachings to children, as well as passing sacred and specialized knowledge to new specialists but is now…

Through a story of experiences at a library and two museums, a Cree university student demonstrates how such institutions fail to adequately respect and portray Native culture, despite good intentions. (TD)

Aboriginal literacy encompasses oral tradition, culture, language, identity, and world view in addition to the written word, and is a process of lifelong learning, much of which occurs beyond school walls. When defining Native literacy, one must move away from measuring Aboriginal students by Euro-Western definitions and move toward a balanced,…

Suggests that studying myth, and what it can tell of the history of people's perceptions of values, will provide a basis for future growth. Provides various examples from literature that define myth and relate the power of myth in modern society. (AEF)

Indigenous knowledge is a living, breathing concept and must be treated with care and respect. This living knowledge is transmitted orally. At the University of Queensland (Australia), the Torres Strait Islander Studies course was taught in the Indigenous way, and elders were involved throughout, from formatting the course outline to the running…

Examines the importance and centrality of orality, rather than literacy, in the shared lives of the Cree of northern Alberta. Discusses orality consciousness related to the practice of shared memories and personal and communal healing during the "dance of the ancestors" or "ghost dance." Includes a short history of the Cree…