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…

Discusses history of various Central American musical instruments, how the instruments were used then, and how they are used now. Much Indian music today serves to bolster Indian rights, express community pride, and serves as a badge of otherness. (AN)

American Indian music is the topic of this curriculum unit from the Task Force on Minority Cultures. After a brief introduction explaining the importance of music to the Indian people, there are sections on: 1) the instruments, which provides a description of each instrument, including the type of materials used in its construction, how the…

During the 1920s, Walker Calhoun learned traditional songs and dances from his uncle, Will West Long, spiritual leader of the Big Cove Cherokees. Nine years ago, Calhoun began teaching them to his grandchildren and other young people. Calhoun has received numerous honors for his work to preserve Cherokee culture. (LP)

Recent research into the "forty-nine" songs and singing of the Kiowa Indians in southwestern Oklahoma is described in this paper. The paper first outlines the value of a process oriented approach to communication analysis that accents three primary variables: indexicality (the inherent situational nature of communicative acts),…

Developed as a result of the second 5-day American Indian Culture-Based Curriculum Workshop conducted in Tacoma, Washington, the resource guide presents materials oriented toward Native American dance, music, and games, which were the major thrust of the workshop. The guide provides four flannelboard stories/legends (How Man Was Created, The Gull…

This publication provides teachers with a practical resource of information on the early history, cultural heritage, and traditions of Native people in Manitoba. Sections 1 and 2 draw from archeological evidence and oral tradition, respectively, to present two different perspectives on the origins and lifeways of early peoples. The academic…

The first in a series of Native American instructional materials, this booklet introduces elementary students to the culture and history of woodland, plains, desert, and coastal Indians. It presents an overview of philosophies common to most Native American cultures, differentiates the four Indian culture areas, and guides students in identifying…