Wow, I just finished reading the article and the endless comments. This subject seems to be really emotionally loaded ( know it is for me). I wanted to start out by responding to a few excerpts.
“Typically, the non-Native teachers have the highest paid jobs and the best housing in the community. In far too many situations, the Native people clean the rooms, empty the trash, and do minor paperwork in the offices. They are disempowered in their own land. This lesson is not lost on the young people.”
In my experience, teachers fair worse than the locals in the housings department. Thanks to HUD, most Alaska Native villagers have new “HUD” houses. Is it being “dis-empowered” or is it lack of initiative. It seems to me that a tenant of American culture is initiative. The truth is, you reap what you sow. Be lazy, your don’t get far in life. If someone doesn’t like their station in life, do something about it (in fact there is probably grant money for it). If being lazy is what we are talking about, then I an not interested in the “Native way”.
“They want their people to control their own lives, run their own schools, and take the responsibility for their own well being. They envision a time when their children and grandchildren will have the right to interact with the dominant culture in their own way, to be allowed to synthesize the two worlds into something new, and to have the independence to become their own experts.”
Now we’re talkin’ let them take control of their own lives (sound’s like teenagers). Just don’t ask me to pay for it. No grants, no HUD, no welfare, go for it 🙂
“All these are small, but significant steps in a new direction. A new day is dawning in Alaska. And we in the non-Native community need to reject the archaic theories of cultural superiority, step into the 21st century, and recognize the importance of preserving Alaska’s rich Native heritage. Let us embrace the conviction that Alaska Native cultures have the right to exist, the right to perpetuate themselves, and the right to control their own educational destiny.”
Is this guy smoking weed, or is he just trying to write a compelling closing statement. I have posted a “comment” below.
The last paragraph made me grit my teeth:
“All these are small, but significant steps in a new direction. A new day is dawning in Alaska. And we in the non-Native community need to reject the archaic theories of cultural superiority, step into the 21st century, and recognize the importance of preserving Alaska’s rich Native heritage. Let us embrace the conviction that Alaska Native cultures have the right to exist, the right to perpetuate themselves, and the right to control their own educational destiny.”
#1 – No. Wrong. We in the non-Native community do not need to reject the “archaic theories of cultural superiority,” because most non-Natives I know do not possess the sense that we are somehow culturally superior! Therefore, we cannot not reject something that doesn’t exist! I refuse to feel your guilt for something that doesn’t exist. Quit making things up. – I agree
#2 – “Step into the 21st century…” I agree! In fact, I think it’s more important to teach a kid how to use a computer instead of how to weave a hat or make a canoe! Computer skills are 21st century skills designed to prepare a kid for the 21st century. Weaving a hat prepares him for the 19th century. Both are important, but, I’d rather see more of the former instead of the latter. – hilarious!, weaving a hat 🙂
#3 – “Preservation of Alaska’s rich Native heritage…” And what about Alaska’s rich NON-Native heritage?!? The gold rushes? Statehood? WWII? Should only Native heritage be taught in schools? If so, isn’t that an inverse of the “archaic theory of cultural superiority” you bashed earlier? Doesn’t that create and presume then, that Native culture is superior to others? How about we teach BOTH instead of one or the other? In fact, instead of calling them “Alaska’s Native heritage” or “Alaska’s non-Native heritage,” we simply blend them together and call them “Alaska’s heritage?” – I agree
#4 – “Let us embrace the conviction that Alaska Native cultures have the right to exist, the right to perpetuate themselves, and the right to control their own educational destiny.” (SCREAMING!!!) ARRGH! NATIVES DO HAVE THE RIGHTS TO EXIST AND TO PERPETUATE THEIR CULTURE!!!! NO ONE SAYS THEY DON’T!!! NO ONE IS TRYING TO STOP THEM!!! Stop implying that anyone is prohibiting Natives from speaking Tlingit, or that they can’t perform a dance or a potlatch. Those days are over. Yes, it happened in the past, it was wrong, but it doesn’t happen anymore. Time to move on. Quit bringing this up! – This is too true
And Natives DO have the right to control their own educational destiny! If Natives don’t like what is being taught in state-funded schools, they can home-school, or, they can take some Native corporation money and build a private school which teaches Yu’pik and beadwork instead of math, science and computer skills!
There is room to teach both Native and non-Native cultures in schools. But academics are more important. We need not choose one culture over the other. – Another comment stated that teaching ones personal culture shoud be done at home, not at school (I agree). I think the real issue here is HOW math, reading, writing, and science are taught. I think there is always room for improvement there!