1st Breakout Session

Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM:     Tribal Knowledge Track

Native School vs. School for Native Students: The Uneasy Intersection of Indigenous Ideologies and Schooling Practices
This presentation will problemativze intersection of school and Indigenous ways of knowing and wil explore the influence of “identity” and “place” on cultural understandings. Examining the collision of hegemonic structures of schools with Native ideologies will serve to expose the complexity of defining what is a Native school.
Presenter: J. Kay Fenimore-Smith.

Research in Indian Country: We Must Learn from One Another
Most American Indian communities function in a world where tribal culture permeates nearly aspect of life. Fundamental differences exist between the western approach to acquiring knowledge and traditional ways of knowing and doing. Working with properly trained researchers from within and outside of the native community, Indian people today are creating culturally-relevant research agendas that are practical and meaningful to real-life issues. New and effective paradigms to control local research initiatives, based on tribal needs and respective of tribal culture, are emerging. This session will highlight key aspects of protocol, practice, and partnership as important guidelines for conducting research in American Indian communities.
Presenter: Nate St. Pierre, Ed.D.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM:     Research/Institutions Track

The Tribal Disability Actualization Project (TDAP) as a Method for Conducting Culturally Appropriate Research
When drafting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Congress excluded tribes from the protections afforded by the act because they concluded it could only be applied through massive litigation. In response, the American Indian Disability Legislation Project conducted a survey of tribes throughout the United States to determine tribal leaders’ level of awareness of disability issues, resulting in 110 requests for assistance in developing disability policy. The TDAP was used to help tribes develop disability policies in a manner that respects tribal sovereignty and cultural diversity by initiating “talking circles” on the topic of disability. The project resulted in several tribes passing disability-related resolutions and also demonstrated tribal governments can develop legislation consistent with the ADA without federal intervention.
Presenters: Julie Clay, M.P.H.; Jeanie Castillo, M.A.

Caring for Native American Elders: A Research Journey
Increasingly scientists are acknowledging community-based participatory research (CBPR) as an appropriate approach for conducting research in tribal communities. This session will focus on the experiences of one research team that has used CBPR in their work with the Caring for Native American Elders project. The principles and practicalities of CBPR will be presented. A memorandum of understanding developed for this project will be shared with participants. Experiences with navigating the unique but intersecting worlds of academia, science, and tribal communities will be discussed. Finally, five spiritual principles for conducting research with tribal communities will be presented.
Presenters: Emily Matt Salois, M.S.W., A.C.S.W.; Patricia Holkup, Ph.D., R.N.; Toni Tripp-Reimer, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.; Clarann Weinert, S.C., Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.

A New Day for Old Recordings: Past, Current and Future Use of the Doris Duke American Indian Oral History Project Recordings
The Doris Duke American Indian Oral History Project was administered in seven US universities from 1966-1972, resulting in over 4000 recordings of Native Americans. This assessment of the project looks back at the beginnings of the project, the research methodologies employed, types of materials collected, and issues of access and intellectual property rights. The current state of the archived materials in each of the universities will also be discussed, as well as possible new uses and best practices for these priceless oral documents; all to work towards a fruitful coalition of the intersecting interests of tribal knowledge and research communities.
Presenter: Dianna Repp, M.A.

Native Self Actualization
Native Self Actualization, an oral model for worldview assessment, is now in a written format for use with indigenous people. The Native Self Actualization Placement Assessment (NSA-PA) tool helps to establish one of four worldviews (preferences) using 8 domains (spiritual, social, training, family, food, language, attachment to culture, and concept of time). This PowerPoint presentation will be an introduction to the model and allow exploration of cultural competency in two predominate world views; Traditional and Contemporary. Participants will 1) challenge their beliefs about acculturation and assimilation theories; 2) explore linear thinking and circular thinking implications for cross-cultural work with indigenous populations; and 3) identify characteristics of a great leader in a secure worldview of collectivist cultures.
Presenter: Sidney Stone Brown, Psy.D.

Research with Australian Aboriginal Children and Adults with Implications for Native Americans
Within the research process, failing to understand differences in culture may be an irresponsible act that jeopardizes both the ethics and quality of research. Several different models have been used successfully to build trust and recognition of cultural values and principles while still accomplishing research objectives. These include the participatory process, institutional arrangements with communities, legal agreements and the promotion of Aboriginal community control over the research process with Aboriginal people leading and implementing the research activity. A common feature across these models includes the recognition and commitment and respect for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural values and principles. The soundness of trust is essential to a successful and ethical outcome. Trust has to function at all levels of the research process - between participant and researcher. Where trust persists, research can be sustained.
Presenter: Al Yonovitz, Ph.D.

An Examination of “A Blackfeet Encounter” as a Means of Decolonization and Acquirement of a Blackfeet Perspective
This workshop examines the recent short film “A Blackfeet Encounter” in relation to Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s theorization of indigenous research methodologies to discuss the ways in which the film not only tells the history of the Lewis and Clark expedition from a Blackfeet point of view but also decolonizes our very notions of history, historiography, and narrative space. The presenter, Matt Herman, is a non-Blackfeet/non-native educator who uses this film in class, and is interested in the pedagogical issues the film raises. An obvious value the film brings to teaching is the way it makes available Blackfeet voices and perspectives. Just as importantly, the film actually decolonizes the classroom, reconfiguring the assumptions and channels of power normally at play in the American classroom.
Presenter: Matt Herman

Montana State University’s Center for Native Health Partnerships
The mission of the Center for Native Health Partnerships is to reduce health disparities of Native Americans in Montana through community-based health projects that are conducted in partnership between community members and health researchers. The Center is funded through the National Institutes of Health Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities from 2007-2012. In this talk we will discuss the formation of the Center, our goals and how we plan to meet them, and how community members and health researchers can be involved.
Presenters: Suzanne Christopher; Sara Young; Michael Babcock.

Collaborative Efforts in Identifying Native Americans’ Community Needs
The disparity between needs and service provision for Native Americans with disabilities is a concern for service providers and Native Americans. This workshop presents a five-year research project that focuses on the health, disability and the service needs of Native Americans. The community based approach and Participatory Action Research model for the project was used, and the research method will be presented. The following results from the research project will also be presented: prevalence of disabilities, identified service needs, and community needs. Implications will also be discussed.
Presenters: Felicia Wilkins-Turner, Ph.D.; Chung-Fan Ni.