<p> This dissertation constructs an indigenous theology of mission by interrogating the general differences between Western epistemological traditions influential in Christian theology and indigenous epistemologies and ways they could broaden Christian missiological discourse. By employing the pedagogical and political ethics of indigenous worldviews and an intercultural theology, the dissertation seeks to reframe three main (largely unspoken) undercurrents in missiology to date: 1) in church and society, what the global north has given to the global south has always been conditional (specifically expectations of realignment to hegemonic perspectives and practices); 2) that dialogue between the dominant and marginalized has been to solve indigenous 'problems'; and 3) that the current world economic perspective based on competition for scarce resources is not life-giving. The indigenous intercultural theology proposed offers the following three responses: 1) that the current `dependency' model of missiology is unsustainable; 2) that dialogue between the dominant and the oppressed is the end, not a means to an end; and 3) that acknowledging differences doesn't present a challenging competition for resources, but rather changes the discourse to say that the world hold enough resources for <i>all</i>.</p><p> The first chapter summarizes the context of indigenous peoples in Canada and sets out the methodology and states that intercultural dialogue in the objective. Chapter Two sets out some of the problematic Western epistemological traditions that have influenced Christian theology and offers counter-narratives from an indigenous epistemological perspective. Chapter Three raises questions that warrant responses from contemporary missiology. Chapter Four starts to integrate the indigenous epistemological perspectives from Chapter Two with the missiological issues outlined in Chapter Three, recognizing the risks in writing missiology from an indigenous perspective. Chapter Five addresses the heart of the constructive theological task of the dissertation by highlighting the strengths of indigenous Christian perspectives to answer: If indigenous hearts are broken by Christianity, what is it in Christian theology that is life giving at all? Chapter Six presents a conclusion and an invitation for intercultural dialogue.</p>

<p>Native American Adolescents between 15 and 24 years of age have the highest rate of suicide compared to their other race peers in the same age group. Recent statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicate that in 2011, Native American males between ages 15 and 24 had a suicide rate of 22.8 per 100,000, as compared to white males, 14.3 per 100,000, and black males, 6.3 per 100,000 of the same age (CDC, 2014). Native American females had a rate of 8.0 per 100,000 deaths compared to 3.8 per 100,000 for white females and 2.0 per 100,000 for black females respectively (CDC, 2014). </p><p> A collection of factors such as prolonged generational trauma, substance abuse, untreated mental illness and depression leads to high suicide rates in Native Americans. Using Durkheim&rsquo;s work on suicide as a framework, this study utilizes the National Youth Risk Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) to examine the way in which trauma, depression, substance use, and mental health issues impact the high Native American adolescents&rsquo; suicide rate. An in depth analysis of each factor is provided as well as a discussion of the findings. The dissertation also offers conclusions and social work implications of the study. </p>

<p> This research is a comparison of religious beliefs of three cultures of M&eacute;xico. My first goal is a critical analysis of the similarities and differences between religious practices and how they relate presently. I argue that the religious ideology imposed on the indigenous of M&eacute;xico was similar to their original beliefs that in their organic form produced a lifestyle superior to that of Spanish ideologies. Furthermore, I hypothesize that returning to the religious aspects of introspection, community and truth through <i>xochitl in cuicatl,</i> would result in that superior lifestyle.</p><p> This subject is approached using cultural analysis, textual exegesis, historical and phenomenological methodologies. Relying on close readings of codices, the elements of the sociological theory of Peter Berger and employing the work of Juana Gutierrez de Mendoza as a lens into Caxc&aacute;n ideology. My hope is to further the scholarly research of this understudied peoples and the region they inhabit.</p>

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<p> All children residing in the United States have the right to a quality education. At least that is our collective expectation. Through the lived experience of Yuli, a Native American woman from the Southwest, you will discover, due to her birth on a remote reservation, she was not given the same access to education you or I would expect. On Yuli&rsquo;s reservation, the school system is managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Rather than provide K-12 schooling, the BIE operates K-8 on her reservation and then Native youth who want to go to high school must move off-reservation.</p><p> This qualitative study focuses on Yuli&rsquo;s experience as she traversed the educational system offered to her in order to complete eighth grade, earn her high school diploma and be accepted to college. Her narrative gives insight into what she lost, personally and culturally, as a result of the operational delinquency of a United States of America government agency tasked with one duty, providing an adequate, quality education to Indigenous youth across America. This study explores Yuli&rsquo;s story, educational inopportunity, and the cultural impact of leaving the reservation to attain an education. </p>

<p> American colonization of the Hawaiian Islands has brought about generations of Native Hawaiian learners being subjected to educational practices that are incompatible with core Indigenous beliefs. Consequently, Native Hawaiian learners have lower academic achievement than other ethnic groups in the islands. The lack of success is not confined to academics since Native Hawaiians are also underrepresented in material-economic, social-emotional, and physical wellbeing. Hawaiian culture-based education (HCBE) can be used to decolonize educational practices by increasing cultural relevancy and compatibility within schools. This study was conducted within a school founded explicitly for the education of Native Hawaiian children. The selected campus has approximately 80 teachers and 650 Native Hawaiian learners (age eleven to fifteen). The purpose of the study was to better understand implementation of the HCBE framework components and data was collected through surveys and semi-structured follow-up interviews. The findings showed that although there was a range of the extent the teachers at the school understood and implemented the various HCBE components, there was commitment to using Hawaiian language, knowledge, and practices as the content and context for student learning. The data also showed though teachers have a high level of understanding of the importance of relationship building, that building family and community relationships remains an area of challenge. Additionally, teachers pride themselves on delivering meaningful personalized learning experiences and assessments to their students, and would like their own professional development to be grounded in the same educational practices. This study provides baseline data to inform further growth. </p>

<p> This dissertation is grounded in stories of how Chickasaw people have restructured and dedicated their lives to ensuring the continuance of <i> Chikashshanompa'</i>, their Indigenous heritage language. Building on an earlier study of what motivates Chickasaw people&mdash;across generations&mdash;to engage in language reclamation, these pages explore how: 1) Chickasaw young adult professionals who have established careers with the Chickasaw Nation Department of Language have made language reclamation their life&rsquo;s pursuit; 2) Chickasaw citizens-at-large, who reside outside of the Chickasaw Nation, engage in language reclamation, and 3) the study of <i>Chikashshanompa' </i> in school has impacted Chickasaw high school and university students&rsquo; conceptualizations of their personal and social identities. Together, the perspectives of these groups of language learners comprise a case study of Chickasaw people&rsquo;s resilient and tireless efforts to ensure that <i> Chikashshanompa' ilanompoh<u>&oacute;</u>li b&iacute;yyi'ka'chi </i> [we will always speak the Chickasaw language].</p><p> As a Chickasaw person and language learner myself, I worked from culturally-grounded research methodology which embraced my cultural identity and personal relationships with other Chickasaws involved in language reclamation. One key feature of this methodology was my reconstruction of in-depth, phenomenological interviews as participant profiles&mdash;or stories&mdash;as a means to present and analyze data. Individually, these stories tell of the nuanced and diverse experiences of Chickasaw language learners representing distinct generational categories and demographics. Collectively, they reflect three key themes enabling the vitality and efficacy of Chickasaw language reclamation: 1) a raised critical Chickasaw consciousness, 2) the conception of <i>Chikashshanompa'</i> as cultural practice, and 3) the (re)valuing of language learners. </p>

<p> The projects in this meditation focus on the importance of collaboration in public history. Using two different tools, both projects show a new way for understanding the histories of two diverse Louisiana American Indian communities. The project on the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana is not a complete public history project, but it shows the progression of research and preliminary work needed for the pubic history aspect through an interactive map. The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana exhibit highlights the importance of collaboration and consultation with the Tribe, which happened at nearly every step of the curation and development of the exhibit. Focusing on the inclusion of these communities, and those surrounding them, helped in the understanding of the audience for each of these projects, as well as the overall importance of consultation with the community or communities represented.</p>