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Pimatisiwin : indigenous knowledge systems, our time has come

This naturalistic inquiry explored the contributions of Indigenous Knowledge to higher learning with the intention of improving life for all Indigenous Peoples. An interdisciplinary approach was used to examine the participation of Indigenous Peoples through the disciplines of native studies, education, and health. Critical theory was used by including feminists of color, post colonialists and other scholars who examine cultural, political and intellectual domination as a means of social control.<p>Indigenous peoples represent approximately seven percent of the worlds population. They have developed knowledges that reflect their circumstances, environments and challenges and that meet the needs of peoples who for the most part have not been industrialized. Indigenous knowledges reflect the many aspects of life that make up community comprising agriculture, arts, medicines, architecture, weather and other aspects of culture such as stories, music, dance and languages. Indigenous scholars and community-based groups are integrating their knowledge into higher learning and within other educational centers. This dissertation contains our stories.<p>Storytelling was a central research tool throughout this dissertation employed to gather stories from the regions of South Africa, the Pacific, and North America who have long been active in the field of education as well as community activism. Using respectful research that paralleled the ideals of participatory action research, the overarching research question originated from the communities of the Indigenous participants. Through a polyphonic text that presents multiple voices of participants, meanings garnered through conversational interviews, focused participant observation are juxtaposed with meaning-making by the storytelling of the researcher. Critical theory problematized and critically analyzed insights into Indigenous participation within the academic community.<p>The findings for this study suggest the range of work that is to be done and as well it shares stories of how this is being undertaken in several regions in our extended global community. <p>The participants were interested and encouraged to participate collaboratively in the production of a document which asked how community based and higher learning institutes could contribute to the quality of life for Indigenous peoples and entire communities.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:usask.ca:etd-04302007-084445
Date30 April 2007
CreatorsSettee, Priscilla
ContributorsWason-Ellam, Linda, Smylie, Janet, King, Cecil, Fulton, Murray E.
PublisherUniversity of Saskatchewan
Source SetsUniversity of Saskatchewan Library
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-04302007-084445/
Rightsunrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report.

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