Gi-gikinomaage-min (we are all teachers): using history to give voice to urban native American communities

Abstract

This article explores one developing model for framing ethical, mutually beneficial collaborations between a predominantly White, non-tribal serving university and urban Native American communities. Called Gi-gikinomaage-min (We are all teachers): Defend our History, Unlock Your Spirit, this oral history documentation initiative is informed by the developing literature on best practices for archiving Native American resources as well as by revolutionary critical pedagogy. Focusing on the impact of federal Urban Relocation Programs, the project is the first collaborative effort to focus on documenting experiences of Native Americans in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area to create a publicly accessible archive of material that can be used for teaching, research, and other educational purposes. By reflecting on the work of this project to date, we aim for these efforts to become part of the larger, international conversation.

“I see my ancestors”: exploring tribal college student experiences playing When Rivers Were Trails

“…When Rivers Were Trails is also aligned with the oral history documentation initiative Gi-gikinomaage-min (We are all teachers): Defend our History, Unlock Your Spirit, which seeks to improve, and even revolutionize, history curriculum regarding the impact of federal Urban Relocation Programs (Shell-Weiss & Bardwell, 2017). The initiative brings the voices of Indigenous elders to the next generations with an emphasis on urban Native experiences of displacement and forced assimilation in Michigan (Shell-Weiss & Bardwell, 2017). As an extension of the Lessons of Our Land curriculum, When Rivers Were Trails similarly aims to personify stories through interactions with historically accurate characters, including elders.…”

The Power of Narrative: A Practical Guide to Creating Decolonial, Community-Based Projects

“…These seven questions, however, aim to do more. This model is rooted in a decolonial perspective-one that understands ethics as rooted in intercultural dialog among multiple people rather than framed by existing political, legal, and/or cultural boundaries and informed by current best practice guidelines for fostering collaboration between tribal and non-tribal organizations [24,25]. As such, the questions are not limited to ownership.…”

“…One way to approach this forward planning may be to formally establish a committee and process for making key decisions about the project. This was an approach we followed as part of our urban Native American oral history initiative [25,33]. Building upon the principles outlined in the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, that project established a set of bylaws and Council made up of representatives from major stakeholders within the university and urban Native American organizations.…”