Dancers from Prairie Island, approximately late 1800s.
Native American Studies
Introduction
This individual major will study the tradition, culture, and history of Indian peoples in the United States. Using courses from Sociology/Anthropology, History, and American Racial Multicultural Studies (ARMS), in addition to Dakota language study at the University of Minnesota, I plan to increase my own knowledge in order to help broaden the understanding of people in general about these issues. Most importantly, I want to examine both pre-contact and contemporary issues and explore the way of life of Indian people from a Native American perspective.
Rationale
It is important to increase people’s understanding of the historical experiences, cultural traditions, innovations, and political status of Indian people throughout Native North America. Although many colleges offer African American studies, Hispanic, and Asian-American studies, few offer a Native American studies program or even a major. There is not enough understanding of Native Americans. People do have images of Native Americans, but these are typically unconscious or even conscious stereotypes. Still Indigenous peoples of North America are generally poorly understood and have distinct social, cultural, economical, political and legal needs by virtue of their status as indigenous nations colonized by a major world power. With this major I plan to advance peoples’ understanding of what it means to be a Native American from the perspective of one.
Description
My primary interest is drawn toward the pre-contact and contact experiences of the Dakota, and the lasting effects of those events up to today. Although it is hard to focus on one major group when the majority of Native American courses here at St. Olaf are offered sporadically and not specifically centered on the Dakota, I have been pleased with the courses I have completed already, and continue to make every attempt to take one when offered. I also try to incorporate ideas about Indian people in other courses not centered around them by focusing on a related topic.
Although my primary interest lies in pre-contact and contact experiences of the Dakota, my study will also focus on exploring this area for all of the tribes I have encountered in my study here at St. Olaf. I plan to look at the impact of invasion and colonization, along with the intersection of Indian-European histories and systems of knowledge. Since Indian people were often in contrast and conflict with the dominant Euro-American culture, it would only be wise to explore why and how this happened. Especially since today in some aspects, such as Indian gaming, Euro-American values have impacted Native American life. I want to promote self-determination, sovereignty, and governance--things that Indian people, still threatened by federal and state governments, are still trying to grasp. By examining and explaining the aesthetic qualities of Indian life, the roots of conflict and resolution in human history, and the unique status of American Indian tribes as nations within nations, I hope to build a bridge between Native American and non-Native American communities.
Another desirable part of my major is becoming fluent in the Dakota language. Culturally, this is very important to me, and is something I’m really striving for. I hope that eventually, we can bring back tribal languages from their destruction through assimilation and the boarding school era. Symbolically, the language is a means of cultural expression. It is also important to keep that heritage going by teaching young children and adults.. By taking the Dakota languages courses, I’m part of language revitalization; since there are only seven traditional speakers who grew up with the language left in Minnesota.
This major will also give me a great opportunity to extend my research training, and allow me to communicate more effectively with my writing. Researching topics related to Indian people, I will be learning standard research techniques, such as interviewing, surveying, statistics, and questionnaire development. . By taking statistics, I will learn how to apply that knowledge to Native American issues. Especially in the work field will this be helpful. This research ability includes locating information on Indian people like bibliographies, primary documents, journals, government documents, and archival resources. These abilities will also give me appropriate preparation for entry level positions in a variety of occupations, either in tribal organizations, in public service generally, or in the private sector. I will have appropriate skills to be further developed through on the job training. Completing an individual major will also equip me with intellectual skills, particularly in writing and critical thinking that will prepare me for graduate study in an appropriate professional field.
This major will give me the opportunity to study the experience of people of Native American ancestry in America—something no other major on campus would allow me to do. By drawing from numerous disciplines with their different theories and methodologies, this major will allow me to critically examine American Indian history, culture, politics, issues, and experiences. I will have the knowledge to learn, preserve, and promote the identity of Indian people. This major will give me an excellent and necessary preparation for getting a PhD in American Indian Studies and becoming a Professor.