ERIC ED455980: Reclaiming Native Education: Activism, Teaching and Leadership.

71 Pages·1998·2.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
RC 022 695
ED 455 980
Stoll, Amy, Ed.
AUTHOR
Reclaiming Native Education: Activism, Teaching and
TITLE
Leadership.
Cultural Survival, Cambridge, MA.
INSTITUTION
Massachusetts Cultural Council, Boston.
SPONS AGENCY
ISSN-0740-3291
ISSN
1998-00-00
PUB DATE
69p.; Theme issue. Photographs may not reproduce adequately.
NOTE
Cultural Survival, 96 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138.
AVAILABLE FROM
Tel: [phone].
Serials (022)
Collected Works
PUB TYPE
Cultural Survival Quarterly; v22 n1 Spr 1998
JOURNAL CIT
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Activism; *American Indian Education; American Indians;
DESCRIPTORS
Culturally Relevant Education; *Educational Change;
Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Higher
Education; *Indigenous Populations; Language Maintenance;
Maori (People); Maya (People); Mexicans; *Self Determination
ABSTRACT
The bulk of this theme issue of Cultural Survival Quarterly
consists of a 41-page "focus" section on indigenous peoples' efforts to
regain control of their children's education and on the role of indigenous
educators as agents of change. Following an introduction by Nimachia
Hernandez and Nicole Thornton, the articles in this section are: "Contexts
and Challenges of Educating Tibetan Children in the Diaspora" (Nawang
Phuntsog); "The Educational and Cultural Implications of Maori Language
Revitalization" (Linda Tuhiwai Smith); "Our Children Can't Wait: Recapturing
the Essence of Indigenous Schools in the United States" (Cornel Pewewardy);
"Teaching Tribal Histories from a Native Perspective" (Lea Whitford); "Native
Hawaiian Epistemology: Exploring Hawaiian Views of Knowledge" (Manu Aluli
Meyer); "Indigenous Rights and Schooling in Highland Chiapas" (Margaret
Freedson Gonzales, Elias Perez Perez); "Chanob Vun ta Batz'i K'op of Sna
Acs 1=
Jr7lihAinm: An Altp.rnativim Reinr,atinn in nfl-r N=riv= L=1-1T,=g=Q11
Torre Lopez, translated by Bret Gustafson); "Who Can Make a Difference?
Everybody Can! Sharing Information on Indigenous Educational Success--A Case
Study from Australia" (Roberta Sykes); "Maya Education and Pan Maya Ideology
in the Yucatan" (Allan Burns); "Indigenous Legal Translators: Challenges of a
University Program for the Maya of Guatemala" (Guillermina Herrera Pena,
translated by Nicole Thornton); "What Exactly Is It That You Teach?
Developing an Indigenous Education Program at the University Level" (Deirdre
A. Almeida); and "Historical and Contemporary Policies of Indigenous
Education in Mexico" (Salomon Nahmad, translated by Nicole Thornton). This
issue also contains brief notes on educational, cultural, political, and
health issues of indigenous peoples worldwide; book reviews; listings of
resources and events; and updates on special projects.
(SV)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
7
Incigenous Peoples ond Ethnic Minorities
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Activism,
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U S DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
Of/ice of Educational Research
and Improvement
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er/T/his
document has been reproduced
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originating it
0 Minor changes have
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official
OERI position or policy
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)"
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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
L._
Issue 1
Volume 22
Spring 1998
Cultural Survival Quarterly
FOCUS:
Reclaiming Native Education
Activism, Teaching and Leadership
Students horsing around
at the Mounds Park All-
Nations Magnet School
in St. Paul, MN.
CONTENTS
Departments
Introduction
Reclaiming Native Education: Activism, Teaching and Leadership
22
EDITORIAL
3
by Nimachia Hernandez and Nicole Thornton, Guest Editor
BRIEFLY NOTED
4
Articles
9
CS BULLETIN BOARD
Contexts and Challenges of Educating Tibetan Children in the Diaspora
24
by Nawang Phuntsog
BOOK REVIEW
10
Kenneth M. George
The Educational and Cultural Implications of Maori Language Revitalization
27
David MayburyLewis
by Linda Tuhiwai Smith
Our Children Can't Wait: Recapturing the Essence of Indigenous Schools in the United States
SOURCES
12
29
by Cornet Pewewardy
SPECIAL PROJECTS UPDATE
14
Teaching Tribal Histories from a Native Perspective
35
by Lea Whitford
UPDATE
16
Native Hawaiian Epistemology: Exploring Hawaiian Views of Knowledge
Native North America
38
by Manu Aluli Meyer
90
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
Indigenous Rights and Schooling in Highland Chiapas
Bret Gustafson
41
by Mat:garet Freedson Gonzales and Elias Perez Perez
IN MEMORY OF ALSELMO PEREZ
62
Chanob Van ta Batz'i K'op of Sna Jtz'ibajom: An Alternative Education in Our Native Languages
44
SPECIAL: UPDATE FROM CHIAPAS
64
by Antonio de la Torre LOpez, translation by Bret Gustafson
Who Can Make a Difference? Everybody Can! Sharing Information on
46
Indigenous Educational SuccessA Case Study from Australia
by Roberta Sykes
Maya Education and Pan Maya Ideology in the Yucatan
50
by Allan Burns
Indigenous Legal Translators: Challenges of a University Prograinfor the Maya of Guatemala
53
by Guillermina Herrera Pena, translation by Nicole Thornton
What Exactly Is It That You Teach? Developing an Indigenous Education Program at the
On the cover
57
University Level
Students at school in Katsel, Tibet
by Deirdre A. Almeida
Photo: Courtesy of the Tibetan School Project
Historical and Contemporary Policies of Indigenous Education in Mexico
59
by SalomOn Nahmad, translated by Nicole Thornton
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
1
CULTURAL SURVIVAL
7rif
'
-7 /di
c
iS4trrii
-If
-
0
.114
Indigenous children in Mexico have suffered from assimilationist educational policies to
Mexicanize' the Indian, but some states, like Oaxaca, have passed progressive educational laws
that provide bilingual and intercultural education to all indigenous peoples.
Her Majesty Queen Margrethe
ADVISORY BOARD
Maya Manche Scholarship Fund (for-
GENERAL INFORMATION
of Denmark,
merly Kekchi High School Scholarship
Roberto Cardoso de Oliveira,
Copyright
1998 by Cultural Survival,
Honorary Member
Fund)
Philippa Friedrich, John Marshall,
Inc. Cultural Survival Quarterly (ISSN
Richard Wilk, Coordinator
Francesco Pellizzi , Louis B. Sohn,
0740-3291) is indexed by Alternative Press
David Maybury-Lewis,
Orang Asli Assistance Fund
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Index (API) and Environmental L'eriodicals
Founder
Kirk Endicott, Adela S. Baer, Coord nators
Bibliography Cultural Survival Quarterly is
published four times per year for $45 per
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the views in this magazine are those of
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Xavante Education Fund
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View the writers' guidelines at our
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2
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
EDITORIAL
The Context of Education
by David Maybury-Lewis
peoples who do not face the double burden of being indigenous
The recent passionate debates concerning teaching history
in and refugees from their home countries face difficult problems
and representing minorities in American classrooms have
as they try to devise educational systems that can overcome the
made us all aware that education is not a culturally neu-
prejudices and injustices of the past. The Maori, for example, are
tral process. It is not simply amatter of teachers drilling their
now receiving considerable support from the government of New
students in the three Rs and then going on to fill their heads with
Zealand for Maori language educational programs, but they are
progressively more advanced levels of knowledge. What is taught,
discovering that the revitalization of Maori culture is more difficult.
the perspective from which it is taught, the language in which it
They face a poignant and familiar dilemma where young Maori
is taught, and the cultural context of teaching are all important
have been taught the Maori language, but have drifted away from
aspects of education, and this becomes abundantly clear when
Maori culture, while older Maori are trying to keep Maori culture
the teachers do not share the same cultural background as their
alive, even though they no longer speak the language.
students. This has traditionally been the case in the education of
The whole point of indigenous educational systems is to
indigenous peoples who, when they received any education at all,
keep both language and culture alive, to teach people to see the
were normally taught by aliens who considered their students
world from the special vantage point that their culture provides.
inferior, thought they needed to be trained to despise their own
The cruel irony is that now, as nations are increasingly willing to
language and way of life, and accept the language and culture of
permit indigenous peoples to develop their own systems of edu-
their conquerors. The articles in this issue summarize that bitter
cation, those systems and the cultures that give them meaning are
history, but they also show the difficulties of establishing different
threatened with erosion by national or even global forces. The
educational systems once it has been decided to do so.
teachers who strongly resist teaching Mayan children in their own
The histories of indigenous educational experiences differ in
languages are themselves Maya who feel that the children would
their particulars but are sadly similar in their generalities. The
be better off with a stronger grounding in Spanish. Meanwhile
Maya, for example, have fought for centuries to maintain their
the children risk being alienated by an overly Hispanic curricu-
ancient culture in the face of attempts, first by the Spanish and
lum or isolated by an overly Mayan one. But the risk of isolation
later by the governments of Mexico and Guatemala, to eradicate
is more than offset for the Maya by the exhilaration of recovering
it. The indigenous peoples of the U.S. and Australia had their
their culture, its world view, its calendar, its literature, and mak-
children forcibly taken from them and thrust into schools that
ing them central to the education of their children. Native
tried to educate them away from the languages and customs of
Americans in the U.S. are likewise experiencing the excitement of
their ancestors. The Tibetans have only recently come to the
devising curricula that seek to express their holistic and synthetic
experience of being indigenous, that is to say being marginalized
thinking rather.than the piecemeal and analytical approach previ-
in their own country by conquering outsiders. Their traditional
ously imposed upon them.
educational system has been abolished by the Chinese and it is
The good news therefore is that indigenous peoples are
only refugee Tibetans who can try to revive it in the diaspora. In
taking control of their educational systems in so many parts of
all these instances the alien education systems sought to eliminate
the world. The sad news is that this does not solve all their edu-
the cultures of the people they were educating. Indigenous edu-
cational problems. Now their systems and the people educated in
cation systems, by contrast, are as much concerned with cultural
them have to compete for acceptance in societies that may be
survival as they are with the transmission of knowledge; yet this
dubious about multiculturalism or that accept it in theory but not
is easier said than done.
in practice. Still, as the nations of the world struggle towards a
The Tibetan refugees, for example, face an uphill struggle as
multicultural future, their acceptance of the cultural context of
they try to maintain their monastic educational system abroad, or
educational systems is a giant step in the right direction.
alternatively, to develop a new and secular system. They want
their educational institutions to keep Tibetan language and cul-
ture alive among their children while at the same time preparing
David Maybury-Lewis is Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University.
their children to cope successfully with life outside Tibet. Even
He is also Founder and President of Cultural Survival
Cultural Survival Quarterly
3
Spring 1998
6
BRIEFLY NOTED
FOR MORE INFO
maintain and strengthen
The Native American
effective architects of
Contact Native American Prepatory
United States policy We
Preparatory School
both their traditional
School PO Box 160, Rowe, NM 87562,
help our exceptional
values and native identities
tel [phone], fax [phone]
by Allison Donald
students recognize their
and Elizabeth Martin Public Relations,
while enriching their acad-
own abilities, and prepare
411-B Paseo de Peralta,
emic experience through a
them to wrestle with for-
Santa Fe, NM 87501-1938,
The Native American
Western education. This
In
midable societal chal-
1988,
tel [phone], fax
lenges that face all of us.
Preparatory School (NAPS) was established
[phone].
combination enables
With quality education,
to enrich the education of American
students to meet the chal-
American Indian people
Indian children in seventh, eighth, and
lenges of higher education through a
will regain their rightful place in
ninth grades in preparation for higher
unique and culturally rich experience.
America-proud of their culture and
education. Located in Rowe, New Mexico
traditions, and confident in their abil-
At comparable college prep schools,
ity to succeed at any endeavor."
on a 1600 acre campus, NAPS has evolved
average yearly tuition per student can
from a challenging five week summer
range around $20,000 a year. NAPS
Sources:
school for junior high school students,
however, is the first privately funded
The Native American Prepatoty School:
to include a highly prestigious four year
school for American Indians and while
www.gse.uci.edu
college prep school which admitted its
need-based financial aid is available, the
Press Release from Elizabeth Martin Public Relations, Ltd.
first class in September,
1995.
average student tuition is
annually
$900
Now in its third year, the college
Foundation grants and individual dona-
The Interconnection Between
prep school includes a student body that
tions are also a source of financial aid.
Culture and Medicine
represents 13 states, 33 tribal entities,
Students are admitted through an appli-
and two countries-the U.S. and Canada.
cation process on the basis of academic
by Lara Zielin
Compared to the
Navajo youths that
merit and personal achievement.
50
made up the first summer school pro-
One of the goals of NAPS is to rede-
According to panel members of
gram in
NAPS' expanse, both in
1988,
fine the Native American educational
Alternative Systems of Medical Practice,
its programs and its student body, is
system. As founder and chair of NAPS,
of global health care systems
70-90%
largely due to the philosophy on which
Richard P Ettinger states:
conceptualize and interpret sickness dif-
it was founded.
ferently than through the schema of
"the youth who are educated at the
NAPS is dedicated to providing a
modern medicine. Interestingly, these
Native American Prepatory School will
rigorous and challenging environment in
be the leaders not only of their own
alternative schemas (often termed 'folk'
tribes and states, but will also become
which American Indian students can
practices or illnesses) are beginning to
influence medically advanced societies-
particularly the U.S.-which has
previously ignored these seemingly
superstitious medical methodologies.
The Texas Medical Institute has
emphasized that understanding the cul-
tural context from which a patient comes
is as important as understanding the
sickness itself. In Texas, overwhelming
numbers of Hispanic immigrants seeking
effective health care simultaneously draw
from folk or traditional medical practices
and beliefs. For example, susto, a 'fright
sickness,' illustrates the relationship
17-N
between the social and physical realms
/111.11
and is common among Mexican or
Hispanic populations in Texas.
Teacher vorking with NAPS students.
According to Dr. Rodriguez, Director of
4
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
BRIEFLY NOTED
Cartesian mind/body dualism pervades
the Center for Immigration Rese.arch at
In recent years, agitation for sepa-
treatment and illness is analyzed and
the University of Houston, "if you're
rate statehood within the Indian union
treated apart from the social context in
frightened or shocked by something so
has mobi-
FOR MORE INFO
which it is found. The Texas Medical
that your body or your spirit is believed
lized the
For more info on Uttarakhand
Institute is quickly discovering that this
to be in disequilibrium, you're in a state
hill people
and the Himalayas, please contact
analysis of sickness is not always effec-
of susto...For us, it would be comparable
as never
Rajiv Rawat at [email protected]
tive. Consequently, the interplay between
to anxiety or depression." Some symp-
before, as
vard.edu or [phone]
or check out the website
the biological and the social is worthy of
toms of susto can include sleeplessness,
hopes for a
at w.geocites.com/kar-
investigation, not only in cases of susto
better
apathy, crying easily, or weight loss.
navati.
but also in sicknesses more commonly
However, according to anthropologist
future
prevalent in dominant United States culture.
Frank Lipp, susto's symptoms and diag-
have found expression in calls for self-
determination and local control over
nosis
Sources:
FOR MORE INFO
cannot be
government and resources. This past fall
www.texmed.org/home/news_events/texas_medicine/ne_t
Rubel, O'Nell and Collando-
"reduced
overseas friends of these social move-
exmedfeatureoct96.htm
Ardon, "The Folk Illness Called
to and
ments established a web page highlight-
Susto" in The Culture Bound
www.nlm.nih
Syndromes. 1985.
embedded
ing the issues confronting the Himalayas-
www.naturalhealthvillage,com/uctreportlaltsysterns.htrn
into" a sin-
and its peoples. Located at
Texas Medical Institute:
Lipp, Frank. 1987. "The Study of Disease in Relation to
www.texmed.org.
http://www.geocities.comf-karnavati, the
gularly sci-
Culture: The Susto Complex Among the
site offers a wealth of information on the
entific
Mixe of Oaxaca." Dialectical Anthropology 12:4. pp.
framework without understanding the
435-442.
ways in which it is "culturally designed
Scheper-Hughes, Nancy and Loch, Margaret M. 1987.
vi
"The Mindful Body: A Prolegomenon to Future
and experienced." Treating susto is not
Work in Medical Anthropology." Medical
as simple as prescribing pills and waiting
Anthropology Quarterly 1:1. pp. 6-41.
for them to take effect. Rather, treating
the sickness may entail understanding
how the sickness is culturally designed,
Web Site Highlights Struggles
experienced, and translated.
of India's Hill Peoples
Robert Carlson, author of "Flour
by Rap Rawat
from a Different Sack" featured in Texas
Hill women foraging for fuel wood, an activity that
Medicine, indicates that modern medi-
often consumes 16 hours a day.
cine must expand its analysis of sickness
The hill districts of India's largest state,
history, geography, and current events of
and treatment to meet the needs of the
Uttar Pradesh, have attracted interna-
the Indian Himalayas. As such, support-
burgeoning Hispanic population, for
tional attention from environmentalists'
ers hope to educate Uttarakhandis, other
whom susto embodies much more than
efforts to safeguard the Himalayan
Indians, and world citizens alike, as the
an individual with certain symptoms.
forests. As the source of the Ganges River
first step to raising support for the ongo-
When a person is affected by susto, "the
and home to India's highest peaks and
ing struggle of the hill people to deter-
whole community is believed to be in
holiest shrines, deforestation in this area
mine their own destiny
danger. Therefore, the treatment must
called Uttarakhand has led to environ-
address the entire community rather
mental deterioration. This process has
than just the patient." Medical anthro-
made living even more precarious,
HIV/AIDS Funding Denied for
pologists Nancy Scheper-Hughes and
adding to the already difficult conditions
Natives
Margaret Lock believe that modern med-
of hill life. Chipko, India's first modern
icine is often incapable of defining illness
environmental movement, began in these
by Seema Sharma
as anything more than just a physical
hills as did other awareness campaigns.
malfunction. According to Scheper-
Involving thousands of mostly women
Hughes and Lock, those who practice In the 29 years of its existence, the
villagers, these movements have fought
and partake in modern medicine often
American Indian Community House
social ills brought on by the exploitation
lack a precise vocabulary to deal with
(A1CH) of New York City has developed
of natural resources as a result of the
mind/body/society interactions. Thus, a culturally sensitive approaches to manag-
nation's industrialization and development.
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
5
8
BRIEFLY NOTED
The Educational Future of Cree
In a 1994 issue of AIDS Weekly,. pub-
ing, counseling, and educating Native
lisher Charles Henderson writes that as of
Americans about job training and place-
by Marcela Betzer
August 1994, there have been 818 reported
ment, health services, HIV/ AIDS
AIDS cases among Native Americans nation-
referral and case management, and coun-
The Cree School Board recently intro-
wide. It is believed that many cases go
seling programs for alcohol and substance
duced Cree as a language of instruction,
unreported due to denial and the fact that
abuse. In addition, the AICH HIV/AIDS
a huge step forward from the mentality
many tribal leaders do not consider AIDS
Project has established an Outreach
of the residential schools of previous
education a priority Tom
Program to assist Native
MORE INFO
FOR
years. Residential schools that instructed
Lidot, coordinator of an AIDS
Americans living with
Contact the
American Indian
Cree children in English or French,
education program for
HIV/AIDS. Since its incep-
mmunity House, Inc.,
Co
believed that Cree was not a sufficient
iana Gubiseh-Ayala
California-based Indian Health
tion in 1991, the Outreach
12) 598-0100 x.255.
language to study Former Chairman of
(2
Council Inc., says "You are
Program has provided over
the Cree School Board, Luke MacLeod,
talking about a community
17,000 people with infor-
asserts that the Cree should learn and
that is isolated in the world, a place that
mation about its services and primary
study in their own language and that
has its own values and traditions. And we
care services throughout the greater New
French and English should also be
have leaders-leaders chosen for their age
York area.
learned, but as secondary languages.
and wisdom who dictate values. If they
Until recently, this program received
feel that AIDS is a threat for any reason,
The introduction of Cree as a lan-
its funding from Medical Health Research
then, yeah, the blockades go up."
guage of instruction occurred in the
Associates, Inc. (MHRA) with Ryan White
midst of drafting the Cree Education
According to the Phoenix Indian
Title I funds. However, as of November 14,
Act. This act places local schools under
Medical Center, AIDS cases among Native
1997, the AICH HIV/AIDS Project was de-
the direction of local communities and
Americans increased by 20% during
nied approval of two grant applications
extends Cree School Board leadership
1996-a rate 20% higher than the general
for promoting access to early intervention
positions from one to three years, among
population. Further, once diagnosed,
and case management services. The MHRA of
other provisions. The Cree people
Native Americans with HIV/AIDS have a
New York City, the very agency allocating
expressed positive opinions when con-
shorter life span by 50% compared to
funds for Ryan White Comprehensive
sulted about the Cree Education Act.
any other ethnic group reports Constance
AIDS Emergency Act Title I, was respon-
They see the Cree School Board as
James, the medical center spokeswoman.
sible for repealing funding. This decision
having a "central role in preserving and
will result in the shut down of the AICH
The conservation of protective ser-
strengthening the Cree language, culture,
Project by the end of February, 1998.
vices for Native Americans is required to
and values."
sustain this dwindling population.
The implications of this project termi-
The success of Cree as a language of
Unfortunately, one vital service provided
nation are profound as thousands of Native
instruction is already apparent.
by AICH functioning to preserve Native
Americans surviving with HIV/AIDS will
Educators within the program agree that
Americans has been expunged and will
be left without culturally appropriate
since the introduction of Cree, children
lead to further decline of the Native
means for dealing with HIV/A1DS and the
have been able to learn more easily
American population. As Rosemary
accompanying hardships. Further, in a
because they understand their teachers
Richmond, Executive Director of the
time when HIV/AIDS studies-conducted
without the need for translation and
American Indian Community House
by the Center for Disease Control (CDC)-
learn the Cree values inherent in the lan-
articulates, "the ability of the American
exclude or underrepresent Native Americans,
guage as they learn to read and write.
Indian Community House to conduct
any services benefiting and or support-
Children are introduced to French and
outreach, for the purpose of accessing
ing this population are imperative. In
English in the third grade when they are
HIV related services to our community
addition, according to Teresa Diaz, MD
more prepared to immerse themselves in
has been dealt a devastating blow. Many
of the CDC, the number of AIDS cases
another language.
lives of our community are now at stake."
among Native Americans is likely to be
However, the new program faces a
an underestimation due to ethnic mis-
Sources:
few problems. Cree parents concerned
classification. In fact, the percentage of
www.abest.com/@aichnycihtm
with their children's inevitable future
cases mis- or underrepresented among
AIDS Weekly, September 26, 1994, p. 10(2) and
interaction with English and French are
Native Americans may be as high as 21%.
December 16, 1996 p. 5(1).
9
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
6
BRIEFLY NOTED
moting aboriginal music, Yothu
not convinced yet that the change is for
Yindi also promotes awareness of
the better. The parents do not under-
issues pertaining to Yolngu cul-
stand why Cree should be taught at
ture, including land and resource
school if it is spoken at home and are on
struggles in which the Yolngu are
the whole more interested in their chil-
dren learning French and English, possi-
involved.
bly a residual impact of the Residential
One of Yothu Yindi's founding
schools' mentality The program is also
members is Mandawuy
hoping to improve their libraries as they
Yunupingu, the recipient of
have very few texts with Cree syllabics in
Australia's 1992 Australian of the
\
their libraries for the students' use.
Year Award and the first person
from Arnhem Land to gain a uni-
The Cree School Board is hosting an
versity degree. Yunupingu is
upcoming conference entitled Cree
responsible for much of the band's
Language and Cultural Conference with
music and lyrics, including
the theme Remembering our Children in
hopes of outlining its future goals and
"Treaty," a song from Yothu Yindi's
providing evaluation and direction for
Tribal Voice album. Treaty, written
in the Gumatj language is "a plea
,
the participants. Also, another hope is
for recognition sparked by former
that other Native groups in Canada will
Australian prime minister Bob
_Tb4r7 net,
be interested in what the Cree School
Hawke's commitment to negotiate
Board is doing and will generate ideas to
Yothu Yindi founder Mandawuy Yunupingu with a yidaki (traditional
aboriginal instrument) player
a [land and resource] treaty"
use their own languages for instruction
between the descendants of abo-
for their people.
vocalize the clan's concerns. Yunupingu
riginal and non-aboriginal people
conveyed to Rolling Stone magazine that,
Sources:
in Australia. Yunupingu is familiar with
"[Yothu Yindi] operate[s] in two aspects
"Cree Educators and the Language They Love," in The
the process of land and resource negotia-
of reality One is restricted (sacred); the
Nation. October 24, 1997. "Taking Education
tion. His father was one of the leaders of
Seriously," in The Nation. August 15, 1997.
other is unrestricted (public). That is
the Gumatj and Rirratjingu clans who
why I find it easy to come into the white
presented petitions to the Australian
man's world and operate, then go back
Yothu Yindi Provides Much-
government in the 1960s asking for
to my world without fear of losing it. I'm
Needed Bridge Between
recognition of aboriginal claims to land.
using white man's skills, Yolngu skills
Cultural Gaps
The petition, written on bark, led to the
and putting them together for a new
establishment of the Woodward
by Lara Zielin
beginning."
Aboriginal Land Commission Of 1973
Anthropologist Helen Ross suggests
and 1974 "which prepared a blueprint
Out of the continually diversifying
that successful communication between
for vesting Aboriginal land rights in
realm of music, Yothu Yindi (pro-
aboriginal and non-aboriginal cultures
the...Northern Territory The blueprint,
nounced Yo-thoo yin-dee) has emerged
must begin with an understanding of
enacted in 1976, was used to design a
as a band which combines traditional
both cultures, which Yunupingu and
land rights law applicable to the history
aboriginal Yolngu music with non-abo-
Yothu Yindi possess. Ross maintains that
and conditions in the Northern
riginal Balanda music. The importance of
miscommunication is all too common
Territory"
the music's cultural amalgamation is
among aboriginal and non-aboriginal
Yothu Yindi's ability to promote and
more than just a triumph over cacoph-
negotiation processes due to a failure to
address aboriginal issues stems from the
ony The assimilation of "traditional song
understand cultural norms. For example,
band's successful navigation between
cycles of the Gumatj and Rirratjingu
timing, consultation, and value systems
aboriginal and non-aboriginal cultures.
clans of the North-East Arnhem land"
are cultural issues which can convolute
The band keeps its finger on the pulse of
into mainstream music has helped foster
negotiations for both aboriginal and
its clan members through tribal consul-
a deeper understanding between aborigi-
non-aboriginal peoples, pivoting on a
tation, but also utilizes white culture to
nal and non-aboriginal cultures. By pro-
lack of understanding about how the
1 0
Cultural Survival Quarterly
Spring 1998
7