Indigenous storytelling methodology, archival practice, and the Cherokee Female Seminar

177 Pages·2017·1.24 MB·English

Purdue University
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Open Access Dissertations Theses and Dissertations
8-2016
Listening to our stories in dusty boxes: Indigenous
storytelling methodology, archival practice, and the
Cherokee Female Seminary
Emily M. Legg
Purdue University
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Legg, Emily M., "Listening to our stories in dusty boxes: Indigenous storytelling methodology, archival practice, and the Cherokee
Female Seminary" (2016).Open Access Dissertations. 795.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/795
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Graduate School Form
30 Updated 12/26/2015
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance
This is to certify that the thesis/dissertation prepared
Emily Marie Legg
By
Entitled
Listening to Our Stories in Dusty Boxes: Indigenous Storytelling Methodology, Archival Practices, and the Cherokee Female
Seminary
Doctor of Philosophy
For the degree of
Is approved by the final examining committee:
Patricia A. Sullivan
Chair
Jennifer L. Bay

Samantha Blackmon

Thomas J. Rickert
To the best of my knowledge and as understood by the student in the Thesis/Dissertation
Agreement, Publication Delay, and Certification Disclaimer (Graduate School Form 32),
this thesis/dissertation adheres to the provisions of Purdue University’s “Policy of
Integrity in Research” and the use of copyright material.
Patricia A. Sullivan
Approved by Major Professor(s):
Paul R. Schnieder 6/24/2016
Approved by:
Head of the Departmental Graduate Program Date

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LISTENING TO OUR STORIES IN DUSTY BOXES: INDIGENOUS STORYTELLING
METHODOLOGY, ARCHIVAL PRACTICE, AND THE CHEROKEE FEMALE SEMINARY
A Dissertation
Submitted to the Faculty
of
Purdue University
by
Emily M Legg
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
of
Doctor of Philosophy
i
August 2016
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
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For Adam and Oliver

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Writing and expressing acknowledgements seems like a monumental task as I am
forever grateful for the multitude of people who have helped guide my research,
provided feedback and insights, shared their stories, listened to my thoughts, and
offered selfless support throughout the years as this project took shape. To everyone
who has had a direct and indirect impact on my work, know that your story shaped mine
and that I am forever grateful for you and my work and research is stronger because of
you.

First, my deepest and sincerest thanks goes to my committee chair, Patricia Sullivan.
Your unending support, feedback, and guidance has made me not only a better research,
but a better person. From you, I learned what it truly means to mentor and gently
support and encourage scholars as they meander through their thoughts and ideas until
it resembles a piece of scholarship. Thank you for the numerous writing groups and long
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talks, fueled by cups of coffee, intense conversations, and heartfelt laughs. Not only am I
thankful for the work on this project, but I’m deeply thankful for the seven years of
support, mentoring, and collaboration you have provided. I look forward for the years to
come!
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My committee also deserves generous thanks. To Jenny Bay—thanks for the long talks,
your support, and the laughs we had countless times. You’ve kept my work on track and
always reminded me to think about the impact my work may have on the field. To
Samantha Blackmon—your wisdom and guidance has been so influential on the way I
think and survive in this kind of work, and for that, I am forever in your depth. Thanks
for helping me find my voice and making sure that my voice, as well as countless others,
are never erased. To Thomas Rickert—thanks for the deep, philosophical talks, for the
goldmine of readings, and for pushing me to think deeply and push widely. Without your
vast knowledge and “weird questions,” my work wouldn’t be where it is today. To
everyone—thanks again for the great conversations, stimulating discussions, and
heartfelt laughs during my defense. Your influence and feedback will shape this project
for years to come.

I will forever be thankful for my best friend and husband, Adam Strantz. Who knew that
at the start of this journey seven years ago, we would be working in tandem, sharing our
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life, our love, and our knowledge still and for years to come. You are my world and make
me more complete that I would have ever imagined. Also, a special thanks to our son,
Oliver, who reminds me each day why we do what we do. You may not have been born
until right after the defense, but you kept me company during long days of writing and
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research with little kicks and movements to remind me when it was time to finish up for
the day.

Finally, thank you to all of the people who supported me through this project in various
ways. Thanks to my cohort who taught me all of the ways to be a scholar and who made
this journey through grad school full of deep conversations and long-lasting friendships.
I’d also like to give a special thanks to Michael and Tammy, who kept Adam and I well-
fed and well-traveled while listening to our research and helping us think through ideas.
Finally, thank you to my family and extended family whose love and support continue to
keep me grounded while giving me wings.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... ix
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... x
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ xi
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1
1.1 Prologue: Locating our Writing in Dusty Boxes ................................................ 1
CHAPTER 2. STORIES OF DECOLONIZING AND INDIGENOUS METHODOLOGIES .................. 9
2.1 Contested Research Practices .......................................................................... 9
2.2 Archives and Research: Need for Methodologies .......................................... 10
2.3 Tracing Decolonizing Methodologies ............................................................. 16
2.4 Tracing Indigenous Methodologies ................................................................ 19
2.5 All our Relations In Methodology ................................................................... 22
CHAPTER 3. DEVELOPING STORYTELLING AS INDIGENOUS METHODOLOGY ..................... 25
3.1 Stories Under Study ........................................................................................ 27
3.2 Storytelling as Knowledge-Making Praxis ....................................................... 42
3.3 Building the “How”: Praxis through Processes of Indigenous Storytelling .... 46
3.4 Storytelling as Doing: A Methodological Moment ......................................... 47
CHAPTER 4. STORYTELLING & WAYS OF OPERATING: KNOWLEDGE-MAKING PRAXIS. 49
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4.1 Encountering Networks .................................................................................. 49 i
4.1.1 Story Moment: Place .................................................................................. 51
4.1.2 Story Moment: Artifact ............................................................................... 52
4.1.3 Story Moment: Bodies ................................................................................ 52
4.1.4 Story Moment: Technology ........................................................................ 53
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Page
4.2 Participatory Actions and Storytelling Relationships in an Indigenous
Worldview .................................................................................................................... 55
4.3 Storied Practices ............................................................................................. 60
4.3.1 Time-based .................................................................................................. 63
4.3.2 Medium-based ............................................................................................ 64
4.3.3 Ecology-based Relationships....................................................................... 66
4.3.4 Survivance ................................................................................................... 68
4.3.5 Ethical Deception ........................................................................................ 70
4.4 Stories in Posthuman Ecologies ...................................................................... 72
4.5 The Posthuman Archive in Search of Storytelling Methodologies ................. 80
CHAPTER 5. DAUGHTERS OF THE SEMINARIES: A COMPOSITION CASE HITORY OF
STORYTELLING, RE-LANDSCAPING, AND THE CHEROKEE FEMALE SEMINARY ................. 83
5.1 Colonial Histories of the 19th Century & Dusty Boxes ................................... 84
5.2 Revising our Stories, Re-Landscaping our Discipline ...................................... 86
5.3 Unseeing Our Disciplinary Landscapes: Harvard’s Material Shadow ............. 89
5.4 Locations and Histories of the Cherokee Female and Male Seminaries ........ 93
5.5 Listening to Our Stories and Re-Landscaping Our Histories ........................... 97
5.6 Constructing Seminaries and Balancing Gender Roles ................................. 101
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5.7 Listening to the Archives: Recovery Work .................................................... 103 ii
5.8 Re-Landscaping: Looking Back to Looking Forward ..................................... 111
CHAPTER 6. MAKING A STORIED WAY ......................................................................... 113
6.1 Storied Connections & Further Implications ................................................ 120
6.2 Storytelling In Digital Pedagogies ................................................................. 121
6.2.1 Student Stories .......................................................................................... 122
6.2.2 Technologies ............................................................................................. 122
6.2.3 Assignments .............................................................................................. 123
6.3 Storytelling in Digital Literacies .................................................................... 124
6.4 Conclusion: Continuing Stories ..................................................................... 128