The Lived Experience of a Traditional Female Ojibway Elder

135 Pages·2002·6.67 MB·English

THE L W D E XPERIENCE OF A TRADITIONAL FEMALE OJIBWAY ELDER
Michde C. Frost
A THESIS
SUBMITI'ED ÇN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
LAKEHEAD UNLVERSm
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO
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This qualitative study exaaiined the liwd experhce of a traditional feaiale Ojibway Elder
and her perspectives of leadership. An emergent hmework of traditional femaie Ojibway
ieadetship reSuIfed h m t he data, and w s s upporteci by the review of the relateci
herature. Impiicit wmponents of the exnergent fiamwork of traditional fernale Ojr'bway
leadership inclded culture, a belief m the Creator, community, and wisdom Two
predominant themes enierged fkom the data. These themes were: cuitme and wisdom.
Cultute was divided into three subthemes. These sub-bernes were: beiieving in the
Creator, Taryn7st eaching in her b i ia nd community. Cuiture was considered with
attention to spintuaüty ôecause in traditional Ojibway cuhurp the two comple~~~eeancth
o k in their maMig. Wdom was d i s c d i n tems of the importance of passing on
traditional and spintual teachings to others in ber coannunity anâ culture. C m and
spirituaüty provided the foundation on which the research participant understood her role
in the world and the meanhg of ber lie. Wdom @lied biowledge of indMdual roles
which focused on the cormnan good of the community. As such role specification was
evident and necessary for fomiing parts of a whole in her community. In that process
equaüty among community members emerged as a vutue. The emergent fhmework of
traditionai fende Ojibway leadership is presented as hoüstic in nature. The fiamework is
derived firom the participant's world view a d i llustrates her intense personal integrity.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1 would like to tbank Dr. FermeII, who supenised my thesis with a critical eye and
supportive reassurance. Dr. FenneII's expertk and exprieme in the area of leadership, offered
a wealth of lmowiedge h m w hich to draw. Her consistent professiooal guidance, sincerQ and
wnmiitmnt throughout the thesis wriiing process is greatiy appreciated. 1 am gratefid to her.
1 would also like to tbank Dr. Fiona Blaikie for k insight, and hroughness.
Dr. Blaikie's assistance was remarkabiy mstnimental in the development of this thesis. 1 woukl
also like to aclmowledge Dr. JUanaa Epp, m t d e xamim,w hose mterest and assistance in the
development of this thesii is innnensely appreciated. Dr. Ryan, e x î e d e xaminer, needs to be
acbiowbdged for the rigor m which he reviewed this thesis. Hi9 dedication to p r o f k s s i o ~
is admirable, and 1 thank him immeasurably.
I am e ~ a n e i gyra tefbi for the personal support 1 received in this process To my fàther
and mother who bave consistently supportecl me in my pursuit of a higher education, thank you.
Your encouragement has prevaiied throughout my Me.
Angus, my son, perhaps to you 1 owe the greatest thaaks and perhaps the greatest
apology. You witnessed bast hsad the effort, detemination and time required to complete tbis
document. Your unconditional love d wihgmss to understand are trdy bkssings in my We.
1 wish to also acknowledge Seven Generations Education Institute, whkh has spotwred
my education over the past ten years. Sincere appreciation is given to Heather Anderson and
Mark Sauit for k i r s upport and encouragement.
Finaily, 1 would fie to thank God. 1 thank Him for rny lifé and for the late Wapepinese
'Que,whowasrnyteacher,andmydear~.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Ackaow1edgements
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER
I THE PROBLEM. ...............................................
Rirpose of the Sndy. ............... . ..................**..
Need for the Study. .........................................
Personal G r o d.. ..................... ... ............*....
Definition of Terms .............. . .. .........................
Research Design. ..............................................
. .
Lhtatlons. ......... . .......................
. . .
Dellmltatlom. ....., ,. .........................
Assumptions. ...................................... ..... ....
Organization of the Thesis. ....................... .
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
introduction. ......................................................
Cuihual and Aboriginal Perspectives of Leadership
. .
Western Traditions. ............. ... ......................
Ojibway Perspective of Leadership. . .......
History and Evolution of Canadian Federal Govemment
Policy Regarding Aboriginal People. .................
Canadian Federal Govemment Policy Regarding
Aboriginai Women. .........................................
Abonginal Women's Lived Experiences ............
Women in Aboriginal Communities. ......
Language ..................... . .......
Eld ers .......................................
Spuihlaiit y.. ...................... .. ......
Moontime .................................
SUmrnJlfY. ................ . ......................................
V INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF
THE FINDINGS
ûelieving in the Creator ............................
Taryn's teacbing on ber birth ....................
CornmUIljty ..............................................
Widom. ..... .......... . ........................
Moontime teachings. .......... . . ..
An Emerging Framework of Traditional Female
Ojibway Leadership .............................................
The Belief in the Creator. ....................
culture. ..................................................
community. ............................................
Leadership. .............................................
Summary .......... ... ...................................
VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The Lived Experiences of an Elder in
Taryn's Community Concentrated
on Teaching and Leading ...............
Taryn Perceived Her Role as
Perpetuating Cultural Values .................
Taryn's Personal Life History Largely
Centred Amund Spirituality. ..................
Taryu's Expenences are part of Traditional
Ojibway Spuituaiity. ...........................
Slmmary. ........................................................
implications for Furthet Research. ............. . ......
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
A Letter to Participant and Translater. .................
B Consent Form to Participant and Translater.. ...
C Interview Questioas Sample. .. .......... .
D T d p t S ample.. ........ ................. ...............
Figure
1 An Emerging Framework of Traditional Female Ojibway Leadership*. ... . 94
CaAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM
Tbere is a lack of information and research regarding the cuitural factor m
educatiooal admhktmtion and in leadership theory. Hallinger and Leithwood (1998)
. .
recognize that the knowledge base in aducatiod ion addressing cultural
foundations in leadership is scarce (p. 10). Their wacern is tbat most of the published
. .
theory in ion "assumes that leadership is king exercised in a Western culwal
contcxt" (p. 100). Lopez (1998) states that scbolars have discussed the penrasiveness of
white/Eun>pean male bi in maiastrram educational hwledge base and research
techniques (p. 225). Accordhg to Ferguson (1 984) discussions of organization and
leadership theory bave been wnsidered largeiy h m t he white male experiex~:e.
Leadership -ives fiom outside westem cuitme have ban der-represented as bas
the fernale perspective in leadership theory. There is littie information in the research field
with respect to traditionai Ojibway female leadership. ChuchryL and Miller (1996) state,
"Until recentiy, much of the research upon which we have had to rely for our knowledge
abut Aboriginal women bas refhstd racist, se*, a d o r c olodkt 6iameworks" (p. 4).
Leadership is a tenn that o k mu ch debate when it is related to Aboriginal culture, as
traditionaily most of those societies did not djffhntiate power into f o n d s peciaiizeâ
institutional structures (BoMt, 1993, p. 1 18). Rather, traditional Abriginai leadership
was an outcome of social systems o q @ d a r o d b h i pg ioups, with relationships d
duties deriwd h m c ultures whrh were essen- communal (p. 1 18). In the absence of