Discusses effects of acculturation on American Indian youth in terms of bicultural competence and identity development. The narrative or life-story of a Cherokee elder who is both mainstream physician and traditional medicine man elaborates on the traditional Indian approach to "learning the Medicine," and is divided according to five…

Approaching storytelling as a form of education, art, and communication, this article briefly chronicles the development of storytelling over the ages and explains differences in storytelling styles according to geographic location. Several classic themes recurrent in folk literature are summarized and their portrayal by different storytellers and…

Grandmother Twyla Nitsch, an elder of the Seneca Nation, discusses the importance of honoring Mother Earth, her childhood experiences, the traditional teachings of her grandfather, her efforts to document Native American philosophy and spirituality, and her purpose in teaching individuals how to recognize and develop their gifts to the fullest.…

Based on her belief that all of our lives are stories that are pieces to a puzzle forming the truth behind the sacredness of life, Anne Dunn--Ojibwe storyteller and author--seeks to build bridges between cultures, between generations, and between oral and written storytelling. Includes a review of her book "When Beaver Was Very Great."…

Argues for the implementation of "True Education" based on Navajo knowledge associated with the four cardinal directions. Through mentorship and apprenticeship learning programs that unite children and adults and that promote Navajo language, culture, and values, a clockwise road may be built that restores students' sense of physical,…

Traces the parallel histories of cultural and language preservation in the minority regions of Catalonia (Spain) and Ukraine (former Soviet Union) during the twentieth century. Discusses large societal changes, national government policies about language of instruction, bilingual education, the comparative status of Catalan and Ukrainian, and…

Many Latin American states, characterized by "colonization" of the state by dominant families or individuals, are unable to carry out proper state functions. In attempting to address such states' shortcomings, nonformal adult education has been prominent in new educational policies of revolutionary governments in Cuba, Nicaragua, and…

Suggests that college students could begin to repay their debt to society during their studies by participating in a nonformal system of community education and outreach. Describes how this strategy was implemented in India to provide political education for older members of society. (DMM)

Cree elder Louis Sunchild wrote on the nature of the mind and how to preserve mental health and balance, emphasizing that our minds were created for the exercise of compassion toward each other. Presented in English, Cree syllabics, and Cree roman orthography, with explanations on discourse style and meaning. (SV)

Discussed are teaching methods that can be used in association with amusement park rides. The basic principles behind the effects of several rides are reviewed and illustrated. (CW)

During the 1920s, Walker Calhoun learned traditional songs and dances from his uncle, Will West Long, spiritual leader of the Big Cove Cherokees. Nine years ago, Calhoun began teaching them to his grandchildren and other young people. Calhoun has received numerous honors for his work to preserve Cherokee culture. (LP)

In this interview, Professor Harald Gaski, a Sami from Arctic Norway, notes similarities and differences in Sami and American-Indian cultures related to forced boarding schools for assimilation purposes, traditional education, religion, "yoiking" (singing) and music, connection to nature, and tribal schools. He advocates the…

Discusses the role of ideology in the World Bank's funding decisions. Describes the issues of literacy and development, especially as related to the World Bank. Concludes that adult literacy programs, which have relatively unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes, may represent a commitment that, politically and culturally, is too risky for the…

Traces the development of John Holt's educational philosophy. His initial realization that forcing children to learn stifled their initiative and creativity led to efforts at school reform that were not welcomed by the school establishment. The idea that education is a community function rather than an institutional function moved him to…

Native American trickster stories teach lessons about inappropriate social behavior or roles through satire. Frequent targets of such lessons are gender relations, expectations, and transgressions, most notably male licentiousness. Lessons concerning inappropriate female behavior may be conveyed through female trickster stories, found mainly in…