Children of the eagle: a case study of a carrier village in transition

Date
1990
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Abstract
This study deals with the problem of presenting a 'literary' picture of a Carrier community in transition. It addresses the larger question of, 'What takes place in a Native educational setting and how do Native values and methodology tend to differ from those of the dominant society which surrounds them?' This ethnographically-oriented study is based on roughly a two-year period the author spent living and teaching in a Carrier community on the Kluskus Reserve in the British Columbia 'bush' methodology. The study attempts to make use of 'Medicine Wheel' Specifically, the first objective is to present the reader with a brief history of the Carrier people in the area, including in that view an ethnographic picture of their culture and customs by way of providing adequate background. That particular history is designed to bring the reader up to date as to the situation in Kluskus village prior to the author entering the community to establish a Band-operated school program. The second objective is to present the reader with a description of the workings of the school during the 1986-1987 academic years, paying particular attention to the methodology and procedures used to establish and implement that program. Included in this description is a subject by subject assessment of the students' performance as well as a sketch of their physical, mental, social, and moral development. The third objective is to attempt some sort of informal analysis of whether or not this program 'worked' and why, paying specific attention to similarities in background, values and attitudes, and methodology that appeared to exist between the teachers and the community in general. The final objective is to provide the reader with a description of Native values and the workings of Native education as the author saw and experienced them with an eye towards being able to determine how these areas can benefit non-Native approaches to the problems of education. This study concentrates particularly on the area of the 'spirit' and discussed how that element is crucial to Native values, culture, and education. A number of 'meditations' are included throughout the study by way of providing the reader with counterpoints to the various chapters.
Description
Bibliography: p. 247-252.
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Citation
Sikora, M. S. (1990). Children of the eagle: a case study of a carrier village in transition (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/15931
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