Week 8 - Mary Moua

In “Earth Song as Storywork: Reclaiming Indigenous Knowledges” by Bronwyn Fredericks and Frances Wyld, both authors discuss about the importance of songs to Indigenous cultures and life and how each person’s individual song can be used as a platform for storytelling. I think it was interesting how the authors related songs in the Indigenous cultures and way of life to academia, highlighting the institutional oppression and powers that silences each person’s song, but also the determination that the authors have in using their song to empower themselves and their students.

The authors brought up valid and important points that describes the issues and concerns that Indigenous folks and American Indians face in higher education which correlates with invisibility and low representation. A question that I have pertaining to this issue is then how can one increase representation and spaces for these folks through their individual and special songs to connect everyone to overcome the institutional oppression that is silencing them? Furthermore, the authors stated how there needs to be a balance between academic and nature. Along with respecting the land that folks are living on, understanding the history behind the native tribes that were the original inhabitants of that land, and creating more spaces for Indigenous folks in communities, how can the songs that the authors described in the article be used to balance academia and nature -- 2 very different subjects but two that are also correlated with one another?

As the authors note, each song for each person is different and the process towards recognizing one’s song differs as well just like how it did for the authors. I thought it was interesting reading how the purpose and power behind these songs can be used for a variety of reasons and ultimately be used to create a curriculum that builds a relationship between student and teacher that includes “respect, reciprocity, and relatedness” (7).

Source:

Earth Song as Storywork: Reclaiming Indigenous Knowledges by Bronwyn Fredericks

http://cismconnect.org/ginic20/2015/11/10/human-rights-indigenous-people/