We are doing amazing things....
The project hosted three delegations of Indigenous Elders and Culture Bearers who visited University of Montana (UM) to participate in the Scholar-in-Residence program. A delegation of the Blackfoot Confederacy led educational and mentorship activities with students, faculty and staff for:
- Empowering Indigenous Knowledge Pipe Ceremony on the University campus
- A Sweat Lodge Ceremony on the natural grounds of the UM west campus
- A visit to UM Anthropology Archives to identify Blackfoot objects
In addition, a partnership was formed with UM Native American Studies (NAS) to support filming and production of traditional storytelling with Blackfoot Elders.
A delegation of the Blackfeet Tribe led two training activities on Blackfeet Teaching and Learning Methods, Blackfeet Traditional Worldviews, and teaching Indigenous learners in culturally relevant, compassionate ways.
A delegation of Montana’s Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa led educational and mentorship activities and mentoring lectures with first year undergraduate students and graduate students. The Little Shell Indigenous scholars:
- Hosted one-on-one and small group meetings with faculty from UM College of Education, UM College of Humanities and Sciences, and UM Broader Impacts Group
- Reviewed and identified Little Shell and Métis curated objects and historical documents in the UM Library Archives collection. Materials will be used to produce a visual and material story telling Little Shell history of tribal dispossession up until their federal recognition in 2019.
- Filmed Little Shell history and storytelling toward federal recognition and living conditions of Métis communities throughout the 20th Century.
The Mellon Foundation communications team featured the Little Shell visit on their foundation website and social network channels (LinkedIn).
The project supported six academic trips for UM Native American Studies faculty to engage in or develop Indigenous Research. Read more about the research here.
The project hired a program manager to contribute experience and initiative that supports Indigenous Pedagogies and builds relationships with tribal nations, Indigenous leaders, elders, communities, and organizations, as well as advocates for Montana Indian Education For All at UM and beyond.