Centering Indigenous Epistemologies
Connecting Generations, Sustaining Indigenous Scholarship
The Mellon Foundation award to University of Montana (UM) would not have been possible without the Indigenous Scholars and UM Professors who co-authored the proposal. UM values their contributions. Mellon supports Indigenous ways of knowing through an innovative Indigenous Scholar-in-Residence Program. It provides academic support for faculty members to center Indigenous research or teaching methodologies and elevates Indigenous expertise into the Native American Studies Department (NAS) curriculum and across the University widely.
Centering Indigenous Epistemologies
- Represents more complete and accurate narratives of the human experience
- Incorporates the perspectives and connects the direct guidance of Elders and other Indigenous Knowledge Holders across higher education curricula
- Brings knowledge accumulated over millennia in the Indigenous World into the Humanities and Arts
- Intends to provide a national model to bring Indigenous ways of knowing into higher education and create culturally responsive curricula
- Supports UM’s vision to invest in scholarship opportunities that raises the voices of Montana’s Tribal communities
- Ensures students gain fundamental knowledge and understanding of Native peoples according to Montana’s Indian Education For All (IEFA) mandate