TEK practice

Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT)

• The Colorado River is a vital source of life for CRIT, and the tribe has senior rights to its water use.
• Water has become increasingly valuable in the western United States due to drought, making CRIT's rights even more crucial to uphold.

Asserting Rights to Water and Land

• CRIT is fighting to assert its rights to Colorado River water and its ancestral lands.
• The tribe fears a potential conflict over its ownership of Colorado River water, reminiscent of historical attempts to subjugate native peoples.
• CRIT's leaders are gearing up to assert its water rights in new ways to protect its interests.

Indigenous Remains and Artifacts

• Large-scale public utilities, including federal solar energy projects, have disturbed indigenous remains and artifacts.
• These artifacts have been warehoused rather than returned to the Tribes, sparking concerns over cultural heritage.
• Efforts are underway to return artifacts to CRIT, allowing the Tribes to rebury them according to traditional customs and honor original cremation processes.

Leadership and Tradition

• CRIT's current leaders prioritize upholding the tribe's tradition of cooperation with outside entities while challenging them when necessary.
• The tribe aims to maintain its presence in the present day, setting current events in a historical context.

Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT)

• CRIT has senior rights to the use of Colorado River water, which is essential for the tribe's survival.
• The Colorado River water has become increasingly valuable in the western United States due to drought, making CRIT's water rights more important to uphold.

Assertion of Rights

• Fears of a potential fight over CRIT's ownership of Colorado River water have reminded tribal leaders of the history of attempts to subjugate native peoples.
• The tribe is gearing up to assert its water rights in new ways.

Federal Solar Energy Projects

• New federal solar energy projects have uncovered indigenous remains and artifacts, which have been warehoused rather than returned to the Tribes.
• Legal efforts and new programs aim to return artifacts to the Tribes, allowing them to rebury them in accordance with tribal customs, honoring the original cremation processes.

Tribal Leadership

• CRIT's current leaders prioritize upholding the tribe's tradition of working with outside entities while challenging them when necessary.
• The tribe is fighting to maintain its footprint in the present day, setting current events into a historical context.

The Emergence of the Hopi People

• The clans that would form the Hopi people approached the Guardian Spirit, Masaw, in northwest Arizona, seeking permission to settle in the region.
• Masaw recognized that the clan people's former life was marked by ambition, greed, and social competition, which still existed in their hearts.

The Teachings of Masaw

• Masaw offered the clan people a different way of life, distinct from their previous experiences.
• He gave them a planting stick, a bag of seeds, and a gourd of water, along with a small ear of blue corn, symbolizing his life and spirit.
• Masaw warned the people that his way of life was different from what they had before.

The Distinction between Hopi and Hopi Senom

• Masaw is the true embodiment of a Hopi, while the people who follow his way are referred to as Hopi Senom, or People of the Hopi.
• The term "Hopi" is commonly used to refer to the people who follow Masaw's way.

Hopi Values and Practices

• To be Hopi is to embrace peace, cooperation, and a deep connection with the Earth and its inhabitants.
• Hopi farming, known as "dry farming," relies solely on precipitation and runoff water, without irrigation.
• Prayer and supplication are essential to Hopi farming, with rituals and ceremonies performed to entreat the spirits for rain, wind, and a bountiful harvest.

The Significance of Katsinas and Kivas

• Katsinas dance for rain and regeneration, not only for the Hopi people and their crops but also for the entire ecosystem.
• In the kivas, special ceremonies are performed, including the planting of bean sprouts, which serve as harbingers of the coming year's harvest.
• The kiva chief monitors the growth of the plants and admonishes those whose sprouts are weak or neglected.

The Role of the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP)

• ITEP is a tribal training and support organization based at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
• The institute provides training and capacity-building programs for tribes, focusing on environmental management, air quality, water, and waste management, as well as environmental toxins.

The Authors and Their Background

• Virgil Masayesva, director of ITEP, is a member of the Hopi Tribe and was raised in the village of Hotevilla on Third Mesa.
• Dennis Wall, an author and freelance writer-photographer, is ITEP's editor.

Hopi Cultural Preservation

• The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office is responsible for preserving Hopi cultural heritage, including ruins, burials, artifacts, shrines, springs, trails, and rock writings.
• These cultural sites are considered "living entities" by the Hopi people, who believe they have a spiritual connection to their ancestors.

Hopi Ancestors and Cultural Knowledge

• Hopi ancestors are seen as spiritually present and connected to their descendants, who continue to practice the ways established thousands of years ago.
• The cultural knowledge system, known as wiimi and navoti, is the foundation of modern Hopi ceremonies and beliefs.
• This knowledge system is based on experiences handed down by ancestors to their descendants and includes sacred artifacts and the knowledge of how to use them properly in religious contexts.

Hopi Perspective on the Past

• The Hopi people believe that the past is connected to the present, and that the meaning of the past is what it contributes to life in the present.
• The ancestors are seen as playing important parts in contemporary Hopi ceremonies that bring rain, fertility, and other blessings for the Hopi people and their neighbors.
• The connection to the ancestors provides a bond between modern Hopi people and their predecessors.

Archaeological Collaboration

• Hopi-generated research has led to a re-examination of traditional archaeological concepts and theories about Hopi ancestors.
• The Hopi people are taking an active role in educating others about their cultural history and educating archaeologists and anthropologists about Hopi perspectives.
• The inclusion of Hopi perspectives in archaeological efforts helps to ensure that the cultural heritage of the Hopi people is respected and preserved.

Kincentric Ecology

• Indigenous people view themselves and nature as part of an extended ecological family that shares ancestry and origins.
• This awareness recognizes that life in any environment is viable only when humans view the life surrounding them as kin.
• The kin, or relatives, include all the natural elements of an ecosystem.

Human-Nature Relationship

• Indigenous people are affected by and, in turn, affect the life around them.
• The interactions resulting from this kincentric ecology enhance and preserve the ecosystems.
• Interactions are the commerce of ecosystem functioning.

Indigenous Land Management

• Indigenous land management techniques reflect the kincentric relationship that indigenous cultures maintain with their natural resources.
• These techniques enhance and preserve the ecosystems with which indigenous people have lived for centuries.

Examples and References

• The Rarámuri people of Chihuahua, Mexico, are an example of indigenous people who practice kincentric ecology.
• References include the works of Enrique Salmón, Martinez, Hunn, Levi, and others.

Cultural Models of Nature

• Indigenous cultural models of nature include humans as one aspect of the complexity of life.
• An example of this is the iwı́gara, which serves to enhance understanding of the human–nature relationship necessary for kincentric ecology.

Importance of Kincentric Ecology

• Without human recognition of their role in the complexities of life in a place, the life suffers and loses its sustainability.
• Kincentric ecology is essential for maintaining the balance and sustainability of ecosystems.

Navajo Creation Story

• The Holy People created Earth People in a hogan, teaching them essential skills and stressing the importance of ceremonies and prayer for a harmonious world.
• Earth People have grave responsibilities to maintain harmony and order in the world.

Navajo Culture and Values

• The Navajo strive for a state of hózhó, where all is beautiful, harmonious, and good.
• All life is interdependent, and Navajos respect all beings for their unique characteristics.
• Navajo culture is marked by flexibility, evolution, and continuity.

Navajo History and Interactions

• The Navajo learned to farm from the Puebloan peoples and became prolific farmers.
• They have adopted and enriched their lives with new ideas and rejected those that did not complement their culture.
• They have interacted with other peoples, such as the Hopis and Southern Paiutes, leading to conflicts over mineral and occupancy rights.

Modern Challenges

• The Navajo face modern challenges, including political corruption, uranium mining, and a falling timber market.
• Overgrazing and conflicts over mineral and occupancy rights remain significant problems.
• Many Navajos have relocated to cities, leading to medical problems, such as a less-active lifestyle, junk food, car accidents, and alcoholism.

Navajo Resilience and Celebrations

• The Navajo have celebrated their history and renewed their bonds with Athapaskan relatives from Canada.
• Weavers have organized thriving cooperative associations, giving them control over the marketing process.
• The Navajo people continue to strive for harmony, dedication, responsibility, and respect in their daily lives.

Understanding of Indigenous People

• Indigenous people in North America have myths that teach the importance of respecting and honoring animals and the natural world.
• These myths emphasize the importance of proper relationships with animals and the natural world.

Hunting and Respect

• Hunting in Indigenous cultures is a spiritual and educational act that requires a deep respect for the animals being hunted.
• The hunter must have intimate knowledge of the animals and their nature, procreation, and continuance as species.
• The hunter's role is to bring life to his people, and this requires a deep understanding of the animals and their role in the ecosystem.

Animal Dances and Storytelling

• Animal dances are a way of commemorating humans' continued relationship with the animal world.
• Storytelling is a way of remembering and honoring the relationships between humans and animals.

The Hunter of Good Heart

• The "hunter of good heart" is a metaphor that represents a way of living in harmony with nature and respecting the animals that give their lives to feed the community.
• The hunter of good heart is a teacher who shares his knowledge and teaches the importance of respecting and honoring animals and the natural world.

Ecological Understanding

• Indigenous people have a deep understanding of ecological transformation and the interconnectedness of species.
• They recognize that animals transform themselves and that this is an ecological reality.

Importance of Respect and Gratitude

• Respect and gratitude towards animals and the natural world are essential for maintaining balance and harmony in the ecosystem.
• The hunter's prayers and thanksgiving ceremonies express gratitude to the animals that have given their lives to feed the community.

Coyote and the Fire Myth

• In one myth, Coyote and other animals take turns running with fire to bring light and warmth to the dark frozen landscape.
• This myth symbolizes the importance of sharing and respecting the natural world.

Othering and Its Effects

• Othering occurs in various contexts, influencing social mobility, civil rights, job opportunities, and funding applications.
• It is a form of discrimination and racism, affecting many aspects of social existence.

Impact on Indigenous Women

• Othering contributes to the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, as police agencies often neglect to investigate due to the "otherness" of these women.

Cultural Experts in Anthropology

• Cultural experts, immersed in their Indigenous communities, provide valuable insights for anthropologists.
• However, anthropologists often take a position of authority, disempowering these cultural experts.
• Researchers now seek contemporary understandings from cultural experts, adapting and modifying their knowledge over time.

Criticisms of Ethnographic Field Notes

• Some tribal scholars question the validity of ethnographic field notes due to biased research practices and stereotypes.
• Critics argue that anthropologists may have altered findings to fit preconceived notions.
• Field notes are viewed as biased documents, and some Indigenous scholars refuse to use them.

Respect for Elder Knowledge

• Many field notes were collected from willing tribal cultural experts who participated in sharing their stories and knowledge.
• These elders aimed to preserve their culture and language, and their contributions should be respected.

Profiles in Anthropology

• Beatrice Medicine (Sihasapa and Minneconjou Lakota, 1923-2005) was a prominent Indigenous scholar.

Indigenous Scholars and Anthropology

• There are now more Indigenous and minority scholars in anthropology, partly due to critiques like Deloria's.
• Scholars like Linda T. Smith emphasize the importance of telling Indigenous stories and reclaiming the past to resist injustices.
• Indigenous specialties have developed in areas like anthropology, archaeology, and applied anthropology.

The Othering of Indigenous Peoples

• Othering refers to viewing people from different cultures as inherently different and "other."
• Indigenous peoples have been particularly affected by being viewed as "other" by White society.
• This "otherness" reflects a tendency to ignore or deny Indigenous histories and contexts.