The Spiritual Imperative of Native Epistemology: Restoring Harmony and Balance to Education

Abstract

Some time ago it was my privilege to have the responsibility to prepare the traditional protocol that is an initial step in some of the events in which Elders lead their people. In this case, I was in the company of the respected Elder, Art Raining Bird, from Rocky Boy, Montana. At that point, the setting was very informal. I looked at him and the realization of who was sitting there made me realize how little I knew. He was sitting in the room where I was preparing the protocol, his white hair down to his shoulders. I thought of the tremendous respect in which he was held by his own people, the profound and detailed knowledge he had of our culture. His stature as spiritual leader in the community was more like that of an institution than a person. He knew what I was doing, but was not watching me intrusively. It was as though he were just noticing, but not noticing. I thought of how poorly I knew how to complete my task, and thought “What am I doing, trying to prepare the protocol? I don't know how to do this properly and in the presence of a person who has seen this countless times and knows all its significance!''