Indigenous Languages and Research Universities: Reconciling World Views and Ideologies

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, Indigenous languages have become important components ofFirst Nation/Native American studies programs in large research universities. Thisinclusion, however, has not been easy because of varying educational philosophiesbetween Indigenous and Western world views. Further, how knowledge is encoded inlanguage provides significant challenges to new language-learners whose onlylanguage is English. This article looks at how epistemological cleavages have beendealt with in the Ojibwe language program at Michigan State University. It arguesthat although differences do exist, these can be overcome with creative and skillfulapproaches to classroom learning that not only address epistemological issues, butalso the particular histories of schooling in Indigenous communities.