Indian Knowledge, Western Education Scholars Program (IKWE)

ABSTRACT

William C. Wantland, the president of the Oklahoma Indian Rights Association, articulates the barriers between non-Natives and American Indians as defined by unrecognized ignorance. Mr. Wantland writes, “The non-Indian must also realize that the Indian is not just a historic relic, but a living human being with hopes, aspirations, and dreams.”¹ Stereotypes promulgated by popular media erase the modern presence of American Indians for non-Natives. The integration of American Indian Studies throughout the humanities curriculum offers a way to combat the trapping of American Indians in a historically inaccurate past.

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) proposes, “Infusing Contemporary American Indian Cultural Studies across the Curriculum.” This 24-month Humanities Initiative will provide professional and curriculum development in the teaching of Contemporary American Indian Cultural studies. The project will recruit ten humanities and non-humanities faculty to participate in a year-long study of Contemporary American Indian art, film, literature, music, dance, politics, history and language. In addition, the faculty will volunteer at regional American Indian cultural events. As part of the professional development, faculty will travel to American Indian museums and cultural centers in New Mexico and Oklahoma, as well as visit the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation in Mayetta, KS.

Out of this professional development, the faculty cohort will develop course modules to integrate the study of Contemporary American Indian culture into their courses. These courses will form part of the curriculum for JCCC’s Certificate in American Indian Studies, to be launched in Spring 2020. The AIS certificate will help those students pursuing careers working with American Indian peoples and communities or enhance individual student’s major or academic focus so that he/she can incorporate a greater understanding and appreciation of American Indian peoples into his/her chosen profession or career.

“Infusing Contemporary American Indian Cultural Studies across the Curriculum” builds on JCCC’s work in the teaching of American Indian cultures. In 2010, the College opened the Center for American Indian Studies (CAIS). The Center’s mission has been to act as a resource for JCCC students, faculty and staff, as well as the community at large, trying to better understand American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and societies and their ways of life. In the past, the Center has partnered with the University of Kansas Medical Center to host outreach events to improve health among American Indian populations and facilitate a summer internship program for undergraduate students to conduct community-based research projects in American Indian communities in Kansas and throughout the Plains region. JCCC recognizes the proposed project as the next step to furthering knowledge about Contemporary American Indian Culture among non-Native students.

Full Description and Application Materials


¹ Wantland, W. (1975). An Essay: The Ignorance of Ignorance: Cultural Barriers between Indians and Non-Indians. American Indian Law Review, 3(1), 1-5.