Category Archives: spirituality

Brewhaha

Posted on December 6, 2012 by

The French call it Basse Classe. Low class. That’s what went through my noggin when I heard that Donald Trump threw a fit because a Scottish neighbor refused to bow down to Trump’s exploitive needs.

Posted in american indian, community, ethics, Lakota, native american, Native Science, science, science communication, spirituality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

When Gratitude is Woven into the Fabric of Life

Posted on November 25, 2012 by

I’m not religious. I mean, not at all religious. But I enjoy playing the anthropologist at my sister’s catholic church services. And I enjoy attending Barmitzvahs and Passover dinners. Hearing the stories: that’s the best part.

Posted in american indian, authenticity, community, ethics, Family, native american, Native Science, science communication, spirituality, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Through Native Eyes

Posted on November 22, 2012 by

I’m not crazy about occasions we invent as an excuse to sell greeting cards or buy a floral bouquet. So I don’t celebrate Grandparents Day or Arbor Day. Many such events were created as an opportunity for news coverage: I … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, community, ethics, Family, framing, Indian, native american, Native Science, spirituality, Thanksgiving, writing | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

When Buildings are Alive

Posted on November 3, 2012 by

When Eirik Thorsgard talked about sacred sites to a college audience this week, he asks how we define sacred. Is sacredness different for Indians? Catholics? Jews? Thorsgard, who works as the historic preservation officer for Confederated Tribes of the Grand … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, community, Lakota, Native Science, Oglala, Osage, science, science communication, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indian Giver?

Posted on November 2, 2012 by

Imagine returning Mount Hood—the majestic landmark volcano in Oregon—back to local tribes as a marker of good faith and in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Sound crazy? The suggestion isn’t all that bizarre according to Eirik Thorsgard, who spoke … Continue reading →

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Sundance

Posted on June 30, 2012 by

When I walk into my office I smell sage. It smells like home. My cousin gave me a sage garland to place in the house, a memory of my time at the Sundance. I take the garland into my office … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Family, framing, Lakota, medicine, Native Science, Oglala, Osage, spirituality | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Naming as Power

Posted on June 14, 2012 by

Auntie told me a story while I was in Oklahoma. The Osage gather each June for the dances in the Grayhorse, Hominy and Pawhuska districts. My aunt and her daughter open their homes to relatives and friends, serving a bounty … Continue reading →

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When Science is Exclusive

Posted on April 27, 2012 by

I did a quick double-take while researching a chapter for my book on science and culture. It’s like those visual double-take games in magazines, when they put two pictures side by side and you’re supposed to find the discrepancies from … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, community, framing, health, Indian, journalism, Native Science, science, science communication, spirituality | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Pack my Suitcase with Rocks

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

Know how sometimes you can hear something a million times but it doesn’t resonate until, one day, it connects? As an academic I’ve been studying the meaning of “place” in American Indian ways-of-knowing from a distant, theoretical perspective. Trying to … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, spirituality | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

How do Indians Reclaim Science?

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

A handful of scholars—many of them American Indians—have been writing about science from an indigenous perspective, offering ammunition to counter the charge that Indians are anti-science. It comes as no surprise that some American Indians distrust approaches endorsed by science. … Continue reading →

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