Native Oregon: Listening and Learning from Our Elders (pending for 2012)

This course brings persons from diverse backgrounds together to learn about cross-cultural issues facing Native American peoples in Oregon, both historically and contemporarily. This learning is accomplished through listening to tribal members, conversing with those persons most interested in the success of their community including: school officials, human health and service providers, casino and gaming officials, high school students, natural resource developers, law enforcement officers, and various tribal leadership.

• Will include experiences with the following tribal communities:  Grand Ronde, Coquille, Coos, and Siletz
• Goal is 8-10 students

Student participants will develop a better understanding of the complex issues facing Native American populations in Oregon today. The course embodies a non-traditional approach to learning that blurs the boundaries between teachers, students, and community researchers. Tribal members with vested interests in issues affecting Native Americans in the community are invited to tell their stories to students, who will then have the opportunity to reflect upon this information in a collective setting. Group processing of the information obtained through intense listening experiences contributes to the student’s understanding about issues presented from different social positions and perspectives. By the end of the course students have a better understanding of the overall issues facing Oregon’s contemporary Native American population, both generally and in the communities visited.

Students will participate in all aspects of the course, including designing conversations and then implementing those conversations with tribal members in order to optimize an understanding of the tribe’s culture. An evening group deconstruction of the day’s events and results, and planning for the next day is integral to this course.

Note: This class requires a considerable amount of scholarly group discussion after the group returns from each day's meetings and daily written journal entries. Students who apply should be willing to offer their unique perspectives on what we they have heard daily, and to respectfully listen and utilize the perspective of others. Interacting with tribal members, resolving class assignments, and participating in lectures result in long days. Intense study for 9-11 hours EACH DAY is expected.

This course is organic in its nature and depends on the changing schedules of others who are hosting the group.  Students who apply should be prepared to adapt to changes in the daily schedule once the program is underway.

Dates: TBD

Cost:  Estimated to be $2,800.  The cost will go down if we have a full group of 10 participants.

Course Instructor:  Dr. Kurt Peters, Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology

WU Contact:  Dr. Rebecca Dobkins, Anthropology

Credit earned:  .5 credit, ANTH 221: Native Oregon: Listening and Learning from Our Elders

Application deadline:  Thursday, March 1, 2012 (at Office of International Education, Matthews Academic Center)

Application:  Click here to download application.

For more information, contact oieadvising@willamette.edu.