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Same Country, Different Nations

  Man looks over mountains at sunset

by Jacqueline Dobbins (’16)
 

Watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon, experiencing a ceremo­nial Hopi Kachina dance, wandering the Walpi ancient stone pueblo complex, drifting down the San Juan River in a raft—the Exploring Hopi/Diné Nations May Term trip is filled with new experiences.

While students have the opportunity to take part in activities like these, the nine-day trip is more than just exploring sites and taking in vistas. The goal of this experience is learning and understanding.
 
“We want to help students understand the assets that people from marginalized positions have,” says Marilee Coles-Ritchie, an associate professor in education and one of the trip leaders. “We use the term ‘funds of knowledge,’ which refers to the historically accumulated and culturally developed bodies of knowledge and skills essential to the way a certain group of people work. It’s a little different than just saying culture: culture tends to be a bit more bounded.”
 
To achieve this understanding, trip leaders Marsha Morton (who developed this experience), Marilee Coles-Ritchie, and Cordelia Schaf­fer have crafted an excursion that combines cultural and instructive experiences. The trip culminates in a research project that focuses on a relevant issue that’s based on research and ideas from Hopi and Diné people. “We want students to go with the attitude of, ‘I’m coming here to learn from you,’ not ‘I’m coming here to help you,’” Marilee says.
 
Unlike international experiences, students can see firsthand how they’ve influenced these groups. “Students are surprised that this place is so close to home,” Marilee says. “Here, we have actually contributed in part to some of the issues that the Hopi and Diné people have from historical trauma. There’s a sense of ownership of our decisions in his­tory and how they impact people.”
 
Students leave this experience with a more in-depth and well-round­ed view of the Hopi and Diné Nations and gain a deep appreciation for the knowledge that the people in these groups have.

 

 


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