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Title
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The Longhouse Project: Proposed Academic Program, 1983
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Date
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1983
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extracted text
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THE LONG HOUSE PROJECT
PROPOSED ACADEMIC PROGRAM
BYRON L. YOUTZ
VICE PRESIDENT & PROVOST
MAY 23, 1983
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1
HISTORY OF TilE PROJECT • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2
ACADEMIC PROGRAM • • • • • •
. . ... . • • • • • 3
Northwest Native American Studies
Specialty Area. • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3
Degree Oriented Native American
Contributions to the College Curriculum • • 4
Other Contributions to the College. • • • • 4
APPENDIX • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5
Map of Indian Tribes of the Pacific
Northwest • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6
Current List of Active Tribes • • • • • • • 7
Longhouse Project Schedule of Events. • • • 8
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Ernest Boyer, former U.S. Commissioner of Education and former Chancellor of the
State University of New York, stated in a keynote address at the TESC Conference on
Alternative Education in September, 1981, "I believe that in the 1980's innovators
must tackle the toughest of all assignments. We must somehow find the way to bridge:
to preserve individual differences and acknowledge the uniqueness of each student
while also building a greater social understanding which gives meaning to individual
lives. Putting it another way, •••• we must help students to confront their
separateness and recognize their togetherness."
The development of a Native American Longhouse on the campus of The Evergreen State
College will be a unique step in the direction suggested by Dr. Boyer on behalf of one
of the major cultural groups in the State of Washington. It will provide a rich
setting where all of our students may confront cultural differences, acknowledge
uniqueness, build social understanding and recognize togetherness. It will provide a
cultural home where Indian students may preserve a heritage and give meaning to their
individual lives.
For countless generations, the Smokehouse Longhouse has been the place of hospitality
and tradition for Native American people of the Northwest Coast. It was and is the
, ~· a life-connection, coming from and going toward the people, with c commitment
-~na~ no one in .need of community shall be denied.
This Longhouse, then, will be a
symbol to the Indian peoples of this state of the committment of .The Evergreen State
College for providing a sense of community along with special educational
opportunities to Indian students in the future, as we have done in the past.
Mary Ellen Hillaire came to Evergeen in 1972 with a special vision for the higher
education of her people. This vision found reality through the invitation to
alternatives which the college provided, and Mary opened the door to Native American
Studies. A key part of her vision was the development of a traditional gathering
place in which this educational vision could be sustained, a cultural home for
rediscovering and retaining the traditions of the Indian people while preparing for
the world of work in whatever cultural setting might be required. In this gathering
place the Indian student, while keeping faith with his or her cultural heritage, can
develop academic skills to ~eet the demands of a plural society.
The Evergereen State College is in a unique position to perform this cross cultural
educational function. We have a committment to Affirmative Action goals which are far
in advance of any other educational institution in the state. We have a flexible
curricular structure which fosters and nourishes specially designed educational
programs for special clienteles. We are located in a part of the state which has more
Native American tribes and bands than does any other educational institution in the
state (see Appendix for map and list of tribes). We have a mandate, through the new
C.P.E. Six Year Plan for Higher Education in the State of Washington, to serve the
entire state with our unique educational programs. It is therefore entirely fitting
~hat we should become the ~ite of this unique educational structure.
1
HISTORY
This proposed Longhouse started with Mary Hillaire's vision drawn from generations
past. She carried this dream from her Lummi people to Evergreen where, ten years ago,
she founded Native American Studies. In 1978 the first recorded talk about the
building of a Longhouse took place between President Dan Evans, Mary Hillaire, and
student Colleen Ray. Talk became action in 1980 when the first Longhouse Planning
Group was established as part of the Native American Studies Program called, "Life
Modeling--A Sense of Being". This program was joined by the -Environmental Design
program and the "Making of America" p~ogram in a unique, three-way venture. A
planning group was formed which met every Tuesday for three quarters to establish the
concept, to recommend a site, to talk with tribes and to set up conferences and
gatherings to promote the Longhouse idea. The student chairman was Mel Moon, Jr.
(Hupa). The faculty who worked with him wer~ Mary Hillaire, Lloyd Colfax, David
Whitener, Rainer Hasenstab and Phil Harding• Support was also given by Gail Tremblay,
Mary Nelson, York Wong, Maxine Mimms and Betsy Diffendal. The diversified student
group, · with different tribes and ·cultures represented, was enthusiastic and committed
to the idea and the ideal of a Longhouse oii the Evergreen campus.
This same dedication h~s been carried over to this year's ·plarining group. Mel Moon,
·Sr. was elected chairperson. Some of last year's students continuing on the committee
are: · Ann McManus, Galen Galler, Ruth and Wesley Penn (all Native Americans), Herb
Dowell and Jutta Riediger.. New members are Richard Johnson, Joyce Connell, Edna
Harper (Lummi), with faculty support from David Whitener, Lloyd Confax, Mary Nelson
and Betty Kutter. Staff support has been prov~ded by campus architect, Jon Collier.
. 2
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
~
The Longhouse will serve as the focus and primary setting for Native American Studies
on the Evergreen State College campus. It will be an important recruitment tool for
Indian students by providing a culturally relevant setting for a specially designed
academic program. It will be a place where the spiritual, artistic and cultural
elements of the Native American can be preserved. It wi~l be a living museum and a
place for demonstration and discussion between Native and non-Native Americans. It
will be a place to celebrate Indian culture and a place of inspiration to Native
Americans and non-Native Americans alike. It will be a center of communication and a
bridge between cultures. It will serve as a~~Affirmative Action effort, easing the
transition for Indian students coming to Evergreen.
In. particular, the Longhouse and associated spaces will serve as the academic home for
· the following Native American Studies activities:
1.)
~
Northwest Native American Studies Specialty Area .
The major goal of the Northwest Native American Studies Specialty Area is to
provide an open educational opportunity for Native Americans to study; it is not
merely a pl~ce to study Native Americans. However, this interdisciplinary area
· is designed to serve two specifically different student groups: Indian students
who are interested in living and enriching their unique cultural heritage and
developing strategies for self-determination in the pluralistic society in which
we live, and students interested in learning about traditional Native American
cultures and values, including the dynamics for change in a plural society.
The Northwest Native American Specialty Area will include at least one major
program and two auxiliary programs each year, .as well as a minimum of one course
each year. In addition, the specialty area will collaborate and design symposium
components with other areas on topics such as health, science, art, environmental
studies and management. The college's new emphasis on Indian Education within
our Teacher Certification Program provides a new and special opportunity for
collaboration. In particular, this area will provide programs to prepare Native
American students to enter the Teacher Certification Program and will advise
students wishing to prepare to become certified teachers. This area will also
provide a setting in which the non-Indian Teacher Certification student may learn
from a cross-cultural experience.
Within the cultural setting familiar to Native Americans, we will provide
opportunities for students to prepare themselves for the following career
pathways, taking advantage of the curriculum available within the rest of the
college, as well: Indian Affairs, Tribal Government, Indian Education, Marine
Studies, Environmental Studies, Health Studies, Social Services, Community
Development, Management Studies, Computer Studies, Traditional and Contemporary
Expressive Arts. Each student will have an interview with a member of the Native
American Studies faculty and plan an individualized course of study to prepare
the best curriculum possible for satisfying that student's particular needs.
Students within the Northwest Native American Studies will work to develop the
abilities: Individual Identity, Group Loyalty and Personal Authority.
Having -developed these abilities and the particular set of skills they need,
students will be able to return to their communities and have a positive impact
on the world around them.
~following
2.)
Degree-Oriented Native American Contributions to the College Curriculum.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i
j.
3.)
Native American Studies
Survey of Indian History
Sociocultural Anthropology
Compartive Philosophy
Contemporary Problems
Tribal Government
Treaties and Laws
Political Geography
Literature and Mythology
Contemporary Drama
k.
1.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.
Native Languages
Native American Religions
Native American Music
Native American Dance
2D and 3D Art
Ethnobotany
Native American Nutrition
Traditional Native Architecture
· and Technology
Other contributions to the College.
Provide a resource for the development of Native American Curriculum materials
for the schools or for other -classes on campus.
Provide culturally diverse opportunities and curriculum skills for teacher
certification students of all races.
·
Increase the attractiveness of the campus .for Third World students.
Be an artistic resource for the traditional and contemporary Indian Arts.
Provide sponsorship and location for education conferences, forums and workshops
on Indian culture .and Indian affairs (e.g. Indian youth conferences).
Provide a space for policy meetings between local and state government
representatives.
Serve as an archive and research center for the study of Native American affairs.
Provide space for cultural events such as:
exhibits .and displays.
C~remonies,
Social Activities, Art
"i
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1973-86_NAS_8D38_02_45