Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

7-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Laura M. Jewett

Second Advisor

Pauli Badenhorst

Third Advisor

Ana Carolina Díaz Beltrán

Abstract

This ethnographic study examines the Lipan Apache (Ndé) Tribe of Texas powwow as a curriculum of culture(s) and a pedagogy of place through which culture is preserved, performed, transmitted, and transformed. Integrating both emic (insider) and etic (outsider) perspectives, I combine personal experiences as a Lipan Apache tribal member and dancer with academic research. Kovach (2009) suggests that incorporating such experiences can unveil educational concepts and theories that might otherwise be overlooked. The theoretical framework combines Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) and Place-Based Education (PBE), emphasizing the strengths of cultural heritage and deeply embedded learning in the local community. Methodologies include participant observation field notes, informal interviews, and 13 formal semi-structured interviews conducted before, during, and after the 2024 Lipan Apache (Ndé) Tribe of Texas spring powwow. Findings reveal two main themes: 1) cultural survival and 2) community connectedness. These findings highlight the powwow's significance as a curriculum of culture(s) and pedagogy of place in facilitating the transmission of knowledge to tribal members, participants, and visitors within the community. Additionally, this study demonstrates how the powwow, as a locally embedded event, inculcates culture that serves to re/vitalize, re/store, and re/connect participants with traditional ways of knowing.

Comments

Copyright 2024 Ashley S. Leal. https://proquest.com/docview/3100333606

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