Learning About a Culture Different from Our Own

Purpose

We choose to be culturally literate. We want to be multicultural people.We want our students to be

multicultural people.We are articulate about who we are

Seven Characteristics of Culture

History

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Ways of Knowing

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Traditions, customs, spirituality

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Relationship to U.S. dominant culture

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Unique skills and behavior

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Cognitive style

Seven Characteristics of Culture

Language and CommunicationCherokee: One (Un) Sagwu Two (Deux) Ta'li Three

(Trois) Tso'i Four (Quatre) Nvgi Five (Cinq) Hisgi Man (Homme) Asgaya Woman (Femme) Agehya Dog (Chien) Gihli Sun (Soleil) Nvda Moon (Lune) Nvda Water (Eau) Ama

70+ other Native American languages!

Identity Issues for the American Indian

Changing identification to some other racial category

Being generically “Indian” discounts a specific culture

Individualism and capitalism are alienating to traditional cultural values and ways

Alcoholism, suicide, and homicide are leading causes of death

Static and museum nature for “people of the past”

Invisible contemporary images

20-30 Minute Quick Write Describe your cultural self. Who are

you? What are your characteristics of culture? Refer back to seven characteristics of culture.