Decolonization, Counter-Narratives and Education of Two Native Women in Higher Education

Abstract

While the discipline of American Indian Studies has been instrumental in advancing the history and experiences of Native people, in the field of education, there is a troubling knowledge gap by k-12 and post secondary educators. Misinformation and stereotypes about Native people persist in textbooks and educational discourses, making it imperative for the field of education to recognize the importance of Native ways of knowing and the implementation of counter-narratives to be heard in classrooms-at all levels from K-12 to the university. We see numerous examples of classroom textbooks using inaccurate information or lacking the counter-narratives in examinations of Native/Indigenous history and current day issues. This lack of counter-narratives and the silencing of marginalized people and their perspectives is evidence that the US public education system fails students, especially students of color. K-12 teacher certification programs that include course-work on the knowledge/history of people of color and marginalized groups, are promising spaces where preservice teachers might engage with traditionally silenced voices and narratives. As Native women in Higher Education, we present our voices as counter-narratives to the continued colonization of the experiences of indigenous peoples and people of color. We provide the experiences and stories of two Native women in higher education to educate others on the importance of counter-narratives. We also emphasize the importance of Critical Race Theory (CRT), theories of decolonization, and the awareness/analysis of microaggressions in hopes of initiating a dialogue so that educators in K-12 and the university push the boundaries and include Indigenous knowledge and counter-narratives to provoke change.