Decolonizing Guam With Poetry

Craig Santos Perez, poet and activist from Guam, uses his poetry to call attention to the negative effects of colonialism and militarization on his homeland and the Pacific. He reminds his readers of the mistreatment of his people the Chamorros, the special “unincorporated” status of Guam and the land that is taken over little by little by the US Army. His poems reveal information about the life circumstances of the author's community and respond to, as well as critique, the colonial conditions of Guam. This study looks at everyday objects mentioned in Perez's poetry and seeks to unfold the “mission” of these objects. “Everyday objects” do not only refer to traditional objects, but also, to modern objects (borrowed from western culture) which relate to the everyday life of the Indigenous people of Guam. The argument of this research is that ordinary objects, which have significance in Pacific culture, are deliberately placed in the poems by Perez. They convey the message of resistance, decolonial protest and pursuit of survival and can be considered as representations of activism.

Of the Land, for the Land, and by the Land

Land is a promising asset that acts as a stimulus for indigenous people to act and respond within their natural limits. The natives enjoy great kinship with the land. They deem the land as one with the humankind: a living, breathing, and thinking being. They believe that they live under the constant protection of the green produce of the land and they ought to protect it in return as it plays a key role in determining the possibility of survival of the tribal community. Any attempt at enforced displacement, tribal eviction, land encroachment, land diversion, or land alienation leads to disintegration of the tribal community. Trespassers trying to dispossess the aboriginals of their land not only impact the indigenous ethnic formations but also affect the ecological balance. The chapter provides an incisive sociological scrutiny to trace the origin of the pressing crisis of tribal land alienation, by adopting Gopinath Mohanty's Paraja as a case study, to understand its catastrophic repercussions on the forest communities and the natural habitat.

Receding Dependence on Forests

This chapter considers how modernity has affected the livelihood of Paliyar community and how they have been affected by forest dispossession. Whether the weaning away from the forests has been manufactured or part of the systemic exploitation is discernible. The chapter traces the history of the Paliyars, their belief structures, and indigenous knowledge within sacred spaces. The chapter also presents a discussion of the relation between land and spiritual tradition as well as the importance of land to identity, transfer of oral tradition, and indigenous traditional knowledge. Removing the Paliyar from the land continues to erode their tradition, knowledge, and identity.

A Qualitative Study of Native American Higher Education and Student Resiliency

This chapter explores the degree to which Native American culture impacts the resiliency of Native American students earning degrees at three tribal colleges in the southwestern part of the United States. This is a qualitative case study that was based on the following research question: “How does Native American culture contribute to the resiliency of Native American students who are earning a degree at a tribal college?” This chapter focuses on the concerns of Native American students, and the cultural events they may have encountered during their educational journey. The research data were collected from interviews of 18 Native American students who were in their last year of college. Themes surrounding culture, resiliency, tribal colleges, academics, and Native American role models were discovered and used to determine the impact Native American culture has on the resiliency of Native American students.

Struggles With Historical Trauma

The chapter presents results from a qualitative phenomenological heuristic study of the perceptions of historical trauma across Native American nations. Historical trauma has been established as a by-product of cultural and physical suppression. Cultural psychology details the impact of an individual's culture on the psychological development of the individual. Therefore, by examining the change to the culture that resulted in historical trauma, determination could be made regarding how the individual was impacted. This research addressed these contentions by interviewing Native American persons from the Eastern and Northern nations of North America and Canada and determined how historical trauma had influenced their psychological development via symptoms they experienced. The research identified several areas that differed from the extant literature regarding the Eastern and Northern nations.

Land, Rights, and Tenure Insecurity on Customary Land in Zambia

Land is a key asset in the lives of village communities in Zambia. It is thus at the centre of their livelihood strategies as it provides social, economic, and financial benefits to these communities. The paradox though is that despite acknowledging its importance in the lives of village communities, tenure on this land is poorly protected by the state resulting in high insecurity for its occupants. In many instances, there are no clear regulations on its use and alienation while traditional authorities are also ill-equipped for the task of administering this land. The question then that emerges is: In this perceived absence of state protection, how are village communities protecting themselves from threats of dispossession by foreign investors, urban elites, and the state's own actions? This study found that village communities are using various means to protect themselves, including issuance of local land holding certificates.

The Hauntings and Heart of a Place

This autoethnographic research presents personal stories from the author, connecting family, land, and music. He recounts stories his Ojibwe grandmother shared about her time in Franz, a small railroad village in northeastern Ontario that is now a ghost town. The connection to Franz is established through memories from his grandmother. Inspired to write a song, the author aimed to reconnect to Franz itself. The study follows the author's personal journey to visit his grandmother's land for the first time, making new connections and stories along the way. The research utilizes Indigenous autoethnography, Indigenous storytelling, and arts-based methods, such as a/r/tography, to link his stories to those of his grandmother, resulting in a reflection of storytelling, community history, and (re)connection to land, woven together by stories from the family matriarch.

Sustainable Heritage Tourism Through Gullah Geechee Musical Performance

The Gullah Geechee people originally came to the United States as enslaved Africans from the coast of West Africa. Because of harsh conditions along the sea islands, spanning from North Carolina to Florida, the enslaved were often left to work the land while plantation owners retreated to less hostile, inland environments. As a result, many Gullah Geechee cultural, linguistic, and artistic practices remained intact. Today, there is interest in preserving these rich traditions. Because of environmental and cultural threats, preservation efforts must focus on sustainability. This qualitative, critical theory research includes interviews with musical performers from the sea islands and details their perceptions of the role music plays in sustainable heritage tourism. The researchers explored if music performance could be used to promote preservation locally, through tourism to cultural corridor sites, and globally, through touring musical acts. Participants urged caution with traditional tourism models and emphasized the role of younger generations in preserving Gullah Geechee music.

Accessibility of Land Claims Records at Kruger National Park of South Africa

This chapter presents a study conceptualized to assess the accessibility of land claims records preserved at the Kruger National Park (KNP) of South Africa. The study used a qualitative method through document analysis and interviews. The sample of the study comprised land claimants and archivists based at the KNP archives. The key finding revealed land claimants use their democratic rights through the Promotion of Access to Information Act of 2000 to request land claim records from KNP archives. The findings aid tools were essential to assess records preserved in the archives even though some of the records were not found in the park.

Intergenerational Trauma and Other Unique Challenges as Barriers to Native American Educational Success

This chapter examines unique challenges in the way of Native American educational success as well as solutions to overcoming. The chapter addresses why intergenerational trauma matters, the impacts of public policy on Native American people such as the Native American Languages Act of 1990, and the importance of Native American people being connected to the land, protecting traditions, language, and their ancestors. The purpose of this literature review is to shed light on Native American educational barriers and to critique existing literature. Areas analyzed include the trend of low rates of educational attainment among Native Americans, the history of abuse towards Indigenous people and other minorities, the impact on individuals, and solutions for the future. There is a need for Native American students to stay connected to cultural tradition, cultural relevancy in education, role models for Native American people, and an importance of Native American students staying connected to family.