Tag Archives: literacy

Salmon and Sea Lions Face Off

Native Americans are keenly interested in science. Just ask an Indian fisherman. Here in the Pacific Northwest, tribal fishermen have been embroiled in a controversy over salmon. The most recent tempest has pitted salmon against encroaching sea lions, who feast … Continue reading

Posted in framing, health, Native Science, risk, salmon, science, science communication, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

When Science Meets Superstition

We can’t help but be a tad superstitious when it comes to our well-being. Including me. Human nature lets us take credit when good things come our way: we think we somehow deserve it. But when bad juju befalls us, … Continue reading

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Can You Prove You’re Indian?

>My editors want me to add a chapter to my book on the topic of American Indian identity. Identity holds loads of currency. Seems folks find identity resonant. But imagine writing a chapter on, say African American identity, or how … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, human origin, Indian, science, science communication | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Indian Authenticity

The timing was perfect. I finished presenting a paper at an academic conference in Phoenix on authenticity, specifically the media portrayal of the ancient skeleton Kennewick man. And then authenticity hit the fan. I was surrounded by stories of Indian … Continue reading

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Exterminating Indian Identity

Soon I will be bound for Phoenix to present a paper on American Indian identity and authenticity: a topic of keen interest. Critics often complain about Indian stereotypes, ranging from the issues surrounding sports mascots to non-Indians playing Native roles … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, cinema, ethics, film, human origin, Kennewick Man, Native Science, repatriation, science, writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Indian Mascots on the Agenda

Oregon media are twitterpatted over the school mascot issue. Really? Too much hand-wringing, too late. Naming school sports teams Redskins, Indians, Braves and Chiefs has long been on the radar of American Indian activists: hardly a new issue. But in … Continue reading

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When Science is Exclusive

I did a quick double-take while researching a chapter for my book on science and culture. It’s like those visual double-take games in magazines, when they put two pictures side by side and you’re supposed to find the discrepancies from … Continue reading

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Pack my Suitcase with Rocks

Know how sometimes you can hear something a million times but it doesn’t resonate until, one day, it connects? As an academic I’ve been studying the meaning of “place” in American Indian ways-of-knowing from a distant, theoretical perspective. Trying to … Continue reading

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Indian Sovereignty: Worthwhile?

An illuminating article discusses Indian sovereignty and gambling at the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and defines sovereignty as equal to the entities of the federal government, individual states and tribes. The article from this week’s Economist (a British publication) does … Continue reading

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Understanding Macro-effects in Health

We had a rousing discussion about what determines health—and illness—at a gathering this week, and we talked about Indian health issues. The buzz phrase today: Social Determinants of Health. That refers to the panoply of items, issues, attributes, variables or … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, health, Native Science, science, science communication | Tagged , , | 2 Comments