Indigenous Relatedness within Educational Contexts

Abstract

In this chapter, I explore several, but not all, notions of Indigenous relatedness. Historically, notions of capitalism have expanded and pervasive attitudes associated with marketplace ideals have infiltrated mainstream education (Vallance, 1983). I argue that the current state of many US dominant systems is symptomatic of a lacking in relatedness, which is inherent in an evolving market economy. Not only is relatedness missing from colonial models of instruction, dominant forces of industrialization and corporatization have worked to extinguish relatedness from education to achieve homogeneity. Later in the chapter, I will explore excerpts from interviews I conducted with several professors who are Native¹ and have taught from within US postsecondary institutions. Their experiences convey relatedness and its impact within Indigenous settings. I conclude this chapter by considering the potential outcomes of adopting concepts of relatedness in mainstream classrooms.