ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏓᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ: Reclamation Stories of Indigenous Graduate Students at a Native American Serving NonTribal Institution
Dublin Core
Title
ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏓᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ: Reclamation Stories of Indigenous Graduate Students at a Native American Serving NonTribal Institution
Subject
Indigenous peoples--Education
Creator
Kristen Walker
Electronic Resource Item Type Metadata
Publication Date
2024
Publisher
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
English
Region
North America
Access
Open Access
Abstract
The experiences of Indigenous graduate students in higher education are underrecognized
in research and scholarship. Similarly, the experiences of Indigenous students, undergraduate or
graduate, within Native American Serving NonTribal Institutions (NASNTIs) are largely
excluded from research and scholarship. Although NASNTI designation is only dependent on the
Indigenous undergraduate student population at an institution, the stories shared through this
research signify the importance of considering Indigenous graduate students experiences at a
NASNTI.
The conceptual framework consisted of four core foundations as outlined by Kovach
(2021), including ᎦᏚᏩ (ga-du-wa) knowledge, relational accountability, the Indigenous
community of the NASNTI, and the situating of self. The NASNTI centered in this research
posited important consideration of Place, especially because the institution was founded by the
Tribal Nation and Indigenous community it is situated within. The stories of seven Indigenous
graduate students, who attended the NASNTI between 2018-2023, were gathered through a
sharing circle and individual conversations. Thematic Analysis was used to identify three
themes: ᏝᏲᎩᏙᏗ ᏂᎬᏮᏍᏙ (It seems like it is not for us to use), ᏝᏱᏙᎾᏓᏂᏲᏏ & ᏧᎵᏨᏯᏍᏗ
(Not going to give up & being brave), and ᏙᏓᏢᏍᏕᎵᏍᎪ (Helping each other). A final theme,
ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏔᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ (The wild onions are growing everywhere) was later
incorporated.
in research and scholarship. Similarly, the experiences of Indigenous students, undergraduate or
graduate, within Native American Serving NonTribal Institutions (NASNTIs) are largely
excluded from research and scholarship. Although NASNTI designation is only dependent on the
Indigenous undergraduate student population at an institution, the stories shared through this
research signify the importance of considering Indigenous graduate students experiences at a
NASNTI.
The conceptual framework consisted of four core foundations as outlined by Kovach
(2021), including ᎦᏚᏩ (ga-du-wa) knowledge, relational accountability, the Indigenous
community of the NASNTI, and the situating of self. The NASNTI centered in this research
posited important consideration of Place, especially because the institution was founded by the
Tribal Nation and Indigenous community it is situated within. The stories of seven Indigenous
graduate students, who attended the NASNTI between 2018-2023, were gathered through a
sharing circle and individual conversations. Thematic Analysis was used to identify three
themes: ᏝᏲᎩᏙᏗ ᏂᎬᏮᏍᏙ (It seems like it is not for us to use), ᏝᏱᏙᎾᏓᏂᏲᏏ & ᏧᎵᏨᏯᏍᏗ
(Not going to give up & being brave), and ᏙᏓᏢᏍᏕᎵᏍᎪ (Helping each other). A final theme,
ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏔᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ (The wild onions are growing everywhere) was later
incorporated.
Citation
Kristen Walker, “ᏍᏈᏍᏙᏍᏓᎢ ᎤᏰᎧᎢ ᏒᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ: Reclamation Stories of Indigenous Graduate Students at a Native American Serving NonTribal Institution,” ICMGLT Digital Library, accessed June 12, 2026, https://icmglt.org/library/items/show/496.