Preservation of Indigenous People’s History: An Example From the Tule River Native American Indian Tribal History Project

The preservation of indigenous people’s history is a critical project in today’s world of rapid cultural and linguistic disappearance. As indigenous people are forced to change their lifeways, much of their history, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and oral traditions are lost. In an effort to preserve this knowledge for future generations, indigenous peoples – often in collaboration with authors, activists, NGOs, and even governmental and state agencies – are in the process of working on ways to ensure that this knowledge and history is maintained. In a recent article entitled “The Tule River Tribal History Project: Evaluating a California Tribal Government’s Collaboration with Anthropology and Occupational Therapy to Preserve Indigenous History and Promote Tribal Goals,” one example of how indigenous people are working to preserve their history is lucidly articulated.

In 2004, the Tule River Tribal Council undertook an innovative project to preserve the indigenous history of the Tule River Native American Indian Tribe. The indigenous Tule River tribe is comprised of about 1,500 enrolled members. Of these, about 500 members live on the reservation in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, in Central California, about 15 miles from the city of Porterville. The reservation is in the San Joaquin Valley, about midway between Bakersfield and Fresno. The Tule River Tribal History Project, as this project came to be called, demonstrates a way that indigenous people can begin to ensure – and control – the preservation of their indigenous history and knowledge.

Abstract

Postcolonial and indigenous scholars suggest that creating alternative histories is a necessary activity for Native peoples in their recovery from the destructive emotional, behavioral, and political effects of colonial domination. The literature on history-making as a restorative process has focused on mental health, reversing negative representations of indigenous people in mainstream histories, and using Native histories to reclaim land and rights. In 2004, the Tule River Indian Tribe of Central California initiated an innovative history project to engage tribal elders in contributing historical information about themselves and their families for preservation by the Tribe. Theories and methods from postcolonial scholarship, anthropology, and occupational therapy (and its academic discipline occupational science) focused the Tule River Tribal History Project on providing meaningful and enjoyable activities – creating family trees, a tribal photo archive, interviews with elders, social gatherings and community discussions, and a website. The products were made available to participants in digital and printed formats. Copies have since been archived by the Tribal Council and also made available for tribal use at the Towanits Education Center on the Tule River Reservation. Pre-test and post-test survey data indicate: 1) the tribal elders’ high valuation of the history-making activities; and 2) the positive impact of the program on social integration and spiritual well-being.

As indigenous people enact their recovery from the debilitating effects of colonization and imperialism, anthropologists, activists, and others are taking more active, collaborative roles to assist them in achieving indigneous goals (Biolsi and Zimmerman 1997). This trend is significantly driven by demands from indigenous people for accountability by researchers and scholars who wish to work with them. In North America and Canada, indigenous tribal governments are increasingly likely to exercise authority over research conducted on their land, reservation, or among their members. Likewise, they also often run and conduct their own cultural and historical preservation projects, for which they may hire anthropologists and other professionals as consultants. The case of the Tule River Tribal History Project indicates that having several partners working collaboratively can assist Native American Indians in motivating and orchestrating participation of tribal members.

As the authors of the paper point out, the Tule River Tribal History Project also has special relevance to postcolonial concerns about healing indigenous communities.

• First, the matched sample of tribal elders reported a tremendous spike in confidence that the history project could transmit necessary information for tribal youth to function more effectively as members of the tribe and particularly as future members of the Tribal Council.
  
• Second, the project fostered positive relationships and communication among tribal members. Tribal elders who participated in the history project reported a significant increase in communication with other tribal members and especially with tribal members to whom they usually do not speak.
  
• Finally, tribal elders who participated in the project also reported a significant increase in communication within their family, including with tribal youth, as well as an improvement in the quality of communication. This finding is salient to concerns frequently voiced by tribal elders that tribal youth do not know enough about their heritage.

References and Further Reading

Thomas Biolsi and Larry J. Zimmerman, eds. 1997. Indians and Anthropologists: Vine Deloria, Jr., and the Critique of Anthropology.Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press.

Lisa J. Lefler. 2002. Southern Indians and Anthropologists: Culture, Politics, and Identity.University of Georgia Press.

Gelya Frank, Sheila Murphy, Heather J. Kitching, Duane M. Garfield, Sr., and Nancy McDarment. 2008. The Tule River Tribal History Project: Evaluating a California Tribal Government’s Collaboration with Anthropology and Occupational Therapy to Preserve Indigenous History and Promote Tribal Goals. Human Organization, 67(4):430-442.

Charles Trimble, Barbara W. Sommer, Mary Kay Quinlan. 2008. American Indian Oral History Manual: Making Many Voices HeardLeft Coast Press.

Tags: Native American Indians  Tule River  oral history  preservation  mythology  history  indigenous peoples