Indigenous Community: Rekindling the Teachings of the Seventh Fire

by Gregory Cajete, James Sa'ke'j Youngblood Henderson (Foreword)

In his latest book, Indigenous Community, Dr. Cajete takes up the What kind of ways of teaching and learning do Indigenous peoples need to revitalize, maintain, and sustain Indigenous Community in the 21st century and beyond? He • the changes in the nature of Indigenous community that have occurred because of colonization; • the present state of Indigenous community; • how to create an educational context for renewing and revitalizing Indigenous community; • case studies of how community-based educational planning has brought community renewal; • the role of community-based research for renewal and sustainability; and more. Gregory Cajete has provided another must-read book for educators seeking a comprehensive theory and action to Indigenous education. In clear, coherent, and accessible style, he answers the most important education quest what kind of pedagogy can maintain and revitalize the Indigenous peoples in the 21st century? Comprehend Indigenous peoples’ historical trauma and reclaim Indigenous ways of thinking, teaching, and learning from a context of community, land, and spirit. Done! — Marie Battiste, Mi’kmaw educator, University of Saskatchewan Greg Cajete’s message is powerful and convincing—our struggle should not just be about transforming ourselves into something new but also to regenerate the power of our Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and sustaining ourselves and our environment. — Distinguished Professor Hingangaroa Smith, PhD, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Aotearoa, NZ I believe this book will energize the Indigenous spirits and the consciousness of humans. Communities will feel the acceleration and transform Gregory’s ideas into action. — James [Sa’ke’j] Youngblood Henderson, Chickasaw Nation, Native Law Centre of Canada

Genres: Nonfiction

341 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2020

About the author

Gregory Cajete, Native American educator whose work is dedicated to honoring the foundations of indigenous knowledge in education. Dr. Cajete is a Tewa Indian from Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. He has served as a New Mexico Humanities scholar in ethno botany of Northern New Mexico and as a member of the New Mexico Arts Commission. In addition, he has lectured at colleges and universities in the U.S. , Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, England, Italy, Japan and Russia.

He worked at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico for 21 years. While at the Institute, he served as Dean of the Center for Research and Cultural Exchange, Chair of Native American Studies and Professor of ethno science. He organized and directed the First and Second Annual National Native American Very Special Arts Festival held in respectively in Santa Fe, NM in 1991and Albuquerque, NM in 1992. In 1995, he was offered a position in American Indian education in the University of New Mexico, College of Education

Currently, he is Director of Native American Studies and an Associate Professor in the Division of Language, Literacy and Socio cultural Studies in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Cajete earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from New Mexico Highlands University with majors in both Biology and Sociology and a minor in Secondary Education. He received his Masters of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico in Adult and Secondary Education. He received his Ph.D. from International College – Los Angeles New Philosophy Program in Social Science Education with an emphasis in Native American Studies.

Dr. Cajete has received several fellowships and academic distinctions, including the American Indian Graduate Fellowship from the US-DOE Office of Indian Education (1977-78); the D’arcy McNickle Fellowship in American Indian History from the Newberry Library, Chicago, IL (1984-85); and the Katrin Lamon Fellowship in American Indian Art and Education (1985-1986) from the School of American Research in Santa Fe, NM.

Dr. Cajete also designs culturally-responsive curricula geared to the special needs and learning styles of Native American students. These curricula are based upon Native American understanding of the “nature of nature’ and utilizes this foundation to develop an understanding of the science and artistic thought process as expressed in Indigenous perspectives of the natural world.

Dr. Cajete has authored fivebooks: “Look to the Mountain: An Ecology of Indigenous Education,” (Kivaki Press, 1994); “Ignite the Sparkle: An Indigenous Science Education Curriculum Model”, (Kivaki Press, 1999); “Spirit of the Game: Indigenous Wellsprings (2004) ,” “A People’s Ecology: Explorations in Sustainable Living,” and “Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence” (Clearlight Publishers, 1999 and 2000).