The Spirit Essence of All We Do: Cultural Identity and Success

CHAPTER The Spirit Essence of All We Do: Cultural Identity and Success

Learning Objectives

Read to answer these key questions:

· What is my cultural identity?

· How is success related to my cultural identity?

· What is the history of higher education for Native American and Indigenous students?

· How has education changed since the nineteen sixties?

· What is the role of family and home in your success?

· What are some obstacles to college and career success?

· How can I overcome these obstacles?

· What personal strengths are related to my culture?

· How can I successfully navigate my own culture and the culture of higher education?

· How can I improve my health and wellbeing?

· What are some tips for learning from the Native perspective?

Chapter One

Career Success: Joy Harjo, Poet Laureate, Muscogee/Cree

Joy Harjo, the United States twenty-third Poet Laureate, is the first Indigenous American to hold that honor. She is also an author, playwright, musician, philosopher, professor, mother, and grandmother. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of New Mexico and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Iowa in its creative writing program.

Joy Harjo is an active member of the Muscogee Nation, and her writing features Indigenous symbolism, imagery, history, and social issues such as imperialism, colonialism, and violence toward women.

She is the author of many volumes of poetry and books that explore Indigenous subjects: The Last Song; She Had Some Horses; The Woman Who Fell from the Sky; What Moon Drove Me to This; Secrets from the Center of the World; In Mad Love and War; Fishing; A Map to the Next World: Poetry and Tales; How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems; In Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings; An American Sunrise; For a Girl Becoming; Soul Talk, Song Language; Crazy Brave; and Poet Warrior.

Joy Harjo is also a talented musician who received the Native American Music Award for best female artist of the year. She plays the saxophone and flute, sings, and has her own band, Poetic Justice. She tours with a group called Arrow Dynamics. Here are some well-known quotes from Joy Harjo:

Welcome to college! Whether you are a first-year student just entering college or are returning to college after a break, we hope that the material in this textbook will be useful and valuable. This textbook is designed to help you succeed in college and accomplish your dreams. This new learning environment will give you the tools to expand your knowledge, broaden your perspective, redefine your future, and gain a better understanding of your personal strengths. Topics include college and career success along with Native perspectives.

This textbook is based on the premise that students are more successful if they take pride in their culture and build on their personal strengths. Most Native peoples believe that there is a spirit essence in all things that we do and in all things in nature. Remembering your spirit essence will help you to connect to your past and your present. This focus will allow you to honor your family and community while also honoring your college education.

Many of you come from traditional communities, others come from urban settings, and you may also be one of the first to attend college in your family. We understand that the college environment can be foreign and will challenge you to use your resources to be successful. This book is dedicated to helping you to do just that!