Unforgetting Indigenous Education Histories to Cultivate Hwił Haahodinééh: Diné Experiences in the Mormon Indian Placement Program

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium draws on decolonial and Indigenous storywork methodologies to promote the “unforgetting” of Indigenous education history in the United States generally, and specifically the experiences of Diné/Navajo who were at one time enrolled in the Mormon Indian Student Placement Program (1945-2000) to promote hwił haahodinééh (healing). At the same time, this symposium seeks to address the silences in the field of education history regarding twentieth century Indigenous educational experiences, as well as challenge the historical “amnesia” and “erasure” that exist surrounding Native histories more generally. Both the content and format of this symposium will honor Indigenous knowledge and promises to bring a necessary and long overdue intervention to the historian’s craft.

Sub Unit

• Division F - Historical Inquiry in Education

Chair

• Jennifer Johnson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Papers

• Non-Native Facilitator and Participant 1 - M. Nathan Tanner, University of Nevada - Reno

• Diné Participant 2 - Oliver G. Tapaha, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Diné Participant 3 - Raythina Tapaha-Yazzie, Many Farms Public School

• Diné Participant 4 - Priscilla Weaver, Dine College

• Diné Participant 5 - Randy Benally, University of New Mexico

Session Organizer

• M. Nathan Tanner, University of Nevada - Reno

Discussant

• M. Nathan Tanner, University of Nevada - Reno