Project 10:  Archiving Turtle Island

Principal Partner:  United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc (UNITY) Action Committee Chairman:  Kelsey Leonard, Female Co-President, National UNITY Council, Executive Committee  (kelsey@pnyteam.org) Project Date:  Project to take place in the Summer of 2008 – specific date to be determined Objective:  to provide a means  for Native youth to gain better access to the knowledge and wisdom that Native elders have to share with members of the younger generation.

Project Description: Among the top issues of concern that Native youth consistently identify in UNITY's yearly survey is the loss of knowledge about their respective tribal histories, traditions, languages and cultures. The youth believe that this is a significant problem that should be addressed as a part of the National Initiative to Strengthen Native Families because the social setting in which a family exists is a major determinant of the individual's and community's health. Native youth have expressed a concern that foundational knowledge is not being effectively passed on and this undermines the family's ability to stay strong in a rapidly changing social and economic environment that exerts undue influences on the attitudes and life choices that family members make. Although there is good to be found in other communities, Native youth have stated a believe that a better understanding of their cultural background will better prepare them for the challenges they will face in trying to live a successful life and in dealing with the demands of living in two worlds. Therefore, the youth have decided to address this need by conducting a series of interviews with elders from at least six Native communities. These interviews will be conducted by the youth within the six communities represented by youth councils that participate as members of this Action Committee.

The objective of this Initiative related project is to provide a means for Native youth to gain better access to the knowledge and wisdom that the elders have to share with members of the younger generation who need and are seeking guidance and direction that will help them live a successful life and make a meaningful contribution to the future of their families, tribes, communities, state and nation. An interview format and set of questions to ask the elders will be prepared as a part of planning process that the members of this Action Committee will carry out prior to the interviews. The participating youth will be provided with the equipment necessary to conduct the interviews. Once the interviews are completed steps will be taken to preserve them for future generations by uploading them to the UNITY Website and other Websites hosted by supporting organizations. A digitized version will be placed on a DVD and presented to the participating youth councils for archiving and safe storage. All of the interviews will be completed prior to the 2008 National UNITY Conference where they will be showcased as a part of the conference proceedings. In addition, the participating youth will conduct a conference workshop in which they will describe the process used for conducting the interviews and provide suggestions and guidance to other youth councils that may wish to conduct their own set of interviews as a youth council project.

Return to Project Introduction