Mitakuye Oyasin

Joseph Marshall III

Learn ABOUT
(deep listening, information)

  1. What is “Materialism?”
  2. What things were traditionally owned by the women? What things were traditionally owned by the men?
  3. What’s a “Trading” economy? How does it differ from a “Capitalistic” economy?
  4. What are the various words and their meanings as connected with kinship?
  5. What is Mitakuye Oyasin?
  6. How does it change a community when the family connections are much more widely spread that just the biological, nuclear family?
  7. 7. How does the idea of “a village raising a child” play out today in Native communities? How does that impact families? How does it impact schools?

Learn FROM
(deep listening, information)

  1. Would you consider yourself “Materialistic”? What roles does “acquiring things” play in your life?
  2. Have you ever “traded” with friends or other in your community to get the things or services you need? If so, what was that like? What are the benefits of trading?
  3. How do you feel about “capitalism”? What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses?
  4. What’s the difference, as you see it, between “circle” relationships and “hierarchical” relationships? What are the positives or negatives of each?
  5. Are there any animals in your life that you feel are a true part of your family?
  6. Are there people you see as a parent or grandparent who aren’t your biological parent or grandparent? How did that relationship develop?
  7. Do you have any friends who feel like brothers or sisters to you?
  8. Are there any children that you know (who are not your own) that you feel some responsibility for “raising” along with others?