Americans

Beginning with the question "How would you define wisdom?" interviews with five Native elders focused on Native American world views or philosophies. Four themes emerged: the concept of respect, spirituality as a cultural principle permeating all aspects of life, family relationships including extended family, and various educational approaches that have influenced Native philosophy. Chapter 1 of this dissertation introduces the study by discussing indigenous world views related to Native education, the need for the study as a way to facilitate Native education, study purpose and design, background and rationale, limitations, organization, and operational definitions. Chapter 2 presents methodology and data collection techniques. Chapter 3 describes the context and background of the participants, including setting, environmental/geographical identity, cultural influences, relationships, and formal and informal teaching. The stories of the five participants are told in relation to their experiences of learning, knowledg