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> Listen and Learn; Listen and Grow, Interacting with Different Cultures
Steve_Marshall
post May 15 2005, 03:54 AM
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Yet another of the many interesting things I brought back with me while on our orientation meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska was learning about some of the native cultures in Alaska and throughout the Arctic. As one of my TREC colleagues, Tom Crumrine, already mentioned, Sean Topkok, a native Alaskan, gave us an introduction to the native cultures of Alaska and Canada, and some ideas about interaction with them.

(Be sure to check out Tom’s project at http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showforum=2) and the specific entry I reference above at http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showtopic=9 .
Part of Sean Topkok’s presentation to us can be downloaded here: http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showtopic=11 )

The Native Peoples of Alaska and northwest Canada
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This is a slide taken from Sean Topkok's presentation to us that can be downloaded at http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showtopic=11
It shows the wide variety of native populations found in that area.



Again, I have some regret that I will not have much of an opportunity to interact with the native cultures on my project since I will be on a ship, but in keeping with my emerging theme of “What can I use this for? (Always asked in a positive way!), I still listened with great interest and intent at what Sean was telling us. I soon realized that some of the situations described about interaction between native cultures and scientists, or foreign cultures in general, was not unique; It happens anytime people with different cultures, histories, ideas, etc. interact. So, what I learned here, I could apply to anytime I meet someone of a different background, even if they weren’t a native Alaskan. The key to working and living with people of different cultures is to approach each other with respect, with an open mind, and realizing there is value to be gained from ideas on all sides. Too often, one group thinks of themselves as being better than the other, or always as being right. I think most of the time, the problem is in not understanding the other culture, so their ideas are quickly ignored or not believed.

To think that some scientists (but I know not all) have even been guilty of this is even more disturbing, because it goes against everything that is scientific. From primary school on, we learn the scientific method, and part of that method is to gather research about a topic. What better way to gain some knowledge of a topic than to ask the people most closely involved? Again, Tom also mentioned this in his journal, but a perfect example is the differing ideas the Inupiaq people and the scientists had about the Bowhead whale population. The Inupiaq had been hunting whales for generations, but their knowledge of regular changes in the whale population was ignored, and only later confirmed to be correct.

In addition to the more obvious disagreements such the whale example, I think the value and underlying scientific knowledge is often lost because of differences in communicating that knowledge.
I recently saw a program on the Discovery Channel called “MegaQuake,” which described the occurrence of megathrust earthquakes along the subduction zone of the northwest United States. Part of the documentary mentioned legends and dance by the native people of that area which referred to a spirit or god that controlled the oceans in the area, and could make giant waves and the ground shake. Researching the origin of the legend, it was proposed that the legend and dance was describing a catastrophic earthquake and a tsunami that followed. Further research provided more “scientific” evidence that there had indeed been a massive earthquake and tsunami that corresponded to the time the legend was first thought to have begun being told.

Dances by the native cultures of Alaska may not always have such scientific significance, but they often do tell a story. While we were in Alaska, we were honored to have Sean Topkok’s two sons show and teach us an Inupiaq dance called “the Iglu.” This was a dance that told the story of the art of building an igloo. (more descriptions and pictures of this dance can be found in the journal entries of another TREC teacher, Amy Clapp at http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showtopic=22 )


Learning an Inupiaq Dance
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Here, some of the TREC teachers (not all made it in the picture), are anxiously awaiting our debut to perform the Iglu dance.
Sean Topkok is in the foreground, his son in the middle, and the TREC teachers in the back from left are: Amy Clapp, Steve Marshall, Bob Oddo, Tom Crumrine, and John Sode


We Won't Quit Our Day Jobs!
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OK, so we're new at this. We obviously need to work on our sychronization, but we're still having fun!

What's Wrong With This Picture?
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I can't tell if Amy, Tom, and I are too fast or too slow, but we're obviously not at the same point in the dance as our instructor is. Maybe we just wanted to show off our "strength." The arm bent upright, with elbow in hand was dance step symbolic of strength. On the left, another TREC teacher, Leslie Pierce, makes it into the picture.


My point in describing these two dances and the situation between the Inupiaq hunters and scientists is this: Much valuable knowledge is lost when questions aren’t asked, or if asked, we don’t listen to the answers. If I did not listen to the explanation of the steps to the dance Sean’s sons showed us, I would never have known the story it was telling. If someone had not asked questions and listened to the answers about the legend and dance described in the MegaQuake program, the connection to a natural event would not have been made. Facts and valuable information is communicated in various ways. If we ignore or discount those things just because we don’t understand them, or because they are from a culture different than ours, we risk losing important information. From a scientific standpoint, ALL things should be considered with an open mind, and then tested repeatedly to determine what seems valid and what does not. This includes listening and respecting the native cultures. Conversely, it also means the native people shouldn’t always assume any visiting scientists have nothing of value to contribute either. We can learn from each other if we listen to each other.
If we listen, we will learn. If we learn, we will grow.

Lastly, what can I use this for? Even though I may not specifically be interacting with the native Alaskans, the lessons I learned from this part of the orientation can be carried into ANY situation where different people are involved. How this can relate more immediately to my project is that there will be people of different backgrounds on the ship as shown by the list of participants on my project:
http://www.odu.edu/sci/oceanography/hotrax...ipants_leg1.htm and an even wider variety on the second part of the project http://www.odu.edu/sci/oceanography/hotrax...ipants_leg2.htm .
The second part of the project will be from August 8-September 30, so be sure to check out the journal entries and project of the TREC teacher for this part of the project, Ute Kaden, at:
http://archive.arcus.org/TREC/VBC/index.php?showforum=20
and http://archive.arcus.org/trec/2005expeditions/project_healy.php

Because of the diverse cultures and backgrounds represented, we will have to do the same thing learned at the orientation: Treat each other with respect, have an open mind, realize something of value can be learned from everyone, share ideas, listen, learn, and grow.
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