Sa'ah Naaghái Bik'eh Hózhóón Teachings
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs Education ETDs Summer 7-2018 DINÉ EPISTEMOLOGY: SA’AH NAAGHÁI BIK’EH HÓZHÓÓN TEACHINGS Vangee Nez University of New Mexico Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_llss_etds Part of the Indigenous Education Commons, and the Language and Literacy Education Commons Recommended Citation Nez, Vangee. "DINÉ EPISTEMOLOGY: SA’AH NAAGHÁI BIK’EH HÓZHÓÓN TEACHINGS." (2018). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_llss_etds/92 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Education ETDs at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vangee Nez Candidate Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies Department This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Committee: Dr. Vincent R. Werito, Chairperson Dr. Gregory A. Cajete Dr. Donna Deyhle Dr. Shawn L. Secatero i DINÉ EPISTEMOLOGY: SA’AH NAAGHAI BIK’EH HOZHOON TEACHINGS by VANGEE NEZ B.A., Family Studies, University of Utah, 1999 M.A., Educational Psychology, University of New Mexico, 2007 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico July, 2018 ii DEDICATION For my ancestors and Diyin Dineʼé, Ahe’hee for awakening me and bringing me home. For my late mother, Ida Louise Begay, A mother’s love is forever. For my late paternal grandparents, Mary Blackhorse Nez & Bit’ahnii Nez, Ahe’hee for raising me and planting the seeds. For my late father, David Charlie Nez, I wish we had more time. For my siblings (family), Calvin M. Nez, Darlene M. Nez-Smith, & David C. Nez. For my other family: Paulene F. Beach & the late Frederic A. Beach, Lisa Mann, Michael Beach, Daniel Beach, & Crystal Dunn, Honeyville & Berwick will always be home. For all my nieces, nephews, & grandchildren, learn the teachings. For my brother Larry Duncan, Ahe’hee for taking me to Big Bead. For the late Mary Louise Kellar, without you I would not have learned my 3 R’s. For the late Dr. Larry W. Emerson, Ahe’hee for helping me put things in perspective. For my late friends, Tiwanda Bronaugh and Michael Williamson, I will never forget you. For my late cousin, Leonard Haskie, Ahe’hee for your leadership and the stories. For the late Leon Secatero, Ahe’hee for showing me the pathway to SNBH. For my late brother & roadman Colbert Joe, Jr., Ahe’hee for the prayers and songs. For Cimba “Bodhi” Bodhisattva, best pubbi ever! For the Grandparents: Lucy & Jim Benally, Norma Crete Meyers, Pearl & Lester Miller, Violet & Frederic Beach. For the Diné people. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Writing this dissertation has been a life changing experience. SNBH blessed me. I am honored to have an amazing dissertation chair and committee: Dr. Vincent R. Werito, Dr. Gregory A. Cajete, Dr. Donna Deyhle, and Dr. Shawn L. Secatero. I immensely value their constructive criticisms and how they molded me to become a confident Diné scholar. I acknowledge and thank my awesome friends for their love and support: Rory, Fay, and Christian Norseth, Lisa Quillman-Davis and her late husband, Greg A. Davis, Melvatha Chee, Alison Owen and Wyona Atene. Thank you to my cousins: Colleen Lee, Dr. Christine Benally and Irma Henderson. Thank you to Drs. Anne G. Osborn and Kathryn Manuelito for your mentorship. I'd like to offer my gratitude to special people in my life: Ann Glaus, her late husband, Lloyd Glaus, and their son, Eric L. Glaus. Thank you, Chester D. Brown Jr. And to my editor, Gail Guengerich: I cannot thank you enough—you’re a superstar! Dr. Li Xu, thank you for your healing touch. I acknowledge the departments: Center for Native American Health; Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Aid; Office of Graduate Studies; College of Education; and the Department of Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies, for their financial support and the opportunity to grow professionally. I acknowledge the women and men whom I had the privilege of interviewing and hearing their stories of SNBH—you are the true warriors. I thank Esther Yazzie for the Diné translation; Lori Ruddell for transcribing and a dear friend, the medicine people for their prayers; His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for his compassion; Dinétah—my home, and to the Star People: May our lights shine ever so bright. iv DINÉ EPISTEMOLOGY: SA’AH NAAGHÁI BIK’EH HÓZHÓÓN TEACHINGS by VANGEE NEZ B.A., Family Studies, University of Utah, 1999 M.A., Educational Psychology, University of New Mexico, 2007 Ph.D., Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies, University of New Mexico, 2018 ABSTRACT Sa’ah Naaghái Bik’eh Hózhóón (SNBH) is Diné epistemology, a complex system of knowledge encompassing two paradigms: Beauty Way (Hózhóójii-female) and Protection Way (Naayée’ k’egho-male), with hózhó at its core. The study examines personal narratives of SNBH through lived experiences toward hózhó. The literature review looks at Diné worldview from the perspective of published Diné scholars on SNBH for Diné youth. This qualitative case study approach, using Indigenous epistemology and Indigenous research methodology framework, allowed for intensive descriptions and analysis of SNBH. The interviews explored participants’ lived experiences using narrative inquiry to understand SNBH. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between SNBH—when interpreted through storytelling—and transformative awakening that could lead to new understanding of responsibility and purpose in the lives of Diné youth. The author concludes that more research is needed on Diné epistemology to develop Diné -centered educational frameworks on transformative pedagogical practices for mindfulness using principles of hózhó. (Key words: Sa’ah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóón (SNBH), hózhó (harmony), K’é (kinship), Dinetáh, Diné (the People), Narrative Inquiry, Mindfulness, and Storytelling). v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Navajo Reservation Map ................................................................................... 58 Figure 2. Five-Fingered Knowledge System for Pathway to SNBH ................................ 71 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Demographic of Participants in the Study .......................................................... 56 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Background: Personal Narrative ............................................................................. 4 Purpose and Significance of the Study ................................................................. 16 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 18 Definitions of Key Terms ...................................................................................... 19 Limitations, Delimitations of the Study ................................................................ 21 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................... 23 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 23 Diné Worldview .................................................................................................... 24 Diné Scholars on SNBH ....................................................................................... 27 Sylvia Jackson ........................................................................................... 28 Wilson Aronilth, Jr. ................................................................................... 29 Herbert Benally ......................................................................................... 33 Rex Lee Jim .............................................................................................. 35 Vincent Werito .......................................................................................... 36 Deborah House.......................................................................................... 38 Challenges for Diné Youth .................................................................................... 39 Summary ............................................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER 3: METHODS ............................................................................................. 46 Indigenous Epistemology and Indigenous Research Methodology ...................... 46 Positionality of the Researcher ............................................................................. 48 Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................... 49 Sampling Procedures ............................................................................................ 51 viii Research