Becoming Human: Blackfoot Knowledge, Governance, and Tribal College Frameworks

October 29, 2024

16:00-17:30 EST

attend virtually: Livestream Link

This presentation is concerned with the relationship between Blackfoot knowledge, governance, and value creation within academic institutions, particularly tribal colleges like Red Crow Community College. Blackfoot knowledge is generally understood as a grounded and situated worldview, where all beings are animate and intertwined, and knowledge is passed down through specific community relationships, stories, and ceremonies. It is often assumed in settler-colonial academic contexts that Indigenous knowledge, including Blackfoot knowledge, can be integrated into Western frameworks without alteration, as governance and research institutions rely on standardized definitions of value. This view is based on the ontological assumptions that Western science and knowledge practices, with their emphasis on objectivity, quantification, and universal principles, offer a superior model for knowledge production. However, the project of “becoming human,” as articulated by the governing body of Red Crow Community College, reflects a critique of humanism itself. The failure of traditional humanism to serve Indigenous populations has given rise to the need for a process that involves distinct ontological responsibilities—responsibilities that humanism, in its Eurocentric form, is ill-equipped to handle. Blackfoot knowledge systems, which emphasize relationality and situated experience, offer a pathway to deconstruct Western epistemic dominance and reimagine value in Indigenous-led educational institutions, engaging with posthumanism to suggest alternative ways of “being human.”

The presentation begins by examining the relationship between Blackfoot ontological responsibilities and Western governance structures in academic settings. This is followed by an examination of how colonial educational frameworks have shaped and constrained Blackfoot knowledge within tribal colleges. The presentation then questions the oversimplified logic that assumes Blackfoot knowledge can seamlessly adapt to these frameworks without losing its specific, context-driven value. The encounter with Blackfoot epistemologies may encourage institutions to rethink their research methods and governance structures. However, Blackfoot knowledge, grounded in community impact and relational accountability, challenges conventional academic metrics and creates the potential for tribal colleges to develop new strategies for research engagement. A discussion of the reevaluation of value follows, via a closer examination of community-based impact factors and qualitative assessments rooted in Blackfoot traditions. The presentation concludes by examining some of the implications of these shifts within academic governance systems and the broader role of Blackfoot knowledge in reshaping research methodologies.

Mickey Vallee, Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Sound Studies at Athabasca University, specializes in the study of voice, media, and cultural theory, exploring how sound and communication technologies shape human interactions and social structures. In partnership with the Blood Tribe, he is working with Red Crow Community College to establish research sovereignty, playing a key role in the development of the Mikaisto Centre for Blackfoot Research and Resilience, which integrates Blackfoot knowledge and governance into innovative research strategies that reflect community values.