Volume 12 Number 1
October 1972

Albert J. Snow

Albert J. Snow is a Mohawk of the Iroquois, and last year was under a National Science Foundation Academic Year Institute Grant for Science Supervisors at the University of Maryland. He holds an M.A. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Science Education. At present he is an unpaid science consultant to the BIA in the area of evaluation and program review.

THE FOCUS of attention at the Many Farms science program is on the needs of the students and their Navajo community. The Navajo’s aspiration of being one in harmony with his environment makes his culture philosophically naturalistic—therefore unique. This desire to conform to a more natural relationship with nature is somewhat correspondent to the non-Indians’ desire to use scientific and technical approaches to solve the problems of his environment. With this consideration of culture as a driving force, rather than a specific objective, the science program at Many Farms departs from the modern-traditional, and usually successful, science programs of non-Indian society (BSCS, IME, IMB, IPS, etc.) and injects Indian materials and culture as a vehicle for learning.

The student is the center of activity with the boundaries of the classroom extending to the very limits of the 25,000 square miles of Navajo Reservation area. Group and individual projects are encouraged; this further expands the time and space constraints of the science class setting.

Ethno-science has developed at Many Farms High School over a period of time. Ethno-science is largely the idea of one man, Carl Hime, supervising teacher for science and math at Many Farms High School, Many Farms, Arizona. The fortunate blend of enthusiasm, concern and attitude of the science and math teaching staff assured the successful introduction of the Ethno-science concepts.

It is possible to attach many labels to Ethno-sicience. At Many Farms it is considered to be American Indian technology blended with myth and the past and present life experience of the American Indian. The emphasis in introducing Ethno-science at Many Farms is on the life and ecological-environmental aspect of science.

Teacher attitude is all important in any ethno-related course and the teacher must be extremely sensitive to the feelings of the student and community in all topics of study. Gene Gade, outdoor and environmental teacher at Many Farms, conveys this attitude and concern about Ethno-science.

"First of all, when I use an idea from Navajo culture, as in a traditional story, I would like to be sure that the idea or story is related with as little distortion as possible. I have been told by more than one Navajo that perhaps it would be better for Anglos to leave Navajo culture teaching to the Navajos because often Anglo versions of the culture are not accurate. The source of the inaccuracy might be inadvertent, resulting from poor translation, the omission of a detail which may seem insignificant to a non-Navajo, or from a tendency that we have to read the sweeping generalizations of an anthropologist and then pass these on as some sort of gospel judgment about Navajos.

"My experience is that nearly everything (and especially the old stories which use a special and somewhat archaic Navajo vocabulary) suffers from translation. Also, because the traditional culture has been conveyed for generations by word of mouth, Navajos pay great attention to detail and are often incensed by seemingly minor embellishments or omissions. Finally, I think that we should be quite careful in using anthropological generalizations. Even when they are sound, such generalizations are often an attempt to articulate some ideas which are not articulated by the people themselves.

"The second major idea that I would like to advance here is that we need to be careful not to force our will or world view too much. There are places where Navajo culture blends with and complements my science teaching. There are other places where very direct conflict exists. My attitude is that there are many ways of explaining things. There are different ways of looking at the world. I will not set up Navajo culture as a straw man and then knock it down with scientific explanations. I will present it straight. I may regard some of it as useful allegory, other parts of it as useful mainly for its poetic beauty, but I have no more interest in debating the traditional Navajo culture with a Navajo than I have in debating the literal truth of Genesis 1. They are both beautiful and worthy of preservation, whether or not they meet my standards of scientific accuracy."

This statement essentially reflects the thinking and attitude of the staff at Many Farms High School. It is especially significant to underline the concern shown over the possibility of diminishing or actually destroying Navajo culture in order to enhance non-Indian methods or thinking.

No one can say for sure where Ethno-science was first considered within the context of curriculum improvement and development. Other educators have probably used Indian technology, medicine and botany in science courses. The idea of Ethno-science began to evolve with Carl Hime as a result of student interest in such things as the ecology of Black Mesa (see Note 1) microbiology of the hogan and corral, etc. The interest was enthusiastically reflected by the staff and each year more areas for projects and research were added. The concept of Ethno-science is considered to be in the infancy stage of growth, but through interaction of student, teacher and community it is indeed expanding and growing. It is interesting to note that Ethno-science fills a need for the student and the Navajo community. It tends to develop healthy self-concept for the Indian student since he sees himself and his culture in a useful, beautiful and important perspective. Most of the students at Many Farms High School will remain on the reservation after graduation and it is important that they feel one in harmony with their land.

In general a strong, positive attitude exists towards Ethno-science, although a few students want no part of any studies, projects or topics relating to the Navajo and his environs. Several possible explanations have been proposed by the staff with respect to this negative attitude. It is the feeling that some students consider it more important to study the white man’s ways and that an "*inferiority complex" has crept into their (the students’) thinking. However this attitude is shared by but a few of the students. Their parents and the school board heartily endorse Ethno-science topics.

The long term basic goals of Ethno-science as seen by Carl Hime are: to fit the needs of the community by giving a better understanding of the environment of the reservation, to contribute to the ongoing development of Navajos both economically and socially and finally to contribute to the Navajo’s self-concept and image. The philosophy and specific goal of the science department of the high school is as follows:

One of the most impressive studies done by both students and teachers is the Black Mesa study titled: "Environmental and Economic Issue: the Strip Mining on Black Mesa and the Coal Burning Power Plants in the Southwest." This study is an in-depth view of the history, geology, politics and environmental aspects of the Black Mesa area. It attempts to give a balanced view of all the factors, both true and untrue, that have arisen due to this controversy.

Among the individual student research projects, Cyrus Ketchum studied the plant growth characteristics in the Black Mesa coal mining area. His study was designed to discover the effect of the mining operations on plant growth. Adella Begaye was fascinated with eye shapes of Anglo and Navajo people. She charted the shapes, responses and characteristics of eyes. Harry Chee wished to find out how well dog saliva inhibited bacterial growth. Shirley Bizahkonie charted blood types and factors in Indians and non-Indians in the Many Farm area. These are but a few of the many possible student research topics.

There is no formal course in Ethno-science at Many Farms. What has been done is to use, wherever possible, ethno-related topics in the science classes. This means that, whatever the science taught (IME, BSCS, IMB, environmental and outdoor education, etc.), Navajo materials and attitudes will be used both in lab and in class discussion. Projects and independent studies are all geared to ethno-topics and ethno-materials. Ethno-science is a "hands on" approach.

One interesting finding has been that displays of Indian art and artifacts in the classroom tend to inhibit student growth and motivation. This is because the Indian feels he and his culture are on display and possibly up for ridicule. Working with the Indian materials as part of the class does not have this effect; in fact, for the touch-oriented Culture of the Navajo, a positive effect has been noted.

The following is a partial list of projects and activities that can and are being used in all science classes on all levels:

Ethno-science is only beginning at Many Farms. The science staff involve many departments—social science, art, English, etc. Teachers at Many Farms are learning from their students and this experience is both pleasant and stimulating. The strong healthy interaction between student and teacher has long been the basis for a good learning atmosphere at Many Farms.

A start has been made that will, hopefully, be an encouraging model for other Indian schools to follow. The atmosphere at Many Farms is contagious - it is beginning to have impact on the Navajo Community around Many Farms. This impact is making many Indians aware of their environment and its value to them and to the larger community of the Navajo.

1. Environmental and Economic Issue: The Strip Mining on Black Mesa and the Coal Power Plants in the Southwest, unpublished report by the teachers and students of the Environmental Preservation Classes of Many Farms High School, Many Farms, Arizona.

2. Hime, Carl. Unpublished document, Many Farms High School, January 18, 1972.

3. Hime, op-cit