Volume 5 Number 2
January 1966

Jack D. Forbes

One of the greatest problems facing the American Indian today is the lack of trained leadership. Numerous Indian groups, from the Atlantic coast to Alaska, are composed almost entirely of people who lack prerequisite educational skills for meeting the challenges posed by poverty, poor organization, rapid social change and a sometimes indifferent Anglo-American community.

Some tribal groups do not have a single college-trained member. Many others lack people trained in such essential skills as teaching, medicine, law, social work, marketing, economics and agriculture. Where a group may possess in theory a few college-trained persons, it is possible that these individuals received their education in an Anglo oriented institution which ill-prepared them for leadership among their own people. They may have, in fact, abandoned their people in favor of living among non-Indians.

It is clear that although some Indian students now attend public and private colleges and universities, a problem in higher education still exists. No institution is designed to really meet the fundamental needs of the Indian community, which needs an institution of higher learning both Indian-controlled and Indian-centered.

Some of the specific reasons for the establishment of an inter-tribal university are outlined below. In addition, it should be pointed out that the possession of educational institutions is vital to the development and survival of a people. The Jewish community has survived and maintained a high level of education, according to many Jews, primarily because of its yeshivas (theological universities) and other schools. The American Negro would be infinitely poorer without Howard University and many other fine Negro-controlled universities. Scandinavian-Americans, Irish-Americans and other European groups have established colleges of their own, while Oriental Americans have been able to use universities in China and Japan (in addition to Chinese-language and Japanese-language schools in the United States). And, of course, the dominant Anglo-American (English-speaking White) has many universities, public and private, under his control.

Most native Americans of tribal affiliation wish to preserve their identity both as "Indians" and as members of a specific tribe. In the long run this probably cannot be done without tribally-controlled schools and an inter-tribal university. The experience of our nationalities and groups throughout the world would seem to prove that a people must possess a cultural, educational and intellectual center of its own in order to survive and advance. If Tribal Americans are to preserve their identity, an inter-tribal, native-controlled university would seem to be a necessity.

A native American university would, however, do much more than merely "preserve" tribes. It could be the means for educating large numbers of Indians in an environment suitable for the development of self-confidence, both individual and collective. The present policy of sending Indian young people off to alien Anglo-dominated colleges often lowers self-esteem, produces failures, and creates personal confusion. In addition, those Indian students who "make the grade" are neither psychologically nor technically capable of leading their people forward. Often they choose to make a living among non-Indians or, if they do return home, they are sometimes alienated enough from their own people as to be poor leaders or no leaders at all.

What is essentially needed is a post-high school institution thoroughly oriented towards tribal needs. It might very well resemble Negro "freedom schools" more than Howard University, but it could partake a little of both. Above all, it should attempt to train large numbers of Indians, both old and young, for leadership within the context of the tribal community. In this manner the entire folk group can be led forward as a unit rather than periodically having its most promising young people drawn off into Anglo-American society.

The proposed inter-tribal university would be able to meet the following needs:

1. Teacher training: It is imperative that schools serving Indian areas have as many teachers of Indian ancestry as possible. No matter how well-meaning the non-Indian teacher may be, the Indian student suffers from the lack of instruction from members of his own ethnic group. Many non-Indian teachers have difficulty escaping from the century-old bias against the Indian heritage. One of the most fundamental problems facing the Indian student is his need to develop a sense of inner pride and security, and this cannot be developed unless the teachers he contacts are sympathetic towards the Indian past. Few pupils can progress into society with a sound psychological orientation if their instructors have been teaching them solely an Anglo-interpreted version of history, culture, values, etc.; and yet all too often the Indian schools have been dominated by just such a point of view.

Furthermore, teachers being trained for Indian-area schools, whether they are of Indian ancestry or not, need a thorough grounding in American Indian history, anthropology, sociology, religion and folklore. At present, few teacher training institutions are geared specifically to provide the proper orientation for such teachers. It is rather naive to believe that educational techniques which are designed to meet the needs of Anglo-American students will be sufficient to meet the needs of Indian pupils. Teachers in Indian-area schools should be familiar with the language spoken in the home by the pupils of the school, for example, but no teacher-training institution offers regular courses of any kind in Indian languages (other than in the technical field of linguistics or in connection with special projects).

An American Indian university would, in short, gear its teacher training program specifically to meet the needs of the Indian community and pupil. In addition, lay Indians could be trained to serve as supplementary teachers in arts and crafts, dances, tribal lore, etc.

2. Law training: Special training for future tribal leaders, including courses in Indian law, tribal law, Indian culture, etc., would be provided. This training could be in intensive short-duration courses and could be offered in tribal areas.

3. Arts training: Students would have training in native American arts at an advanced level. This training could be both on-campus and in the native community.

4. Social work: Social workers and government personnel would train especially for work with Indian communities, both in regular course work and in special summer programs.

5. Ethnic background training: An attempt to foster American Indian Studies by having strong programs in native American history, anthropology, religion, folklore, etc., would be offered.

It is very important that Indian students be trained as historians, sociologists, folklorists, anthropologists, etc., because heretofore some of these fields have been dominated by an Anglo-American point of view, often to the detriment of the Indian community. The lack of Indian historians, for example, has allowed the "white" point of view to have a virtual monopoly in historical writing. The effect has been that most, if not all, general works and especially school textbooks are anti-Indian or ignore the Indian. This in turn helps to mold public opinion and has blinded the general public to the Indian side of American history. Even more damaging, perhaps, is the effect Anglo-oriented textbooks and teaching has upon the young Indian student.

An American Indian university also would train social scientists of Indian ancestry and would stimulate American Indian Studies in general.

6. Agricultural development: The proposed university should train persons specifically to make a success of tribal agricultural enterprises by means of intensive field work geared to reservation realities, training in agricultural enterprise management, and training in the techniques for the establishment of cooperatives and in cooperative marketing procedures. This should be a "grass-roots" program which always keeps in mind the specific needs and attitudes of tribal groups.

7. General training: The proposed institution should seek to offer general college training. Majors in agriculture, home economics, forest management, pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-dentistry could all be implemented as well as in many other fields.

8. Pre-college training: Many Indian students have not received sufficient pre-college education to enter upon a full college program and thus the institution might well offer a series of college preparatory courses to rapidly make up any deficiencies which the student may lack. Furthermore, the college should offer remedial courses and have a strong guidance program to aid college-level students with academic weaknesses. In short, students should not be turned away merely because of the short-comings of the schools to which they have been exposed.

9. Student orientation: One of the grave problems of Indian education in the United States has been the poor psychological orientation of the student due to the anti-Indian bias of those in charge. Many a young Indian has been given psychological problems by good-intentioned whites whose goal was to de-Indianize the young person by depreciating the Indian heritage. Most people must be at peace with their past in order to meet the future, and the Indian must have a sense of pride and inner security. Thus the policy of the university should be to help students in their orientation by developing a pride in the native American heritage. This does not mean that the university should depreciate the value of the non-Indian heritage or artificially preserve the Indian way of life. On the contrary, Indian people who do not suffer from inferiority complexes and insecurity will see to it themselves that those portions of the Indian heritage which are worth preserving will be preserved.

10. Cultural-intellectual center: Many persons believe that the Indian heritage is dying, and that the only thing which remains is for the Indian communities to break apart and "assimilate" with the Anglo American. Others, however, feel that the Indian community is ready for a "renaissance" and not for a funeral. Such an Indian rebirth needs a cultural and intellectual center where young and alert people can breathe new life into old patterns and perhaps develop a dynamic synthesis of Indian and non-Indian thinking. The proposed college, with Indian and sympathetic non-Indian students from all over the nation, could serve as a nucleus or vehicle for such a renaissance.

The proposed university would attempt to make the whole nation its campus to some extent by developing educational programs designed to reach the Indian and non-Indian community at large. For example, a cinema department could produce motion pictures in native languages and in English and Spanish to help "awaken" the people. In this manner, Indian and non-Indian groups could be informed of the Indian heritage, of new art forms, of Indian music and dances, of new ways for solving problems, of how to develop tribal enterprises, of what other Indians are doing, and a multitude of other things. Dramatic presentations, based on Indian themes, could be presented, so as to provide the Indian community with entertainment (and education) within the framework of their own traditions. It is quite possible that a genuine Indian theater could he developed.

The college possibly may have its own radio station eventually, and via this medium Indian drama, music and news could reach a large audience. Furthermore, programs could be recorded on tape and film and distributed to radio and television stations all over the nation.

There are many other ways in which the university could serve as a cultural and intellectual center, but just one more example is as a place where conferences dealing with Indian subjects could be held at frequent intervals.

11. Literacy: Many Indians are still illiterate, and one of the functions of the proposed college might be to implement a program for developing alphabets for those languages which still do not possess them. Then literacy campaigns in the native language could be carried out with all interested Indian groups. Likewise, studies could be implemented to see if Indian children should be literate in the language of their home prior to being instructed in English. Studies have indicated (and logic seems to agree) that people find it easier to become literate in a language with which they are familiar. Once a person is literate in his native language, it is much easier for him to become literate in an unfamiliar tongue. At any rate, this problem needs careful, unbiased study.

12. Spreading knowledge of Indian culture: A very important function of such an institution could be the bringing about of an awareness on the part of the non-Indian community of the richness and vitality of the Indian heritage. Certainly the general culture of the United States has been enriched greatly by Indian influences in the past and there is no reason for believing that the native American cannot contribute more. An American Indian university could help to facilitate the spreading of valuable Indian traits to the general public.

13. Vocational training: Many natives need training which will enable them to immediately obtain a source of income. This training could be geared to employment outside of tribal regions in part (as is the current Bureau of Indian Affairs program), but it also should emphasize development of skills which allows the individual to remain with his people. An example would be training geared towards the recreational-tourist potential of many tribal regions. Fundamentally, such trainees should be exposed, where possible, to a basic education which will allow them to adjust to changes in the market demand for specialized skills. Crash programs emphasizing merely the acquisition of a single "craft" skill might well be avoided.

14. Tribal research: An inter-tribal university could serve as a major and unique research center in tribal, inter-tribal, and tribal-supratribal relations the world over. Certainly, knowledge derived from study of native American tribes could be applied fruitfully elsewhere. A comparative program dealing with tribalism, and with tribal relations with supra-tribal states, might well be of international significance.

15. Inter-American Indian Affairs: Most of the 30 million or more native Americans outside of the United States are in need of programs similar to those described above. An inter-tribal university could become a center for Maya, Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Otomi, and Nahuatl studies, among others, and could serve students of non-United States origin. This program could materially aid the development of the Americas as a whole.

16. Overseas programs: An inter-tribal university might eventually wish to offer its programs to students belonging to Pacific area, Asiatic, African and European tribal or folk populations. This would implement the world-wide comparative tribal program outlined above, and would seem to offer a means for bringing tribal groups from remote areas into contact with each other. Such contact could result very well in a marked improvement in tribal patterns of self-development and self-realization.

It is absolutely essential that the above inter-tribal or native American university be controlled by native Americans. Indians have been educationally under the control of Europeans for far too long a period and there is no question but what bureaucratic administration would nullify the goals of a native university.

Nevertheless, the Federal government recently has been giving hundreds of millions of dollars each year to public and private, sectarian and non-sectarian universities, and, in addition, has been virtually subsidizing Howard University as a "national Negro university." Thus it would seem appropriate for Federal funds to be made available to aid an Indian-controlled institution. On the other hand, where Indians are concerned the government frequently demands more control than is the case with non-Indians. Thus it probably would be best for an inter-tribal university to be established, at least initially, with non-governmental funds.

In any case, the time appears ripe for Indians and interested non-Indians to gather to discuss the wisdom of establishing an inter-tribal university. It could be the major effort in the "war on poverty" in so far as tribal groups are concerned. It also could signal the dawn of a new age in which tribes take their place as worthy members of a modern world community.