Three students in the Pueblo Indian Studies program at Northern New Mexico College have been accepted to present their research at the 2016 Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) annual meeting to be held May 18–21 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. NAISA is the premiere international and interdisciplinary professional organization for scholars, graduate students, independent researchers, and community members interested in all aspects of indigenous studies.

The students, along with Northern faculty Dr. Regina Robbins and Dr. Matthew Martinez will be hosting a panel called Na’inbí P’ôe—Our Path: Creating Educational Sovereignty in Pueblo Indian Studies at the NAISA meeting. Students Chastity Swentzell (Navajo Nation), Nicole Soderberg (Nambé Pueblo) and Johnna Aguino (Ohkay Owingeh) will discuss the significance of P’ôe, which embodies the essence of what it means to be Tewa—to be Pueblo—and American Indian in the 21st century. In Tewa, P’ôe signifies a pathway where the strength of traditional communities travels between the past and the present and continues expanding opportunities and resources along the way. In their research, each student sought to answer the question, “What are the measures used to define an educated and healthy Indian in ways that do not undermine indigenous sensibilities?”

Pueblo Indian Studies at Northern is committed to broadening student knowledge in the histories, languages, culture, art and contemporary situations of Pueblo Indian nations and peoples. It is designed to protect the integrity and identity of the Pueblo populations and create a learning environment conducive to critical and creative thought. This is the third year Northern students have been accepted to present their peer-reviewed research projects at the NAISA annual meeting. For more information about Pueblo Indian Studies at Northern contact Dr. Matthew J. Martinez at (505)747-5458 or martinez@nnmc.edu.

Tagged: Pueblo Indian Studies, P’ôe Pathways, Undergraduate Research