This course examines the multifaceted impact of tribal sovereignty on early childhood education in Washington State and its surrounding regions, with a focus on Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural preservation, and governance. Students will engage with the historical, legal, social, and political frameworks that have shaped Indigenous life, education, and land stewardship across the Pacific Northwest. Special emphasis is placed on the Muckleshoot Tribe's sovereignty and the lived experiences of Afro-Indigenous communities and other local tribes.
Through mentor texts, guest lectures, and community-based projects, students will analyze how tribal sovereignty shapes early learning environments. They will examine how sovereignty influences Indigenous approaches to food, language, spirituality, justice, family, and education, and how traditional practices such as gardening, fishing, and drumming have been criminalized, reclaimed, and revitalized.
Students will explore the historical trauma of boarding schools, forced religious conversions, and suppression of cultural expressions—such as the illegalization of drumming—and will reflect on how these experiences continue to impact Indigenous education. Topics such as the cultural significance of fry bread and salmon, community-led health and medical systems, and judicial autonomy will be explored within the broader context of movements for self-determination and educational equity.
This course centers inclusive practices that acknowledge all students with Indigenous bloodlines and intersectional identities. Students will be invited to learn from tribal elders, cultural leaders, and educators, and to participate in interactive storytelling, food sovereignty practices, and language reclamation projects rooted in respectful collaboration.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
2 - Anti-Bias Education
3 - Culturally Responsive Teaching