GUIDELINES FOR RESPECTING CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE
guidelines will help expand the base of knowledge and expertise that culturally-responsive teachers (including Elders, aides,
bilingual instructors, etc.) are able to draw upon to enliven
their work as educators.
Throughout this document, Elders are accorded a central
role as the primary source of cultural knowledge. It should be
understood that the identification of “Elders” as culturebearers is not simply a matter of chronological age, but a
function of the respect accorded to individuals in each community who exemplify the values and lifeways of the local
culture and who possess the wisdom and willingness to pass
their knowledge on to future generations. Respected Elders
serve as the philosophers, professors and visionaries of a
cultural community. In addition, many aspects of cultural
knowledge can be learned from other members of a community who have not yet been recognized as Elders, but seek to
practice and teach local lifeways in culturally-appropriate ways.
Along with these guidelines are a set of general recommendations aimed at stipulating the kind of steps that need to be
taken to achieve the goals for which they are intended. State
and federal agencies, universities, school districts, textbook
publishers and Native communities are all encouraged to
review their policies, programs and practices and to adopt
these guidelines and recommendations wherever appropriate.
In so doing, the educational experiences of students throughout Alaska will be enriched and the future well-being of the
communities being served will be enhanced.
Further information on issues related to the implementation
of these guidelines, as well as additional copies, may be
obtained from the Alaska Native Knowledge Network,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 756730, Fairbanks,
AK 99775-6730 (http://www.ankn.uaf.edu).
3