The first of three fall semester PhD weekends began with the Environmental Studies Colloquium, where Joseph Fire Crow graced us with the stories of his people, voiced through the drum, flute, and rattle. In Qualitative Research Methods, my cohort and I conducted practice interviews, preparing for final projects which will get us closer to our research goals. The theme for me, in both the colloquium and the interview, was rejuvenation. The hard work of PhD research happens in a kind of spiral. It is a calling far more personal and powerful than gathering up information; it is a craft that demands mind, heart, and soul. Fortunately, I walk in the footsteps of many others who have created the space to do this. Written on the back of Joseph Fire Crow's album,
Legend of the Warrior, is a reminder that "the challenge to survive and thrive has always been so. How we express our experiences both past and present has also evolved with time. The challenge is to remember whom our relatives are, where we come from and to maintain our old ways, our traditions." As I journey through the many, many ways of acquiring knowledge about the world (epistemology, as we say in research), I am fortunate to be studying and stretching the boundaries of my skills at a place that honors sacred traditions and diversity of thought. Fall has always been a rejuvenating time for me, and I'll have more to share about my research through the semester.
If you have a story of rejuvenation to share, or want to want to know more about my research, click "Connect" on the right.
