Page 377 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

352 D.J. Tippins et al.

knowledge would be lost through the introduction of western knowledge systems.
Although the elder responded that there was no danger of losing this knowledge
because it was a part of him, what about today’s youth? They possess a matrix of
complex cultural identities – they may eat Chinese food, listen to hip-hop music, or
speak Spanish in the home. Can we rest assured that the youth of today will carry
forward the knowledge of their elders, particularly when it may not be part of their
postmodern identities?
In many ways, the importance of protecting oneself from predators when jour-
neying out onto the tundra mirrors the dangers of predation embedded in eurowestern
ideology of capitalism. Eugene Hunn (1989) notes that TEK can provide indepen-
dent alternatives to the global market syndrome. At the same time, he reflects on the
irony of “exploiting TEK to support a global system that is deeply implicated in its
destruction.” We can see parallels in your description of the broken-down snow
machine and imminent threat of predators with the story of Jacob in the recent hit
movie New Moon. A Native youth, Jacob knows about the cultural and historical
legacies of the werewolf, paleface, and vampire. Yet, he struggles to acknowledge his
own genetic potential to be a werewolf. When Bella brings Jacob an old motorcycle,
she wonders whether he will have the skills and knowledge needed to repair it. But
Jacob reassures Bella, telling her not to worry, knowing that he has a deep-seated
knowledge of mechanics that will enable him to work on the motorcycle. Jacob’s
mechanical skill is a hybridized knowledge, perhaps passed down and developed
over a short time span. It stands in stark contrast to the thousands of years of cultural
history that carries with it the legacies of the werewolf, paleface, and vampire, and in
turn creates a tension for Jacob as he struggles with being a werewolf and his desire
to work on the motorcycle. Beyond the storyline of New Moon, the very creation of
the movie reflects the ways in which hybridity poses vulnerabilities for today’s
youth. When asked to play parts in the movie, youth become vulnerable to stereo-
types in the media, which work against the protection of indigenous knowledge.
Stacey: I agree with your thoughts about the recent hit movie New Moon; underly-
ing the actions taken by Jacob, the book and movie presents a culture that has existed
for countless generations – at least in fiction. Elders of the group are those who share
knowledge about what happens within individuals upon reaching a particular age,
and what must be done to protect the group as a whole. Culture is depicted as some-
thing transferred through generations as oral stories, just as traditional ecological
knowledge is passed through generations as personal accounts and stories that, while
appearing fanciful, actually indicate important knowledge for survival.
Hybridity always involves a combination of two different backgrounds, with the
outcome often uncertain and undefined by the creators. The hybridization of TEK
with traditional Eurocentric science is often impossible because the knowledge held
by individuals is unique to a given area – it is only transferable between people, not
geographic location. Encouraging knowledge in border crossing and attempts at
hybridization does not guarantee the appreciation of local knowledge; more often,
it involves merging traditional knowledge with currently accepted “science,” which
diminishes the value of cultures with unique oral histories.