Telling our history: a narrative study with Indigenous elders, wisdom for the coming generation

The history of AIAN people in the US has been told many times, but Western academic researchers have failed to shift that history into wisdom and uncover teachings for living in the present day. The aim of this paper is to document Indigenous elders' childhood experiences and stories, and to record the wisdom they wish to pass on to the next generation in an accessible, written form.

This study used elder-centered research methods situated within a postcolonial paradigm. Methods centered on the lived experience and values of Indigenous people and a three-step process of identifying data, developing a methodology, and validating wisdom messages in a visual model. Participants were recruited for this study through existing connections and prior research experience. Inclusion criteria for participants were: (1) elder status in their community/Tribe, (2) willingness to share a story from childhood and wisdom, and (3) validate stories and the visual model presented in this manuscript. There were two open-ended questions asked during the information gathering interviews: (1) "Tell me a story from your childhood," and (2) "What is some wisdom you want to pass on?"

Fourteen stories (vignettes) are presented in this section along with a visual model that highlights primary messages (themes). Past, present, and future messages from stories are illustrated using an Indigenous Life Course timeline against the backdrop of colonial events and American Indian policy.

This study supported the transmission and continuation of Indigenous knowledge systems, lifeways, practices, traditions, values, and experiences that are often lost or never recorded. This study illuminates the life stories of elders who possess deep resilience and strength and have experienced the devastating impacts of colonialism and the loss of land, language, values, and family systems. Combined, these wisdom messages have the potential to heal individuals, inform community-based programs, and elevate Indigenous knowledge in public health. Elders' deep wisdom and legacy are reflected in what they wanted to share with readers, a call to action about how to live: Keep Praying. You Have A Voice. Go Back to the Old Ways, Share Your Stories About How to Live, Walk in Beauty. Love Your Family, Limit Technology, Protect the Land, and Medicines. Deal with Pain, Practice Ceremony and Self-care, Live in Balance. Pray, Help People, Commit to Something. Practice Ceremony, Forgive, Heal from Losses, Be Generous, Help Others, Seek Happiness.