Centering “our culture and our ways”

We are celebrating the huge movement in the state of Connecticut with our Connecticut tribes co-creating the new social studies curriculum.

The State Department of Education and five of us Connecticut tribal nations have been working together to meet a legislative mandate calling for Native American curriculum for K-12 social studies classes. Resources with localized information from the tribal nations – Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Schaghticoke and Golden Hill Paugussett – are expected to be available in January 2024.

This interview below, is a preview of this collaboration with educators from the Mohegan Tribal Nation and our Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, as well as State Department of Education social studies advisor Steve Armstrong.

Our STN traditional Native American storyteller, Darlene Kascak and education coordinator for the Institute of American Indian Studies explains the importance of centering, and distinguishing, each tribe’s story and voice.

This is a proud moment in our tribal history to have our voices seen, heard, and shared with the world.

Guests in the interview:

• Darlene Kascak: Education Coordinator, Institute of American Indian Studies; Traditional Native American Storyteller, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation
• Sam Cholewa Tondreau: Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Mohegan Tribal Nation
• Steve Armstrong: Social Studies Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education