Abstracts Category : Other

A qualitative phenomenological study which examines the relationship between positive educational outcomes of American Indian women serving in the pow wow princess role

by Casey Fox

The negative statistics pertaining to American Indian women education should cause concern for everyone. The data reflect that American Indian women graduate high school behind all other demographic categories. In contrast, all participants of this study graduated high school and ascended to various levels of higher education. This paradox lends itself to further investigation despite opposing views of some scholars who believe there is nothing more to add. This research explored the existence of a correlation between culture and education for American Indian women who served in the pow wow princess role. Members of the American Indian women were called-upon for their cultural insights and tacit knowledge that is unknown to many outsiders. Interviewing pow wow princesses and exploring the role they fulfilled as a pow wow princess within the American Indian community produced information and data that was used to analyze the existence of a correlation between positive educational outcomes of American Indian women who have served in the pow wow princess role. This research helped to create a better understanding and essence of the pow wow princess role from the perspective of American Indian women who served in this role and being able to apply gained knowledge to other areas of the American Indian body of research. The design of this research employed a qualitative mixed methods approach that was used to conduct field research and gather data through administering the American Indian Enculturation Scale survey designed by Winderowd, Montgomery, Stumblingbear, Harless, and Hicks (2008) and conducting personal interviews with a questionnaire developed by the researcher that triangulated the selected instruments with theories contained within the body of research. The findings of this study suggest there is a correlation between the pow wow princess role and positive educational outcomes of American Indian women serving in this role. These findings support and add to the existing body of research.