Slide 2 Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) in
Anthropology Native Anthropology Training Students in CBPR Engaging
the Cultural Arts in the African American Community Goal:
Developing an Intervention Model Translating and Connecting the
Data with Other (National/International) Communities Slide 3
Linking academia to the community Unlike helicopter anthropology
Involvement Ownership Empowerment Social agenda Request from the
community Slide 4 halfie coined by Abu-Lughod Personal
connection/relationship Sensitivity Understanding Underserved and
exploited communities Teaching moment Cant just walk away
Responsibility Expectations Slide 5 Relationships Indigenous
method: Relational Respect Reciprocity Anthropological field
methods Slide 6 RCDC and the MWPA Community request: Document and
archive the project for public relations and educational purposes.
1. Cultural significance to the community -> historical value 2.
Educational significance to the community 3. Formation of a
collective the transition from a one organization endeavor to a
regional and institutional building endeavor Research question:
What is a successful intervention model to positively impact
underserved youth through cultural arts participation? Slide 7
Cultural heritage Education Institution building Family and
Community* Slide 8 When: March and April 2010 Participant
observation 5 drumming events: STL, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinatti,
Louisville for a minimum of 40 hours Focus groups 2 (Mothers and
fathers) Individual Interviews 17 (leadership, parents, youth
participant, community member) Group interview 2 (Elders, dancers)
Slide 9 Surveys 70 community audience members 50 youth participants
Audio and video recording Group process Slide 10 Cultural
Heritage/Family and Community Education/Family and Community
Institution Building/Family and Community Slide 11 Cultural
Heritage/Family and Community Education/Family and Community
Institution Building/Family and Community Slide 12 RCDC as a
standout organization Leadership: commitment and vision Ability to
carry, translate, and impose the vision Significance of education
apprenticeship Significance of cultural heritage Requirement of
family involvement Slide 13 Community Native position *Family Slide
14 July 2011 Community based research in Suriname SIUE students
worked in teams Javanese cultural organization and center Maroon
and Indigenous cultural organizations Afro-Surinamese cultural
organization and center Slide 15 Same indicators Additional lessons
from Suriname Significance of cultural identity Context of
multi-ethnicity rather than minority status Context of class
Negotiating Native status Expectations Reteaching and reshaping the
colonial relationship Slide 16 Potential of academia in the
community Reshaping the relationship with academia Reshaping how
we/they think about academia Respect and empowerment of the
community Slide 17 What I dont like, for real, when we mess up Male
age 17 They [drum gathering] are a lot of fun and I get to meet a
lot of new people Female age 14 It keeps me disciplined. It helped
me decide where I wanted to go to Female age 18 I get to entertain
people Male age 17 Slide 18 We work together as a real drum line
Male age 17 I learn how to better myself as a person and a player
Female age 15 It makes me want to go to college, so I work hard in
school Female age 16 Slide 19 I like playing in front of everyone
Male age 17 I am better in math Male age 18 Playing music that
makes the fans dance Female age 18 Support and love, that is what
we need most Male age 15 They support me by coming to performances
and bragging about me Female age 18 Slide 20 Something positive to
do and involves parents Male age 43 Love it! Family, friends, and a
great cause Female age 60 Its a great activity to learn how to make
music and make people dance, and it can keep more kids minds off
the street Female age 45 Slide 21 Commitment, focus, cultural
pride. Very impressed and proud at what I witnessed. Female age 37
It creates an identity outside of sports Female age 40 Want people
to know what the significance of drumming is to the importance of
education Female age 72 Slide 22 A chance to see our youth do
something positive. Male age 57 Do it, its fun Female age 17 You
get to experience a part of black culture Male age 20 Slide 23 I
would like everyone, especially African Americans to realize what a
large part of our heritage this represents Male age 46 It teaches
discipline and opens doors and opportunities for children that
would not otherwise be available Female age 42 Slide 24
