The Oral Examination in Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is designed to provide students with the opportunity to reflect on their engagement with IK in year one and two in the program. The examination emphasizes the importance of orality as a pedagogy for expressing knowledge. Students make a presentation to the Traditional Council on their engagement with IK which, along with a paper submitted to the Director of Studies, serve as the basis for questions by the Traditional Council. The examination can take up to two hours in length.
Guidelines for the Oral Exam in IK
Preparation for this exam begins with taking advantage of the various opportunities to engage with Indigenous Knowledge and traditional practices at Trent as well as in the region. IK related activities are embedded in first and second-year coursework in the PhD Program. IK and traditional activities are also available through the First People's House of Learning and are offered periodically by regional Indigenous Organizations. Students have the additional opportunity to apprentice with an Elder or Knowledge Holder through Bimaadiziwin/Atonhnhetsherí:io.
The first step toward a successful conclusion to the Oral Exam in IK is to meet with the Director of Studies early in the first year to set up their Bimaadiziwin/Atonhnhetsherí:io so that it is in place for the summer of the first year. The second is to consider the various IK related activities happening at Trent and in the area and make a commitment to participate in as much as you can, with specific emphasis on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Knowledge and traditional practices.
Process:
The candidate will submit, two weeks prior to the scheduled examination, a 5 to 6 page paper (12 point font, double-spaced) to the Director of Studies and the Program Assistant. The paper should summarize the candidate’s journey and academic engagement with Indigenous Knowledges. The exam will then be set up by the Program Assistant and scheduled for late May or early June.
The Exam:
During the examination, the candidate will make a 30-minute presentation to the Traditional Council (examining committee). Following the candidate’s presentation, the Traditional Council will ask questions of the candidate. Each member of the examining committee may address the candidate for 10 minutes. After the first round of questions, the examining committee may address the candidate again briefly for clarification on the candidate’s response.
What is Expected of the Candidate:
The candidate is required to address the following scope and content in both the presentation and in subsequent questions:
Student’s journey, experiential and academic engagement with IK, including:
- The intellectual journey and engagement with IK while in the PhD Program, while at Trent University, and if applicable through the student’s personal background (i.e. INDG6600Yand INDG6715H, classroom and field trip experiential learning; FPHL’s traditional teachings, visiting Elders program and experiential learning opportunities, engagement in other IK contexts).
- Activities the student has engaged in and taken initiative to pursue to further understanding and application of IK
- Connections between the student’s journey and academic literature surrounding IK
- Discussion of student comprehensive understandings of:
- Anishinaabe/Haudenosaunee foundational teachings and philosophical contexts (i.e. Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Creation stories and oral narratives; Anishinaabe7 Grandfather/Grandmother teachings, water and fire teachings, teachings of the pipe, women’s/men’s2SQteachings, clan system, governance, ceremony; Haudenosaunee Great Law, Handsome Lake teachings, wampum belts, condolence cane, clan system, lacrosse; and the significance of language and its tie to IK)
- Other Indigenous foundational teachings and IK contexts for which the student may have a comprehensive understanding
- Their own positionality with respect to IK (including discussion of protocols and principles for engaging with IK, Elders and Knowledge Holders)
- Transformation and use/application of IK in daily personal/community life and in academic contexts
- Ethical responsibility to, and use of IK as an individual, community member and/or academic
Students should keep these expectations in mind as they engage with IK and IK related activities over the first two years of the program. Be sure to consult with the instructors of the IK course as well as the Director of Studies to ensure the development of a plan that provides sufficient engagement with both Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee knowledges and IK activities. There are various opportunities to engage with IK over the first two years of the program, but It is ultimately the responsibility of students to participate and ensure they are ready for the Oral Exam in IK.