Native American Two-Spirit

Native American Two-Spirit In many Native American communities, the term Two Spirit- sometimes twospirited, depending on the source- is used to refer to indigenous members who fall outside of traditional gender roles. This term is not a substitute for homosexuality; instead, it applies to people who are considered to be a third gender, and typically hold a sacred ceremonial role within their culture. Two Spirit Key Takeaways Two Spirits are Native American or First Nations individuals who identify with both male and female genders.There is some question about the historical context of Two Spirits, because there are hundreds of Native tribes, all of which have their own unique cultural traditions.It is inappropriate for a non-Native individual to use the term Two Spirit to describe themselves. Origins and Definition of the Term Prior to the 1990s, Native people who identified as a third gender were known by the pejorative anthropological term  berdache, which is a non-Native word typically associated with male prostitutes. However, at a Winnipeg conference for gay and lesbian Native Americans in 1990, the term Two Spirit was coined to refer to Natives who define themselves as having both masculine and feminine spirits. Since that time, according to John Leland of the  New York Times, Two-Spirit societies have formed in Montana as well as in Denver, Minnesota, New York State, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Tulsa, and elsewhere, organized around what members assert was once an honored status within nearly every tribe on the continent. Male-bodied Two Spirit people are found in many Native American and First Nations communities. In the past, they fulfilled traditionally male roles, such as fighting in wars and going to historically male activities like sweat lodge ceremonies. However, at the same time, they took on traditionally female tasks as well- cooking, washing, and childcare, for example- and often wore female dress. Author Gabriel Estrada says in Two Spirits,  Ndleeh, and LGBTQ2 Navajo Gaze that while not all indigenous nations have rigid gender roles, among tribes that do, the range includes feminine woman, masculine man, feminine man, and masculine woman. In many Native nations, the Two Spirit person found a role in their community as a shaman, visionary, keeper of oral traditions, matchmaker or marriage counselor, mediator in time of disputes, and caretaker of the vulnerable, such as children, the elderly, or injured warriors. They were often seen as sacred beings, whose dual genders were a gift from the Great Spirit. Historical Accounts We Wha (1849-1896), a Zuni, full length portrait. Photographer  John K. Hillers  /  Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology  / Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons During the colonization of North America, indigenous groups were still maintaining their traditions orally; there was no written history among the tribes. However, there was a fair amount of documentation among European invaders, many of whom kept journals of their travels. In California, Don Pedro Fages led a Spanish expedition into the territory during the late eighteenth century. He wrote in his diary of homosexual practices among the indigenous populations he encountered, describing Indian men who, both here and farther inland, are observed in the dress, clothing, and character of women- there being two or three such in each village. In 1722, a French explorer, Claude-Charles Le Roy, also called Bacqueville de La Potherie, described that among the Iroquois, there was an awareness of a third gender in other tribal groups. He said, Perhaps these male Iroquois are so horrified by [doing] women’s work because they have seen among the nations of the south some men who act like women, and give up men’s clothing for those of women. You see this very rarely among the Iroquois and they condemn this way of life by the light of Reason. It is likely that the group he referred to was the Cherokee Nation. A fur trader named Edwin T. Denig spent two decades with the Crow Nation in the early 1800s, and wrote that men who dressed as women and specialized in womens work were accepted and sometimes honored... Most civilized communities recognize but two genders, the masculine and feminine. But strange to say, these people have a neuter. Denig also wrote of a woman who led men into battle and had four wives. It is likely he was referring to a warrior known as Woman Chief. She was adopted by the Crow at age ten, and by all accounts was a tomboy, and only interested in male pursuits. Her adoptive father, whose sons had all been killed, encouraged her, and when he died, she took over his lodge and led men into battle against the Blackfoot. Details of Woman Chiefs exploits were chronicled by traders and other contemporaries, and it was generally acknowledged that she was a Two Spirit. Although the term Two Spirit itself is relatively new, the concept is not. There are numerous tribal-specific names, traditions, and roles among the different Native nations. The Lakota winkte were viewed as people who were neither male nor female, and whose androgyny was an inborn character trait, or the result of a sacred vision. They often occupied a distinct spiritual role in the community, fulfilling ceremonial duties that could not be performed by individuals who were male or only female. The winkte took on roles as seers, medicine people, healers. During times of battle, the visions of a winkte could guide warriors into their fight, and help determine steps taken by war chiefs. Among the Cheyenne, the HÄ“Ä“ mÄÆ'n Ä•h held a similar position. They accompanied warriors into battle and treated wounds after the fighting had ended, and cured the sick during times of peace. Wewha was a Zuni two-spirited person, or lhamana, who lived in the nineteenth century. She performed historically masculine spiritual and judicial roles, such as guiding religious ceremonies and serving as a mediator in disputes. However, she also spent time on traditionally feminine activities- sewing dresses, making pottery, weaving baskets, and other domestic pursuits. Controversy Over Scholarship There is some controversy in the Native community about Two Spirits- not about their existence, but about the modern notion that Native peoples historically described LGBTQ folks as two-spirited and celebrated them as healers and shamans. Mary Annette Pember, who is a journalist and member of the Ojibwe Nation, says that while Two Spirit is some empowering terminology, it also comes with some questionable scholarship. Pember points out that Native culture is based upon oral tradition, and much of what has been decided by anthropologists is based upon the writings of European conquerers, painting all Native tribes with the same brush. She says: [This] conveniently overlook[s] distinct cultural and language differences that Native peoples hold crucial to their identity... Years of colonization and appropriation by European invaders, as well as the well-intentioned religious hegemony that demonized our spirituality and way of life... has made Indian Country much like the rest of rural America in terms of enlightened treatment of LGBTQ folks. In fact, some tribes  have created laws  specifically banning same-sex marriage. Gender-variant individuals have a hard way to go, in and out of Indian Country. Although not all indigenous tribes viewed Two Spirit people the same way, overall it does appear that they were accepted as a perfectly routine part of the community. In general, each individual was judged for their contributions to the tribe, rather than for conformity to rigid gender roles. Two Spirits Today Jean Decay attends the Two-Spirit Pride Party at the Inaugural Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration. Chelsea Guglielmino / Getty Images Todays Two Spirit community is actively taking both new and traditional spiritual roles in their various nations. Tony Enos, of  Indian Country Today,  points out that Claiming the role of Two Spirit is to take up the spiritual responsibility that the role traditionally had. Walking the red road, being for the people and our children/youth, and being a guiding force in a good way with a good mind are just some of those responsibilities. He adds that service to the elders and youth of the community is an important part of maintaining the old cultural traditions. Modern Two Spirits publicly embrace the mixture of masculine and feminine within them, and there are Two Spirit societies all over North America. Gatherings, including powwows which are open to the public, are held regularly as a way of not only building community, but also of educating non-Natives about the world of the Two Spirit. Todays Two Spirits are taking on the ceremonial roles of those who came before them, working to facilitate spiritual events in their communities. They also work as activists and healers, and have been instrumental in bringing GLBT health issues to the forefront among the hundreds of Native tribes. By bridging the gap between gender roles and indigenous spirituality, todays Two Spirits are continuing the sacred work of their ancestors. Sources Estrada, Gabriel. â€Å"Two Spirits, Ndleeh, and LGBTQ2 Navajo Gaze.†Ã‚  American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 35, no. 4, 2011, pp. 167–190., doi:10.17953/aicr.35.4.x500172017344j30.Leland, John. â€Å"A Spirit of Belonging, Inside and Out.†Ã‚  The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Oct. 2006, www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/fashion/08SPIRIT.html?_r0.Medicine, Beatrice. â€Å"Directions in Gender Research in American Indian Societies: Two Spirits and Other Categories.†Ã‚  Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, vol. 3, no. 1, 2002, doi:10.9707/2307-0919.1024.Pember, Mary Annette. â€Å"Two Spirit Tradition Far From Ubiquitous Among Tribes.†Ã‚  Rewire.News, Rewire.News, 13 Oct. 2016, rewire.news/article/2016/10/13/two-spirit-tradition-far-ubiquitous-among-tribes/.Smithers, Gregory D. â€Å"Cherokee ‘Two Spirits’: Gender, Ritual, and Spirituality in the Native South.†Ã‚  Early American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Jo urnal, vol. 12, no. 3, 2014, pp. 626–651., doi:10.1353/eam.2014.0023.

Grant Writing Courses You Can Take Online

Grant Writing Courses You Can Take Online Grant writers connect people and groups seeking funding with funding sources. They work in a wide range of settings including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local governments, and businesses. If youre interested in a career in grant writing, consider developing your skills through an online program. Grant writing is the process of completing applications for financial grants, which are non-repayable funds provided by organizations such as government departments, corporations, and foundations. Before choosing an online grant writing program, assess your finances, available time, and career goals. Are you looking to earn a certificate or degree in grant writing as a step towards a future career, or are you mid-career and seeking to improve your grant writing skills? Once youve answered these questions, you can easily determine which program is best for you. Free Online Grant Writing Resources You can find plenty of grant writing tips, general information, and even a few classes online for free. These resources rarely offer official certification, credit, or continuing education units. However, if youre good at independent learning or are simply looking to beef up your existing skills, the following options might work well for you. Coursera Coursera is home to a grant proposal course created by the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The course carries a fee if you wish to have graded assignments and earn a course certificate, but you can audit all of the course videos for free. MIT Open CourseWare The Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides a wide range of classes for free through MIT OpenCourseWare. The institutes graduate level Advanced Writing Seminar covers much more than grant writing, but youll find some excellent lessons on grants as well as writing and presentation tips that can improve your grant writing skills. Minnesota Council on Foundations The Minnesota Council on Foundations guide, Writing a Successful Grant Proposal, provides an overview of the key elements of a successful grant application. Nonprofitready.org If youre working for a nonprofit, nonprofitready.org offers two free online courses: Getting Foundation Grants and Grantsmanship Essentials. Youll need to create a free account to take these courses. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The United States Environmental Protection Agencys EPA Grants 101 Tutorial walks you through four steps of the grant application process. While the tutorial is focused on applying for EPA grants, the advice is useful for many other types of grant proposals. Online Grant Writing Classes You can find many reasonably-priced options for online grant writing courses. Below, youll find some examples of these courses, along with course descriptions and costs. University of Georgia The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education offers two courses: an introductory-level course called A to Z Grant Writing, and a higher-level course called Advanced Grant Proposal Writing. Each course provides 24 hours of instruction for a cost of $159. The classes are offered on the ed2go.com platform. Udemy Udemy delivers over a dozen courses on different aspects of grant writing. Options range from introductions to the grant writing process to more specialized classes on nonprofits and NIH grants. Courses are broken down into short lectures, and total course time ranges from 45 minutes to 5.5 hours. Each course costs $10.99. University of Wisconsin The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee offers an Introduction to Grant Writing course for $150. The course covers fundraising strategies and explores the six stages of grant writing. The class carries .5 continuing education units. Online Grant Writing Certificate Programs Many colleges offer online grant writing certificate programs. Costs vary, with typical prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to about $1,500. The required time commitment also varies significantly across courses. These large variations in cost and time commitment reveal one of the problems with certificate programs: they tend to not be accredited programs, and some of the certificates merely represent that you paid for a program and made an attempt at completing the instruction modules. When choosing a program, look carefully at the curriculum and the depth of the instruction to ensure that the course is worth the investment. Start your research with this list of examples: University of South Carolina USCs Grant Writing Certificate Program involves thirty hours of classes covering four courses: Introduction to Grant Writing, Needs Based Assessment, Intermediate Grant Writing, and Program Development and Evaluation. Both online and classroom options are available for a fee of $1,322. Arizona State University Arizona State University offers two levels of grant writing certificates: Grant Development- State and Foundation Proposal Certificate for $999; and Advanced Grant Development- Federal Proposal Certificate for $1,175. The courses take six weeks, and students can expect to spend 12 to 15 hours a week on coursework. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs UCCS offers an intensive credit-bearing certificate program, Graduate Certificate in Grant Writing, Management, and Program Evaluation. To apply for the program, students must hold a bachelors degree. Completion of the certificate requires a grade of B- or better in four courses: Evaluation, Grant Writing, Grant Management, and an elective. Both classroom and online options are available. University of Central Florida The University of Central Floridas Division of Continuing Education, in partnership with ed2go, offers a non-credit Certificate in Grant Writing and Nonprofit Management. The program includes four courses: Introduction to Nonprofit Management, Marketing Your Nonprofit, Writing Effective Grant Proposals, and Advanced Grant Proposal Writing. The cost is $465. Fort Hays State University Fort Hays State University offers an Eight-Week University Grant Writing Certification Program for $175. The class meets online for two months. Participants must receive a score of 70% or higher on the final exam to earn a certificate. Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University offers a Grant Research and Writing Certificate Program through WorldEducation.net. This is a more thorough (and more expensive program) than many others with 150 hours of instruction at a cost of $2,995. To earn a certificate, students must complete five courses: Introduction to Grant Research, Introduction to Grant Writing, Specialized Techniques for Grant Writing, Technical Writing, and Advanced Grant Writing. The program can typically be completed in six months. Online Grant Writing Degree Programs Grant writing is generally not offered as a college major, so you wont find many degree programs focused solely on grant writing. Instead, grant writers tend to major in writing-focused fields such as English, marketing, or communication studies. That coursework is then supplemented with specialized coursework, a certificate program, or internship experience focused on grant writing. One exception, however, is the MA in Grant Writing, Management and Evaluation program offered at Concordia University Chicago. Concordias program takes an multidisciplinary approach to grant writing that includes collaboration with your student cohort and partnering with organizations relevant to your professional goals. The program is 100% online, requires 30 credit hours of coursework, and can be completed in 20 months. The cost is over $13,000, but unlike many graduate programs, financial aid is available.