Gwitch'in Native Elders: Not Just Knowledge, But a Way of Looking at the World

Gwitch'in Native Elders is the first monograph in the series Native Pathways to Education published by the Alaska Native Knowledge Network. In this study, Shawn Wilson examines the role, characteristics, and needs of Gwitch'in Native elders of Fort Yukon, Alaska. Using participant observer and ethnographic methodologies, the researcher was able to make a distinction between respected elders and the elderly. Through the literature reviewed, it was established that strong and healthy elders are essential in the healing of their communities.