When Morgan Marsh, a 2022 graduate of Dexter High School, set out to do her Undergraduate research project, she was motivated in part by what she was learning in her Anthropology courses and a desire to do work that went into a new depth she hadn’t covered before.

Now over a year later, this work turned into her presenting her findings at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research and having her project paper, titled, “Lazarus Cultures: Cultural Reclamation Amongst Michigan Anishinaabe in Relation to Their Colonial Encounters,” published in the 14^th edition of Clocks and Clouds.

The Sun Times News (STN) followed up with Marsh to ask about this and her work. Marsh is currently in her last semester of undergrad at American University, graduating in December with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and minor in Anthropology.  She plans on attending graduate school next fall. 

“Being published, even at the Undergraduate Level, was an incredibly uplifting experience,” she said. “I’d been working with the journal as a peer editor for a year and was shocked when my anonymously submitted article was selected for publication. Reading the feedback from my reviewers and the selection team made me realize how important this research is and that my work meant something to people. This experience has further motivated me to pursue my research seriously.”

In describing her work, she said her “project involves a series of ethnographic interviews, site visits, and observations with different Anishinaabe groups in Michigan.”

“The purpose of this research was to understand how the Anishinaabe are teaching colonialism within their cultural spaces, what their understanding of colonialism is, and if this understanding differs from the messaging shared at collaborative educational spaces,” Marsh said.

The abstract of her published paper said:

“In recent years discussions have begun to emerge surrounding the cultural devastation that occurred at former North American indigenous boarding schools; in turn, sparking interest into how indigenous cultures can be reclaimed. But these discussions are often singularly focused and based on a unified understanding of indigenous colonial encounters; a problem that could be avoided through examining one indigenous group as opposed to generalizing the whole. Through observations, in-field discussions, and expert interviews with various Anishinaabe in Northwest Michigan, this investigation explores the intersections of colonial understandings and diverse reclamation efforts in the contemporary era for a singular indigenous population. Dialogues with various Anishinaabe operating within the field of cultural recovery reveals the importance of culture-based understandings of colonialism and the significance of ontology in shaping reclamation projects. The outcome, a discovery of the strong association between colonialism and the United States within Anishinaabe spaces of reclamation, opens the floor for new debate on the significance of colonial perceptions while also offering conclusions on the differences between Anishinaabe-intended and non-Anishinaabe (outsider)-focused reclamation.”

Marsh told STN that her “conclusions were that colonialism is most strongly associated with the United States in Anishinaabe-led discourse and that collaborative spaces run alongside or exclusively by the State of Michigan tend to emphasize the earlier British and French colonial periods in comparison.”

“Most importantly, I made some observations about the epistemological (knowledge theory) behind how these understandings are being passed down from generation to generation,” she said. “On the Anishinaabe side, there was a heavy emphasis on experiential, hands-on, and reward-based learning which has a long cultural significance for the Anishinaabe; whereas the state-sponsored sites tended to lean towards rote memorization and written sources.”

STN asked her what motivated her to pursue this research and work.

“As for my motivations, they came from a desire to conduct onsite research, and observations I’d made while taking some upper-level Anthropology courses,” she said. “I knew as soon as I was presented with the opportunity to conduct a full research project that I wanted to practice my ethnographic research skills and get a feel for fieldwork. As I hope to pursue a PhD in the subject, I figured that this assignment would be an excellent opportunity to develop my research repertoire. On the other hand, I’d taken several classes for my minor in Anthropology that discussed colonial impacts and the gap in their presentation, but only outside of North America. Hence I sought to fill this gap in the familiar discourse with my research.”

The work did come with some challenges however, but overcoming them also led to some of the highlights of conducting such research.

“This is not to say that my research is perfect, nor was it easy to conduct,” she told STN. “One of the most difficult parts of this process was ensuring that my interviews and site visits were being conducted ethically. It took a while, but eventually, I was able to develop a methodology that adhered to the American Anthropological Association’s standards for research and got permission from each tribe I worked with to do my site visits.”

In the end, Marsh said, “This work ultimately led to the highlight of my work, being a witness to a variety of beautiful artistic and cultural events hosted by Anishinaabe organizations throughout the state. I would also say that conducting this research as a whole was an eye-opening experience, leading me down a path I never thought I would pursue.”

STN asked her what’s next for this research and project.

“The next steps for this work could take many different shapes and forms,” she answered. “I could keep working with the Anishinaabe to develop community-based policy solutions that ensure their colonial realities are accurately told. I could repeat this research with other tribes in different regions and see if my outcomes differ. However, my interests were piqued when I observed the epistemological differences between the Anishnaabe and State of Michigan sites. I currently plan to focus my work on understanding how group-specific epistemologies play into lasting educational benefit; with the hope of accumulating data that could strengthen educational accessibility.”  

To see her published work, go to  https://edspace.american.edu/clocksandclouds/

Photos: Morgan Marsh presenting her research findings at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research this past April. Photo courtesy of Morgan Marsh