< Kateri Tekakwitha Project Oral History Collection Index

Interviews, in audio and video formats, with transcripts, photographs, and project notes pertaining to the lives of American Indian Catholics, devotions to Kateri Tekakwitha, and other religious activities of Catholic and indigenous origin. Most respondents were active participants in the Catholic Church and of middle age or older. Most interviews were conducted in Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota among people from the Brulé, Dakota, Hunkpapa, Jemez, Laguna, Navajo, Oglala, Pima, Sans Arc, Tohono O'odham, and Yankton tribes. A few respondents were knowledgeable non-Indians.

Processed by Mark Thiel and Blesila Síoson, 1995-1996. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Supporting Fund provided generous financial support.

This project was initiated at the request of Sister Genevieve Cuny, O.S.F., when an official of the Tekakwitha Conference National Center, Great Falls, Montana.

The native respondents were selected through the use of prospect lists compiled with the aid of local parish leaders -- both Indian and non-Indian pastors, deacons, religious, and lay professionals. Consequently, most were active participants in their parishes as well as the Tekakwitha Conference. A disproportionate share were also older persons, especially women, in part reflecting their easier availability. Some potential respondents were unavailable due to participation in traditional activities (e.g. ranching, religious ceremonies) that take place away from their communities during the summer, the season during which all interviews were conducted.

Several photographs and quotations from this collection appear in the online exhibit, Kateri, Our Sister.

Analysis of Participants' Backgrounds

Total number of persons per category are noted in parentheses. Interviews of couples and groups are listed more than once as appropriate.

* = Deacon, priest, religious, or lay professional in the Catholic Church (8).

Interviews with persons of mixed tribal heritage are listed more than once, whereas persons of mixed Indian and non-Indian background are listed according to their tribal affiliation only. Respondents without native heritage are listed as non-Indians.

* = Interview that provides notable description of involvement with tribal religious beliefs and practices.

Interview Questionaire for Native Americans

Questions developed with assistance from Dr. James J. Preston, Chair, Religious Studies Program, State University of New York College at Oneonta, New York, 1991. Comments found in brackets were used only in the South Dakota interviews.

A. Background:
1. Name, age, and tribe.

2. What sort of learning and training have you received? What is the language of the home? Are you fluent in your tribal language? What have been your occupation(s)?

3. Where were you born? How long have you lived here? Elsewhere?

4. Tell us about your family. Have you been married a long time? How many children?

5. Tell us about your religious practices. What is your earliest religious memory? Do you have any religious articles in the home? When you close your eyes, what religious images do you see?

6. What does it mean to be Indian today?

B. Kateri Tekakwitha:
1. When did you first learn about Kateri Tekakwitha? [Note: At the Holy Rosary Mission School, Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, the 1933 school play was about Kateri Tekakwitha and titled "Lily of the Mohawks."]

2. What did you feel or think when she was beatified? When do you think she will be declared a saint? Did you go to the beatification in Rome? What do you think of having a Native American saint?

3 How often do you feel her presence or think of her now? How do you communicate with Kateri? When do you seek her?

4. When you pray to Kateri, what happens to you inside? Have you ever experienced favors or miracles due to Kateri's intercession (or that of other saints)?

5. What does Kateri mean to your tribe? To other Indian people? How do children respond to Kateri?

6. What do you think about Kateri's non-Indian followers?

C. Catholic Church
1. What does Jesus Christ mean to you? Is Mary and any other saints special to you?

2. What should be the relationship of the elders to the church? Catechists? Native religious? Native deacons and clergy?

3. Have you participated in the [St. Mary or St. Joseph Society? Congresses?] Mini Tek or Tekakwitha Conference? Special ceremonies at Church?

4. What do you think about the combination of Indian spirituality with the Catholic faith? (e.g. sacred pipe, smudging, tribal language)

5. What do your children think about the Church? Church-school? What is the future of Native American Catholicism?

6. How can the Church better serve the people? What can the Church do to bring the people closer?

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