Yakama Rising offers an ethnographic exploration of the Yakama Nation's journey from historical trauma to grassroots resilience. Researcher Michelle M. Jacob engages with community members to reveal how longstanding wounds of settler colonialism are addressed through collective action and cultural expression.
Focusing on three central domains—dance, language, and traditional foods—Jacob outlines a decolonizing praxis that moves beyond victimhood to self-determined social change. The narratives highlight both the tension of reclaiming ancestral practices and the creative adaptations that ensure cultural survival.
This work contributes to broader discourses on Indigenous feminism and social change, demonstrating that revitalization efforts are powerful catalysts for healing, identity affirmation, and community empowerment.
Key themes:
- Grassroots activism and Indigenous resilience
- Revival of dance, language, and culinary traditions
- Decolonization and self-determination
- Theoretical insights on cultural revitalization
Ideal for students, academics, and tribal community members, Yakama Rising illuminates how grassroots efforts can transform lives and foster sustainable social renewal.
