Native Voices A Conv e rs a tio n with Guntra m H erb
As Told By Drew An-Pham '23
B
orders have the power to make or break an individual's livelihood, a community’s culture, and a nation’s identity. So often,
tales of the US-Mexico border and immigration conflicts have bled into the headlines, leaving stories of the US-Candian border untold. Guntram Herb, professor at Middlebury College and Chair of the Geography Department, decided to shed light on these unsung narratives. Along with his wife, Patricia LaBon Herb—a native descent of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, they embarked on a two summer journey along the US-Canadian border to learn about, experience, and understand how these northern borderlands have challenged the native spirit and identity. “I wanted this [project] to break the silence that surrounds the more than fifty indigenous peoples in the northern borderlands of the United States and Canada." "There is a surprising lack of knowledge about these indigenous borderlands inhabitants and the challenges they face due to increasing restrictions on cross-border movement,” Guntram said. In a critical time where BIPOC’s have become the victim of underrepresentation and construed media depictions, Guntram recalls on the impact his research had on amplifying the Native voices that create resistance and foster culture along the indigenous borderland.
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