CWIS Associate Scholars Achieve

The Center for World Indigenous Studies Associate Scholars Program calls upon the best and the brightest scholarly leaders worldwide who work with Fourth World Nations and will share their knowledge and perspectives for the benefit of Fourth World peoples.  The Center’s program experiences great success in large measure because of the accomplishments of the Scholars.

“An Associate Scholar is an individual dedicated to understanding and applying the ancient knowledge of a Fourth World nation(s) for the benefit of Fourth World nations. Associate Scholars undertake research  to elaborate and extend traditional knowledge to explain phenomena, ideas and challenges facing Fourth World Nations and to contribute to  the growing body of traditional knowledge for all of humanity.”

Six extraordinary Associate Scholars demonstrate the great value of the Center’s program, and I want now to review who these people are.

Mirjam Hirch

(Mirjam Hirch (left) with award presenter)

Associate Scholar and CWIS Fellow for Traditional Health Geography Mirjam Hirch (Darmstadt, Germany) has been awarded Best Presentation
Prize for her paper delivered at the November 2010 7th Kastelli Symposium in Oulu, Finland. Presenting on her topic, “the disruptive potential of geography in indigenous peoples’ health.” The theme of the symposium was “People in a changing world.”

The Thule Institute and the University of Oulu in cooperation with the University of Arctic Thematic Networks on Global Change and Arctic Medicine organized the symposium. Ms. Hirch’s presentation accompanied keynote presentations by Gert Mulvad of Greenland, Hannu Heikkinen of Finland, Joan Nymand Larsen of Island and Gunhild Hoogensen of Norway.

Bo-i Era España

(Bo-i Era España [left] with CWIS Chair Rudolph Rÿser)

Ms. Bo-i Era España of the Monuvu in Southern Mindanao, the Philippines. Ms. España is the Tribal Chieftain of the Monuvu and a traditional knowledge scholar emphasizing stories and legends, customary law on the protection of women and children and customary law in the ancestral domain. Ms.España has honored her work by posting a video entitled: “Equality of Men and Women in Monuvu Perspective” on The iLeap Blog. You may view the video by clicking http://ileap.org/blog/?p=3473 or pasting the URL in your browser.

Dr. Leslie E. Korn

(Dr. Leslie E. Korn in Tuito, Jalisco, Mexico)

Associate Scholar and Center for Traditional Medicine Director Dr. Leslie E. Korn has been recognized by the F. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State for her accomplishments as a Fulbright Scholar. She recently completed a nine-month study of traditional medicinal plants and animals in the jungles of western Mexico. She conducted field work interviewing traditional healers and trekked in the jungle collecting plants identified by healers and then documenting them and the knowledge surrounding each plant.

Emmanuel G.V. Dolo

Mr. Emmanuel G. V. Dolo is the Founder and Executive Director of Population Caring Organization (Liberia and Ghana). You may view PCO information here http://populationcaring.org/ by clicking on the URL or pasting it into your browser. The Population Caring Organization was founded in
May 2003 in response to the needs of Liberian refugees in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana. At the time, Buduburam was home to more than 42,000 refugees from the Liberian civil war. PCO was founded by Mr. Emmanuel G.V. Dolo, a Liberian refugee living in Ghana. Mr. Dolo is an iLeap International Scholar.

Dr. Gilbert Rochon

CWIS Associate Scholar Dr. Gilbert Rochon was chosen 17 September this year by the Tuskegee University Board of Trustees to become the 6th President of this historic and prestigious university on 1 November 2010.  Dr. Rochon had been serving as the Senior Research scientist at the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing and also the director of the Terrestrial Observatory at Purdue University in Indiana, USA. Tuskegee University’s first president in 1881 was Dr. Booker T. Washington (1881-1915) the acclaimed civil rights, human rights, and educational leader who set the early tone for quality, practical and scholarly learning–a legacy Dr. Rochon is supremely qualified to carry forward.

Dr. Randal Bowers

CWIS Associate Scholar Dr. Kisku Sa’qawei Pag’tism (Randolph Bowers) has accepted appointment as Senior Lecturer and Program Leaders in  Counselling at the University of Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia (http://www.usc.edu.au/) beginning in 2011. The University opened in 1996 and now has 7000 learners. It’s published mission is: “To be the  major catalyst for the innovative and sustainable economic, cultural and educational advancement of the region, through the pursuit of  international standards in teaching, research and engagement.”

Dr. Bowers’ professional contributions are certainly at the level of  international standards consistent with and exceeding the University’s mission.

CWIS Associate scholars in the Fourth World have a profound influence on ideas and in particular the application of traditional knowledge, indigenous peoples’ sciences and philosophies for the benefit of Fourth World peoples. We are proud to be working with so many who accomplish so much.