UCC Choctaw scholars praise cultural bond

TWO recipients of the Choctaw-Ireland Scholarship programme have graduated from University College Cork (UCC) on the first day of the spring conferring ceremonies.

The scholarship recognises the act of generosity shown by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma towards the people of Ireland during the Great Famine, when they collected $170 (the equivalent of €4,600 today) to send to people in Ireland.

Skylee Glass and Aurianna Jewell Joines recently finished their studies at the Cork university under the programme, which aims to foster and deepen the ties between the two nations.

Ms Glass was conferred with a master’s in applied psychology, which included a six-month placement with the Rainbow Club — a charity which provides support for children with autism and their families.

Ms Glass said: “The Choctaw-Ireland scholarship has maintained the bond between two cultures who underwent similar experiences.

“I plan to continue my education and pursue a PhD in hopes to one day open my own mental health care organisation that serves underprivileged individuals, because mental health care is not a privilege — it is a basic human right.”

Dr Sharon Lambert, a senior lecturer in applied psychology UCC, added: “In addition to her studies, Skylee engaged in important events including the Traveller Visibility Group’s Traveller Pride event — a celebration of Traveller history and culture.

“Skylee met with Traveller women and discussed the similarities between their communities and the shared traditions associated with indigenous nomadic cultures, and the impact on health and wellbeing of the forced assimilation of these cultures.”

Aurianna Jewell Joines was conferred with a master’s in digital arts and humanities, writing a thesis which explored the importance of storytelling within tribal culture, showing parallels between the strong storytelling tradition of the Choctaw Nation and digital multimedia environments.

Ms Jewell Joines said: “The Choctaw-Ireland Scholarship is no small gift. This scholarship encourages both personal and professional growth, travelling and being immersed in culture, and being transformed in your way of thinking.

Ms Jewell Joines said she has since started a brand design studio, Foundwell Design, explaining: “I create brands and websites for heart-led businesses rooted in storytelling.”

The head of the School of English and Digital Humanities at UCC, Dr Órla Murphy, added: “Aurianna’s work expertly ensured that aspects of traditional storytelling in the contemporary lives of Choctaw creatives were explored.

“The digital artefact of her thesis is a series of podcasts containing interviews with the Choctaw tribal nation. The necessity of the work in its context and the depth and richness of the material is clear in the level of engagement from the community, and the personal and community resonance of this series.”