




































 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e1                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

Indigenous Writing Retreats: Native 

American community members and 

scholars in action! 
Rodney C. Haring1,2, Iehnhotonkwas Bonnie Jane Maracle 5, Priscilla R. Sanderson1,3, Whitney Ann E. Henry2, 

Donna Grandbois1,4, Erik Brodt1, Pete Hill6 

Hampton Faculty Fellow, Spirit of EAGLES, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rochester,MN1, 

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, Office of Cancer 

Health Disparities Research 2, Northern Arizona University, College of Health and Human Services, Health 

Sciences Department1, 3, North Dakota State University, College of Health Professionals, Department of 

Public Health4 Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community5, Native American Community Services, Inc. 6 

* Corresponding author email: rodney.haring@roswellpark.org 

ABSTRACT 
Writing retreats provide time away from distractions to write manuscripts, grant applications, books, or 

dissertations. A unique characteristic of writing retreats is that they form a “community of scholars,” 

which is culturally congruent with Indigenous intellectuals, who are familiar with community as an 

essential way of life. This perspective piece presents experiences from a national cohort of Indigenous 

scholars (n=6) and viewpoints from a series of Indigenous writing retreats (n=22). Feedback from 

aggregated writing retreats endorses the feasibility, growth, and advocacy of future writing retreats and 

study. Shared outlooks included protected writing times, which produced increased productivity, 

mentorship, traditional advisement, blended with core values related to a community-based 

participatory research framework. 

KEYWORDS: Writing retreat, Indigenous, American Indians, Native American, Haudenosaunee, 

education, minority, community based participatory research, CBPR, public health 

Citation: Haring RC et al (2018) Indigenous Writing Retreats. Cancer Health Disparities 2:e1-e10. 

doi:10.9777/chd.2018.10008. 

 

 

mailto:rodney.haring@roswellpark.org


 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e2                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

INTRODUCTION 

Writing retreats are becoming an integral part of 

academic literature. Retreats often provide a 

period away from distractions and are dedicated 

to writing papers, manuscripts, grant applications, 

books, or putting the finishing touches on a 

project (Rosser, Rugg, & Ross, 2001; Cable, Boyer, 

Colbert, & Boyer, 2013). This dedication includes 

investigators writing research proposals that cycle 

from one project to another quickly, making it 

challenging to find productive time to produce 

manuscripts (Rosser, Rugg, & Ross, 2001). One 

unique characteristic of writing retreats is the 

composition of diverse learners, their educational 

backgrounds, creativity, and community members’ 

participation. Writing retreats often include on-site 

mentorship and writing tutors, who play a critical 

role in providing the on-demand guidance and 

support needed to finish projects (Jackson, 2009; 

Cable, Boyer, Colbert, & Boyer, 2013). 

Community is essential to American Indian culture 

and a way of life for many American Indian, First 

Nations, or Native American peoples, who will be 

noted in this article as Indigenous. Therefore, 

creating a community within a writing retreat is a 

significant aspect of planning these gatherings. 

The notion of a “community of scholars” (Spears, 

2004 in Jackson, 2009) creates an ideal 

atmosphere for Indigenous scholars, bringing 

together traditional and scientific means to 

complete projects. Further, organized Indigenous-

specific writing retreats are a relatively new 

phenomenon in academia and are increasingly 

becoming a much-needed element in Indigenous 

landscapes. With the growing number of 

Indigenous people throughout North America 

pursuing higher levels of education (National 

Center for Educational Statistics (2016). Retrieved 

from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/nativetrends/ 

ind_6_1.asp) and being involved in proposal- and 

report-writing, developing business plans, writing 

books and articles, it has become more and more 

important that time and an appropriate place be 

prepared purposely so that writing tasks can be 

worked on without unwarranted distraction. 

Because Indigenous people are hereditarily 

communal beings, it stands to reason that they 

would instinctively be empowered to complete 

their tasks when working together in a modern 

shared working-living environment (Haring, 

Hudson, Erickson, Taualii, & Freeman, 2014). 

The Indigenous-based retreat becomes a 

cooperative venture in writing, regardless of the 

required product itself. An inspired production 

process is a result of the writing members in a 

short-term community having the opportunity to 

share ideas and concerns about their present 

tasks, listen to each other’s stories of struggles and 

good fortune regarding their work and, most 

importantly, gain advice from others’ experiences 

in navigating and completing similar writing tasks. 

Indigenous writing retreats are also a means to 

socialize, interact, and learn with communities 

during down times.  

Modeling is parallel to what is perceived as social 

learning theory. Social learning theory shares that 

individuals acquire beliefs from role models, close 

friends, social environmental situations, and their 

parents (Bandura, as cited in Petraitis, Flay, & 

Miller, 1995). In relation to cultural sharing, social 

learning theory would predict that experience with 

cultural peers, families, environmental situations, 

parents, and extended family members may shape 

a person’s or child’s reason for learning his or her 

patterns, beliefs, and attitudes about tradition, 

ways of life, and resiliency factors. In Indigenous 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/nativetrends/ind_6_1.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/nativetrends/ind_6_1.asp


 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e3                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

contexts, Haring et al. (2016) used social learning 

theory in a workplace obesity prevention 

intervention in Native workforces, where it was 

noted to be successful. Previous work has also 

been accomplished using social learning and 

modeling with Indigenous populations in clinical 

frameworks (LaFromboise & & Rowe, 1983). 

Further, modeling and community togetherness 

towards a productive and meaningful goal is also 

the premise for community-based participatory 

research, or CBPR. The CBPR process in the 

context of this paper involves sharing of culture, 

identity, and social interaction towards the social 

growth and interconnectedness of individual, 

family, and community involvement (Hicks et al., 

2012).  

PERSPECTIVES AND PROCESS 

Concepts shared include the experiences of an 

Indigenous cohort of scholars who attended an 

Indigenous-based writing retreat in the aboriginal 

landscapes of the Seneca Nation of Indians 

(Niagara Falls, NY). The second set of concepts 

shared includes perspectives from Indigenous 

writing retreat attendees who participated in a 

writing retreat in the aboriginal landscape of the 

Mohawk Indian Nation (Fonda, NY). Both areas are 

part of the Haudenosaunee, also known as the 

Iroquois, a confederacy of federally recognized 

Native Nations. There were originally five nations, 

later six (when the Tuscarora were included), which 

form the Haudenosaunee also known as the 

Iroquois Confederacy. The Mohawks are the 

easternmost, living in upstate New York’s Mohawk 

Valley region, and the Senecas reside in the 

Western New York region (Snow, Gehring, & 

Starna, 1996).  

A methods section is not included as this is a 

perspective piece based on points of view 

collected in an evaluative context for feedback. 

This included responses from multiple cohort 

retreat attendees (n=22) in combination with 

multiple scholars’ (n=6) reflections. Scholars were 

Indigenous writers from across the U.S., while 

others participants were mainly tribal members 

from the Haudenosaunee. Participants included 

three faculty fellow cohorts, for a total of 10 

scholars, who had a proven dedication to 

improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples 

(seven were tribal members). Participants, as 

fellows and scholars, were part of the Mayo Clinic’s 

Spirit of EAGLES Program, Hampton Faculty 

Fellowship (Kaur, Dignan, Burhasstipanov, Baukol, 

& Claus, 2006). The Spirit of EAGLES is a nationally 

funded Native American/Alaska Native-focused 

Community Networks Program Center consisting 

of research initiatives in research projects, 

community outreach, and training (retrieved from 

http://www.nativeamericanprograms.org/index-

spirit.html on October 7, 2016). This unique 

fellowship was named in honor of the first 

Indigenous medical oncologist, James Hampton, 

M.D. These fellows were qualified health disparity 

researchers, dispersed across the country in varied 

academic and clinical practices, with experience in 

Community-Based Participatory Research and 

cancer prevention and control. Twenty-two others 

were participants in multiple cohorts of Indigenous 

writing retreats held in Mohawk Country.  

Setting. 

(Mayo Clinic, Hampton Faculty Fellows) - The 

Mayo Clinic, Spirit of EAGLES, Hampton Faculty 

Fellows and staff members attended a social 

evening with Indigenous community members in 

the aboriginal areas of the Haudenosaunee. The 

http://www.nativeamericanprograms.org/index-spirit.html
http://www.nativeamericanprograms.org/index-spirit.html


 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e4                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

Spirit of EAGLES, housed within the Mayo Clinic in 

Rochester, MN, supported the travel of the 

Hampton Faculty Fellows and staff members. The 

participants were also welcomed by the oldest 

comprehensive cancer center in the U.S., Roswell 

Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, which hosted 

the fellows for a campus visit 

(www.roswellpark.org, retrieved on October 7, 

2016). The retreat was hosted in various venues, 

which included a hotel with writing space and 

small conference rooms, an Indigenous urban 

center (http://www.nacswny.org/ retrieved on 

October 7, 2016) and a cancer institute with an 

academic setting.  

(Kanatsiohareke) - The setting for the Mohawk 

retreat at Kanatsiohareke (Ga na jo ha lay gay) was 

a small rural community in the homelands of the 

Mohawk Nation along the northern shore of the 

Mohawk River in the Mohawk Valley of upper New 

York State. The community provides workshops on 

traditional teachings, Mohawk language and 

culture, spiritual understanding, and local historical 

sightseeing. Food preservation, basket-making, 

drum-making, leather-work, and other such 

traditional artisan workshops, and information 

sessions are also held regularly by Indigenous 

presenters who are experts in their fields. As an 

educational component to Kanatsiohareke’s 

programming, along with the traditional talks, a 

language camp and cultural celebrations, the 

community began hosting a week-long writing 

retreat for Indigenous authors in December 2009. 

This became the first of four successful retreats 

hosted by Kanatsiohareke. Each season, the 

agenda changed based on program evaluation 

suggestions from previous years. A typical week 

may include breakfast, a discussion of the days’ 

writing plans, writing time/quiet time, 1:1 writing 

coach time, if requested; lunch, more 1:1 writing 

coach times, meeting with a spiritual liaison or 

academic counselor, if requested; writing/quiet 

time, and meeting to discuss the day’s 

accomplishments via a round table, dinner, and 

either a cultural activity or a field trip in the region. 

Description of the Intervention. The intervention 

goals of the writing retreats were to provide: 1. a 

quiet, cultural environment to work on writing 

requirements; 2. a space for Indigenous scholars to 

meet and exchange information on their research 

and writings; 3. time for the attendees to speak 

with academic and spiritual advisors (spiritual 

advisors were available at the Kanatsiohareke 

retreat only); and 4. the opportunity for attendees 

to gain answers to questions and words of 

encouragement regarding their research, writing 

and personal goals. Both events were planned to 

give writers in various areas and from an array of 

academic institutions an opportunity to gather 

together to share their research and ideas.  

Participants at Kanatsiohareke were able to spend 

time with Traditional Advisors, who shared cultural 

teachings and provided insight on working in 

Indigenous communities and with Indigenous 

people. In subsequent retreats, an opportunity was 

given to meet one-on-one with both an 

Indigenous Ph.D. Advisor and a Traditional 

Spiritual Advisor. The academic advisor was 

available to lend information on his/her 

experiences going through academic writing tasks 

and to offer tips on successful completion of the 

required work for institutions of higher learning.  

The Traditional Advisor at Kanatsiohareke was 

available to share cultural teachings with the 

writers and provide a sense of purpose and 

cultural connection in their research and writing. 

Individual advice was also available on maintaining 

personal health and wellness in what could be a 

http://www.roswellpark.org/


 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e5                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

stressful time in completing their required work. 

For the Indigenous scholars and writers who were 

brought together for a week, the vision gained 

from that experience of living and working in the 

ancestral homelands of the Haudenosaunee 

provided greater inspiration and meaning to their 

work and thoughts.  

OUTLOOKS 

Perspectives from both of the Indigenous-based 

writing retreats were encouraging. A majority of 

on-site mentors at both retreats were Indigenous 

and held professional graduate degrees (i.e., 

Ph.D.). They also had a strong foundation in 

Indigenous community knowledge, culture, history, 

and tradition. During the time frame discussed in 

this paper, 28 writers attended retreats either 

through the Mayo Clinic’s Hampton Faculty 

Fellowship (n=6) or over a three-year period at 

Kanatsiohareke’s Indigenous Writing Retreats 

(n=22). The goals of the retreats were to develop, 

continue, or revise with new knowledge peer-

reviewed articles, book chapters, grant 

applications, poetry, or non-fiction and fiction 

pieces.  

Protected writing times. Overall findings indicated 

that writing retreats in the Indigenous landscape 

continued and grew, not only in these two venues, 

but among other Indigenous Nations, urban 

centers, and academic institutions. The results 

indicated that writing retreats were beneficial for 

those needing the time for uninterrupted writing. 

This corresponded with previous findings showing 

that writing retreat participants found the location 

away from their normal work place with no 

distractions a successful component of the writing 

retreat. That uninterrupted time was something  

many experienced for the first time (Cable, Boyer, 

Colbert, & Boyer, 2013). 

 

Providing for productive work. The writing retreats 

evolved as a space for Indigenous scholars, 

proposal writers, report writers, and authors. The 

retreats further developed as direct results of input 

and planning of ideas, concerns, and feedback. 

Both events provided an environment in which 

writing tasks were tackled and completed, 

academic suggestions and spiritual support were 

gained from noted Indigenous advisors, and 

networking with Indigenous peers became a 

lasting benefit.  

Core Values of Haudenosaunee Communities. The 

Hampton Faculty Fellows shared views, 

perceptions, and experiential reactions from 

invited guests to observe a Haudenosaunee social 

gathering. The observations of these Fellows were 

unique because it gave them an opportunity to 

see tribal cultures from a different perspective in a 

community different from their own. It provided an 

additional opportunity to see public health in 

action through the eyes of these observers 

(outsiders), which resulted in the creation of a set 

of perceived core values from Haudenosaunee 

Communities that shaped public health.  

We defined “community” as the interactions, 

activities, and relational experience among the 

people at the social ceremony, who shared a core 

value of culture. We distinguished community not 

as the specific people present, but as the core 

values of culture being expressed by those present 

at the social gathering. Culture in Indigenous 

perspectives goes back to the beginning of time; 

for example, many Indigenous cultures, including 

the Haudenosaunee, pray for seven generations in 

the past and seven generations in the future for 



 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e6                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

health and wellbeing. Indigenous peoples are 

always mindful of the seventh generations because 

every action and decision that is made will affect 

the seventh generation ahead. This mindset of 

looking for ways to benefit future generations 

coincides not only with academia but also with 

health research (Haring et al., 2016). The opening 

“Thanksgiving Address” was given at the beginning 

of the community event that the Hampton Faculty 

Fellows attended at Native American Community 

Services in Buffalo, NY. The following were core 

values that emerged from participants who had 

experiences among the Haudenosaunee 

communities that translated into cultural well-

being, which, in turn, influenced good writing 

health and promotion.  

1. Throughout the evening social event, the 

attendees observed kinship and friendships 

strengthen with a common goal of community 

gathering; an oasis away from “home,” 

reserves or Indian Country. This included a 

display of love from mothers, grandmothers, 

or a member of the community to babies, who 

were lovingly carried throughout the social 

dances. The babies heard and felt the water 

drum, horn-rattles, and the stick dance 

throughout the evening. This aspect of the 

social event deepened relationships and 

formed life-time friendships among everyone 

from babies to elders. 

2. A Hampton Faculty Fellow served as a cultural 

broker and organized the event with local 

leaders. The definition of the process of 

cultural-brokering is a person or group of 

people who provide a means to network, 

connect, meet, and interact with communities 

and cultures. Traditionally speaking, 

Indigenous peoples are group-oriented, with a 

sense of cooperation (Johnson et al., 2010). 

This happens in a majority of Indigenous 

communities across Indian country. Finally, 

with only three days’ notice, the event was 

disseminated online to the Indigenous urban 

population and neighboring tribes, i.e., email 

messages, Facebook, and listserv. The 

community gathering had nearly 100 inter-

tribal people present at the evening social 

event. 

3. If there was a feeling of being displaced from 

moving/visiting from “home,” reserves or 

Indian Country, that feeling dissipated during 

the social event. Instead, a proud display of 

inter-tribal togetherness emerged. The 

Indigenous culture is in place in all settings 

within the Haudenosaunee -- urban or 

reservation based. It is not in the past but in 

the present moment of happiness. Before each 

social dance, introductions were given, 

explaining the dance and its meaning.  

4. Throughout the evening, wisdom-holders 

(keepers) openly taught young men, women 

and children. They embraced their cherished 

moments of mentorship and responsibilities by 

carrying forward openings, songs, and cultural 

practices. For instance, youths (3 or 4 years of 

age) joined the singers in the center and 

picked up a drumstick and began singing. A 

mother grabbed her young son’s hand to 

invite him to dance with her; he unwillingly 

went. However, moments later, his little 

sneakers stepped up and down to the beat as 

a huge smile on his face beamed from ear to 

ear.  

5. We observed that dancing and aerobic 

exercise reduced pain in older members. The 

community dancers’ physical tension was 

released through dancing and they became 

more flexible with each foot pounding the 



 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e7                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

floor up and down with increased natural 

rhythm. Elders were also helped by younger 

members of the audience to move about the 

event. Those who did not dance visited, joked 

and laughed, with their knees and feet moving 

up and down to the rhythm of the songs. 

These learned songs come from generations 

past up to the present day. 

6. The meal at the gathering focused on 

traditional Haudenosaunee food ways; 

heirloom varieties of corn, beans, and squash 

continue to be grown and harvested by 

members of the community. Heirloom varieties 

of corn have been passed down in the 

community since time immemorial. Encounters 

with the Haudenosaunee and other tribes in 

the Northeast date back to the 1600s, when 

there was interest in the ways in which the 

Indigenous peoples ground corn and the 

changes that were made as they were 

introduced to non-Indigenous people and 

their tools (Beauchamp, 1898). By using 

traditional foods in ceremonies, a direct 

connection is made to ancestral consciousness, 

i.e., the traditional foods being consumed are 

directly descended from the plants historically 

used by the community. The nutritional 

content of the traditional corn is different from 

almost any contemporary sweet corns. There 

are different varieties of traditional corn, which 

should not be mistaken for the sweet yellow 

corn that is usually eaten, especially during the 

summer months. There is white corn, red corn 

(similar to white corn; different in color), flint 

corn, and black corn (Harrington, 1908). Some 

traditional corns contain anthocyanins, which 

reduce inflammation, cholesterol, and blood 

pressure, and lower the risk of obesity, 

diabetes and heart disease (Robinson, 2013). 

7. The Hampton Faculty Fellows observed the 

modeling of generational behavior of social 

acceptance. The youth at the event followed 

and watched the ways their elders’ interacted 

with each other, including leadership roles, 

communication-styles, and dancing. The 

traditional modeling of accepted social 

behaviors, as observed in one event by the 

Hampton Faculty Fellows, was a life-long 

learning experience for the youth.  

8. An example of inclusion and respect by all 

members of the community was an enormous 

hand-embroidered blanket made by the 

community elders. The blanket was 

breathtaking, with different squares 

embellished with figures of a man and woman 

in matching regalia, representing the balance 

of masculine and feminine pairing. It was laid 

out on a frame in the middle of the floor for all 

to see and admire. One of the elders spoke 

about the various projects to raise funds for 

the Indigenous urban center. For example, the 

blanket was being raffled, with the proceeds 

going to the community as a donation from 

the elders.  

9. The tribal language being spoken was an 

important aspect of each event that the 

Hampton Faculty Fellows visited. Before the 

dances, a welcome and instructions were given 

in the tribal language, as well as the 

acknowledgement of meals served as 

sustenance for community people. The 

openings and closings for each event were 

given to thank the Creator for providing 

nutritious traditional meals and to gain 

strength.  

10. For Indigenous societies, traditional tribal 

songs are sung and revered. It is no different 

for the Haudenosaunee. The Haudenosaunee 



 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e8                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

songs were foreign to the Hampton Faculty 

Fellows from other tribal affiliations such as the 

Dine’, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa 

Indians, and Chippewa/Anishinaabe. During an 

open forum and in side conversations with 

elders, the place, importance and meaning of 

these traditional songs were shared. 

11. The principles of peace, strength, and what is 

known as the Good Mind represent the core 

values of Haudenosaunee culture. In Mohawk, 

the principles of skennen (peace), kariwiio 

(good word) and kasastensera (strength) serve 

as a foundation and guiding force. In Mohawk 

and other Haudenosaunee tribal philosophies, 

the people should strive for peace as 

individuals, communities and Nations. Peace, 

in essence, is more than just the absence of 

conflict or war, but is based on social 

development and healthy foundations. It also 

includes the ability to enact principles such as 

education. Further, it is a means of spiritual 

consciousness in which societies can frame 

their skills and resiliencies towards productive 

reason. In summary, when communities work 

towards peace, a good mind is developed. 

This occurs when people put their minds 

together with good intentions. When these 

values are followed, strength is developed that 

moves the community forward in healthy, 

productive and resilient ways (retrieved on 

October 21, 2015 from http://www.ipcb.org/ 

resources/archived/akw_protocol.html). 

 

DISCUSSION 

An adjustment in timing and hosting procedures 

was considered at one of the writing retreats. At 

Kanatsiohareke, each registrant was provided with 

separate accommodations, writing space, and 

meals. The community house made arrangements 

to have a cook prepare breakfast, lunch and 

supper daily for the participants so they could 

concentrate on only having to do their writing. 

Costs for the event, which mainly included cooking 

services, food expense, honoraria for advisors, 

accommodations, utilities, maintenance, and local 

travel, were shared, with donations or small grants 

received for the event and a minimal registration 

fee charged to each participant. 

In the beginning, December was thought to be a 

good time of the year at Kanatsiohareke to invite 

Indigenous writers to work on getting some tasks 

completed during an otherwise hectic month. The 

four Indigenous Ph.D. students who registered for 

the first writing retreat were from different 

institutions. Unfortunately, due to stormy weather 

at the time, one of the registrants was unable to 

make it to the session. The feedback from this 

event, however, entailed strong recommendations 

to host the event again but perhaps during 

warmer, less hazardous weather.  

The next writing retreat was therefore planned as 

an August event. The 10 registrants for this retreat 

had varied backgrounds as graduate students, 

writers preparing articles and reports, and others 

doing some personal journaling. There was an 

expressed appreciation for the community’s quiet 

peaceful environment and the healthy meals that 

were provided. It was suggested, however, that the 

event be held earlier than August as most 

participants needed the time in mid-August to 

prepare for a return to their studies or teaching 

positions. There was also a concern expressed 

through the evaluations that participation in the 

event be open only to those who were Indigenous 

people in order to maintain a more focused 

http://www.ipcb.org/resources/archived/akw_protocol.html
http://www.ipcb.org/resources/archived/akw_protocol.html
http://www.ipcb.org/resources/archived/akw_protocol.html.


 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e9                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

atmosphere of peer exchange and support for 

their writing goals. Another suggestion was to 

have the group meet daily to discuss their day’s 

accomplishments and share any concerns with 

their writing.  

With these recommendations in mind, the 

planning of the subsequent writing retreats saw a 

time-change for the event from August to July, 

and registration geared towards Indigenous 

writers and scholars. The July event went forward 

with nine participants and a repeat of the retreat 

format, with daily provisions of meals, time to 

speak personally with both the Ph.D. and 

Traditional Advisors, writing time, and social 

networking time. The attending Indigenous Ph.D. 

and Traditional Advisors were changed, but a 

gender balance continued for the meeting 

comfort of the participants. Time was slotted into 

this July daily schedule for a sharing circle in the 

late afternoon before dinner. The evenings 

remained a time for socializing, traditional talks 

and games, and storytelling. Feedback from this 

July group was positive and again participants 

were very thankful for the opportunity, time and 

space provided at Kanatsiohareke to accomplish 

writing tasks for their academic requirements, job 

tasks, and personal goals. A suggestion that came 

from the evaluations was to add to the schedule 

an opportunity for those who want to take a break 

to tour local historical sights while they are in the 

Mohawk homelands. 

 

CONCLUSION 

This article provides an overview of observations 

from the Hampton Faculty Fellows’ experiences in 

the Haudenosaunee region as well as the 

accomplishments of the Kanatsiohareke 

Community nestled in the aboriginal landscape of 

Mohawk Country. The Hampton Fellows’ 

experience as well as that of the Indigenous writers 

at Kanatsiohareke has affirmed the heterogeneity 

of Indigenous Nations in the U.S. and Canada. 

Both academic and community projects provided 

a positive experience for the Hampton Faculty 

Fellows and other Indigenous writers.  

The next steps include sharing and disseminating 

the foundational pieces of creating and building 

success stories of Indigenous-based writing 

retreats with more Indigenous Nations, academic 

institutions, and authors from various disciplines. 

Indigenous writing retreats can prove beneficial to 

Indigenous graduate students and writers if 

organized in other parts of the country, where the 

opportunity for uninterrupted writing could take 

place. The continued support of Indigenous 

scholars and writers will in turn provide benefits in 

the long-run to many Indigenous communities at 

large and perhaps other minority communities. 

The writing retreat as an event and over the 

course of time has proven to be a welcomed 

success not only for Indigenous scholars, but also 

for an increasing number of Indigenous 

professionals and writers from various programs 

and communities. Writing retreats not only have 

the ability to shape writing projects but they also 

provide a means to place these movements into 

public health action across Indigenous Nations for 

the betterment of the country’s first inhabitants.  

Acknowledgements 

Perspectives shared in this publication were 

supported by the National Institutes of Health, 

National Cancer Institute (NCI) under Award 

Number U54 CA153605.  The paper development 

also used shared resources supported by Roswell 

Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer 



 
 
 
 
 

 

www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd                   e10                                              Cancer Health Disparities 

RESEARCH 

Center Support Grant from the NCI 

(P30CA016056). The content is solely the 

responsibility of the authors and does not 

necessarily represent the official views of the 

National Institutes of Health.  We also send much 

gratitude to Sakokwenionkwas (Tom Porter) and 

the Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community, 4934 

State Hwy #5 Fonda, NY 12068, (518) 673-4197, 

www.mohawkcommunity.com, Native American 

Community Services, Inc., Marcy Averill from the 

Mayo Clinic, and Paula Jones from Roswell Park 

Comprehensive Cancer Center for editorial 

assistance. 

Conflict of interest 
The authors declare that no competing or conflict of 

interests exists. The funders had no role in writing of 

the manuscript or decision to publish. 

Authors’ contributions 
Dr. Rodney C. Haring and Iehnhotonkwas Bonnie 

Jane Maracle worked together on the 

conceptualization, process, and experience of 

organizing and implementing Indigenous writing 

retreats in two distinct settings.  Dr. Priscilla R. 

Sanderson, Whitney Anne E. Henry, Dr. Donna 

Grandbois, and Dr. Erik Brodt equally contributed 

to collaborative writing and review of all sections.  

Mr. Pete Hill provided community perspective and 

partnership via his affiliation with Native American 

Community Services, Inc.  

 

REFERENCES 
Beauchamp, W. M. (1898). Indian corn stories and customs. 

The Journal of American Folklore, 11(42), 195-202. 

Cable, C. T., Boyer, D., Colbert, C. Y., & Boyer, E. W. (2013). 

The writing retreat: A high-yield clinical faculty 

development opportunity in academic writing. Journal of 

Graduate Medical Education, 5(2), 299-302. doi: 

http://dx.doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-12-00159.1  

Haring, R. C., Henry, W., Hudson, M., Rodriguez, E. M., & 

Taualii, M. (2016). Views on clinical trial recruitment, bio 

specimen collection, and cancer research: Population 

science from landscapes of the Haudenosaunee (People 

of the Longhouse). Journal of Cancer Education, 

doi:10.1007/s13187-016-1067-5. 

Haring, R.C., Hudson, M., Erwin, D., Rodriguez, Henry, W.A., 

E., Haring, M. (2016). Developing and Obesity-Cancer 

Intervention for Workplaces: Native American, Maori, and 

other Minority Occupational Settings.  The Journal of 

Indigenous Wellbeing: Te Mauri – Pimatisiwi, 1(1), 68-82. 

Haring, R.C., Hudson, M., Erickson, L., Taualii, M., & Freeman, 

B. (2014). First Nations, Maori, American Indians, and 

Native Hawaiians as Sovereigns: EAP with Indigenous 

Nations within Nations.  Journal of Workplace Behavioral 

Health, 30:1-2, 14-31, DOI: 10.1080/15555240.2015. 

998969 

Harrington, M. R. (1909). Some Seneca corn-foods and their 

preparation. American Anthropologist, 10(4), 575-590.  

Hicks, S., Duran, B., Wallerstein, N., Avila, M., Belone, L., 

Lucero, J., . . . Hat, E. W. (2012). Evaluating community-

based participatory research to improve community-

partnered science and community health. Progress in 

Community Health Partnerships, 6(3), 289-99. 

Jackson, D. (2009). Mentored residential writing retreats: A 

leadership strategy to develop skills and generate 

outcomes in writing for publication. Nurse Education 

Today, 29(1), 9-15. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2008.05.018 

Johnson, J. L., Baldwin, J., Gryczyski, J., Wiechelt, S. A., & 

Haring, R. C. (2010). The Native American experience: 

From displacement and cultural trauma to resilience. In 

McCubbin, H., Ontai, K., Kehl, L., McCubbin, L., Strom, I., 

Hart, H., Debaryshe, B., Ripke, M., & Matsuoka, J. (Eds.), 

Multiethnicity & multiethnic families: Development, 

identity, and resilience (227-301). Honolulu, HI: Le`a 

Publications. 

Kaur, J.S., Dignan, M., Burhasstipanov, L., Baukol, P., Claus, C. 

(2006). The “Spirit of Eagles” Legacy. Cancer (Suppl), 

107(8 ), 1987-94. 

LaFromboise, T. D., & Rowe, W. (1983). Skills training for 

bicultural competence: Rationale and application. Journal 

of Counseling Psychology, 30(4), 589-595. 

Petraitis, H., Flay, B. R., & Miller, T. Q. (1995). Reviewing 

theories of adolescent substance use: Organizing pieces 

in the puzzle. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 67-86. 

Robinson, J. (2013, May 25). Breeding the nutrition out of our 

food. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. 

nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/breeding-the-

nutrition-out-of-our-food.html?_r=0   

Rosser, B. R. S., Rugg, D. L., & Ross, M. W. (2001). Increasing 

research and evaluation productivity: Tips for successful 

writing retreats. Health Promotion Practice, 2(1), 9-13. 

doi:10.1177/152483990100200103 

Snow, D. R., Gehring, C. T., & Starna, W. A. (Eds.).  (1996). In 

Mohawk country: Early narratives about Native people. 

Syracuse, NY:  Syracuse University Press. 

 

http://www.mohawkcommunity.com/
http://dx.doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-12-00159.1

