A Toroidal Representation of Intelligence from a Plains Cree Lens: A Bridge Toward Enlightenment

An indigenous cultural perspective relating to the perceptions, insights, and concepts of human intelligence was revealed through the voices of 13 participating Elders representing nine bands of Plains Cree First Nations in a study located in Saskatchewan, Canada (Frey, 2016). The ideologies of human intelligence have historically been primarily predominated by Western academic research. In general, the ideas of indigenous groups regarding their concepts of intelligence remain much less mainstream, with most research lacking indigenous epistemology, axiology, and indigenous research methodologies (Chilisa, 2012). In an effort to generate a broader more inclusive perspective of human intelligence by introducing Plains Cree concepts, this study utilized an integrated methodology consisting of Western phenomenology and indigenous research methods. The integrated design provided a unique scaffolding that served to enrich both Western academic and indigenous standards (Frey, 2016). Its purpose was and continues to be understanding.