By Seth Bader

The 2024 Ethnomath Symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii, was an exciting and impactful event that brought together educators from a wide variety of backgrounds to explore how culturally relevant math can transform classrooms and communities. The symposium focused on Ethnomathematics, a teaching approach that connects math to cultural traditions and local knowledge. This is especially valuable for Alaskan students, for whom traditional Western math often feels disconnected from their everyday lives and cultural experiences.

What made this year’s event so special was that it was designed specifically for educators looking to dive deeper into Ethnomath. The attendees came from all over—educators from the Tlingit Culture Language and Literacy Program in Juneau, teachers and community leaders from Alaskan towns such as Angoon, Haines, Klukwan, Gustavus, and Sitka, as well as educators from Kamehameha School in Honolulu. There were also representatives from the Alaska Youth Stewards, the American Indian College Fund, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the list goes on and on. This wide diversity of perspectives made for rich conversations and highlighted how Ethnomath can be adapted for students in various communities.

Among the attendees were our three See Stories Interns from Angoon—Angel, Johny, and Justice. As some of the only youth present at the symposium, they stood out by jumping right into the storytelling process. In a space where it might have been easy for young people to tune out the “adult talk” about pedagogy, these three interns brought a refreshing energy and curiosity. They worked hard to capture the essence of what was happening at the symposium and, in doing so, became key players in documenting the stories of Ethnomath in action.

One of the main takeaways from the event was that while many teachers were eager to learn about Ethnomath, they weren’t always sure how to bring it into their own classrooms. Several educators expressed a desire for concrete examples of how Ethnomath lessons could be put into practice in real-world settings. This became our mission! Over the course of the week, each intern worked toward gathering footage to showcase unique examples of Ethnomath in action. Through the inspirational web of educators, we were able to document curriculum relevant to the following Ethnomath lessons:

• A lesson on coding using binary numbers, which was taught through traditional Hawaiian weaving techniques. This lesson was tied to the Hawaiian story of the Hōkūleʻa, the star Arcturus, and its role in Polynesian voyaging. It was a beautiful example of how math can be linked to cultural practices and storytelling in ways that engage students on a deeper level.
• The math behind food sovereignty, specifically planting and harvesting taro in Hawaii. This lesson demonstrated how math can be applied to real-world issues, like sustainable agriculture and community nutrition.
• Understanding linear and non-linear functions through creating traditional art by combining patterns and shapes with a series of graphed functions.

These lessons were inspiring. They showed how abstract math concepts can become more accessible and meaningful when tied to cultural traditions. Reflecting on the symposium, it was clear that Ethnomath has the potential to make math more engaging, relevant, and culturally responsive for students. The See Stories interns played a crucial role in documenting these lessons, and their work not only enriched the symposium but also created valuable resources for educators who want to bring more cultural context into their teaching. The event reinforced the importance of collaboration and sharing ideas, and it highlighted the need to create educational spaces where students’ cultural knowledge is honored and woven into the learning process. Through Ethnomath, math transforms into more than just numbers—it becomes a bridge between culture, community, and education.

“Our vision is that every child will know who they are, where they come from and where they are going.” – Dr. Linda Furuto, leader of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Ethnomathematics program, (source: coe.hawaii.edu) 

A special thanks to our hosts at Kamehameha Schools for their aloha and the Polynesian Voyaging Society for their inspiration. Find out more about Ethnomathematics and the Ethnomathematics Symposium here.