My research as a doctoral scholar and the work I've been doing for over a decade back home was where my fire was first lit. Back on my reservation, there are only a handful of speakers left, and I felt that my heart's work and passion is what I needed to follow, versus a clear path of becoming an Orthodontist. I had to ask myself what would I feel guilty about and regret if I didn't pursue it..and the answer was clear to me. I felt that all the opportunities and gifts I was given to me were not a coincidence but a path that I should follow, and ones that my ancestors guided me to.
For the past several years I've been completing my coursework for my PhD and DE. My practice is rooted in the Great Basin, more specifically Northern Nevada and my primary fields of study are historical musicology and language regeneration of Numu Yadooana [Northern Paiute language]. My research amplifies Numu ways of doing music history — privileging Numu pieces of knowledge, languages, and performance — as a means to Indigenize the music studies curriculum. In September 2021 I applied for a Fulbright Fellowship, not knowing how that application would change my life. Fulbright Fellowships are highly coveted, not only on a national, but international level. The top undergraduate and graduate scholars apply for fellowships that allow them to travel to countries outside the USA to study and/or conduct research. I was told that New Zealand was especially competitive, so you can imagine my surprise when I was selected as a 2022 Fulbright Scholar recipient.
I arrived in Aotearoa on February 2, 2023. It was a bit hectic right before my arrival as my flight was almost canceled due to severe flooding.
