It Takes A Community: A Cultural Approach to Services Presenters: Cyndi Alexander Dr. Carizma Chapman Leah Lujan

POVERTY U.S. Census Bureau statistics reveal that 27% of American Indian and Alaska Native families with children live in poverty, whereas 32% of those with children younger than 5 years do—rates that are again more than double those of the general population and again are even higher in certain tribal communities (e.g., 66%)

HEALTH DISPARITIES American Indian and Alaska Native children’s deaths between the ages of 1 and 4 years occur at nearly three times the rate of children in the general population (0.9 versus 0.35 per 1000 lives); with preventable deaths due to accidents (0.47 per 1000 children; 52% of all deaths) and homicide (0.065 per 1000 children; 8% of all deaths) being the leading causes of death, and exceeding the all-races rates by 3.3 and 2.2 times, respectively.

LOSS Within this large network, American Indian and Alaska Native children are also exposed to repeated loss because of the extremely high rate of early, unexpected, and traumatic deaths due to injuries, accidents, suicide, homicide, and firearms—all of which exceed the U.S. all-races rate by at least two times—and due to alcoholism, which exceeds the U.S. all-races rate by seven times.2

OVERREPRESENTATION Across the United States, Native American children are overrepresented in foster care at a rate of 2.2 times their rate in the general population. While not all state show disproportionality, 21 states do have some overrepresentation. Twenty-six percent of the states that have overrepresentation have a disproportionality index of greater than 4.1. In Minnesota, the disproportionality is index 11.6.

Tribal Communities Interrupted by Colonization Cultural values & Family obligations – major foundation Land reduction from traditional boundaries to Reservations, Rancherias and Colonies Ceremonies important value of spirituality

Historical Trauma Historical Trauma is the collective emotional and psychological injury both over the life span and across generations, resulting from a cataclysmic history of genocide. Cultural Trauma is an attack on the fabric of a society, affecting the essence of the community and its members. Intergenerational Trauma occurs when trauma is not resolved, subsequently internalized, and passed from one generation to the next. (Maria Yellowhorse BraveHeart, Ph.D. 1998, 1999, 2000)

Treaty Land Lost to the Government Initiallly the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara people – traditionally expert agriculturists, were allowed, via treaty agreements, to keep an area of rich fertile bottom land along the Missouri river where they were able to grow their traditional healthy foods adding to their government rations diet. But 80% of this land (150,000 acres) was lost back to the government so that they could build a dam that would control natural flooding that would occur near and around the river where non-tribal settlers (farmers/ ranchers) owned property. The tribes were forced to accept $5 million for their land. As you can see this Council Chairman Gillette was devastated to have to signed this agreement, knowing his people would not fair well from loss of this prosperous land that provided well for his people. History showed his expectations of the loss of this land did effect his people’s emotional and physical health. Treaty Land Lost to the Government

The Effect of Boarding Schools Loss of nurturing, bonding and role models from Parents Many schools used military discipline as a method of caring for children Loss of language; children were punished for speaking their language Loss of major foundation cultural values, family, spirituality Parents were denied the right to raise their own children and the children were denied their family Physical abuse was introduced and practiced; most traditional tribal cultures prohibited the hitting of children Breakdown of the roles of extended families. Caretaking of children, elders, widows, medically impaired and those with developmental needs

Boarding Schools 1879 - 1970 Federal government objective: to assimilation and removal of children from their homes in hopes to “Civilize” them To implemented in “rigid, military fashion…force the complete abandonment of his native language and culture, and prepare him in such a way that he would never return to his people.” “Let all that is Indian within you die!” - Reverend A. J. Lippincott Col. Pratt modeled the Carlisle school based on a prison school he had developed.

What You May See Lack of parenting skills Emotional remoteness and “going through the motions” of the process Resistance toward following through with plans or contacting, trusting other government agencies or services Poor health habits

Remember the teaching of our elders which say: Lead the beauty way of life Knowing your inner self, heals your mind, body and soul. Knowing where you come from is validating, keep, your relationships with others. Knowing where you are going is, walking in beauty. Knowing you care is unconditional love. Knowing that you have self control but not control of others. Knowing there is hope, there is a purpose for everything. Knowing that there is power in your prayers because your language is holy. Knowing that there is long life and happiness That is the healing, The Beauty Way Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma

Cultural Strategies Native American culture has a strong heritage for positive health and wellbeing Recognize that many of the old ways have been lost and are being revitalized to support healthy families Everything is inter-related Health and wellness is directly connected to our sense of self and who we are as a people Vital to Native American existence is the revitalization and continued practice of cultural approach for our wellbeing Balance of NA culture and mainstream society is necessary for mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing

Cultural Strategies Remember that culture is family specific and that Native traditions vary from tribe to tribe Extended family is the primary support network for most NA people Help children and youth remain part of their families and culture Extended families have their own rules, norms, values and traditions which govern how they care for their family members

Thank you! “No person among us desires any other reward for performing a brave and worthy action, but the consciousness of having served his nation.” – Thayendanegea, Mohawk