The University of Tulsa School of Nursing NSG 2123: Folk Healing

1. The University of TulsaSchool of NursingNSG 2123: Folk Healing

2. Stereotypes of American Indians • Image of the Indian on a horse wearing buckskin clothes and feathered bonnets • Image of an drunken Indian, a suicidal Indian, or a defeated Indian • Image of a granite-faced grunting redskin with no feelings or sense of humor (Backup, 1980) • Image of a rich Indian from gaming wins

3. Native American or American Indian? • Native American • American Indian • Indian • Indigenous people • Politically correct term

4. 1990 Census of American Indian Tribes • 1.46 million Indians • 33% younger than 15 years • 6% older than 64 years • Median age 24.2 years for Indians compared to 32.9 years for U.S. races • Median household income $19,897 compared to $30,056 for U.S. races • 31.6% of Indians live below poverty level compared to 13.1% for U.S. races

5. Legal Definitions of Being Identified as Indian • Alaska Native--Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut • Lower 48 states of the U.S. • Migration • DHHS Native Americans Program Act of 1975--Indigenous peoples • Hawaii, Samoan, Guam • Census-self identity

6. American Indian Blood Quantum • Determined by the Bureau of Indian Affairs • “BIA” card = ¼ blood • Only ethnic minority group required to have a “card” to prove ethnicity • Full blood Indians • Kaw Tribe of Oklahoma • Navajo Nation

7. Legal Definitions of Being Identified as Indian • Tribal membership into a tribe, Rolls or Blood quantum • Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976 • Member of a federally recognized tribe • Indian Education Act of 1972 • 1/8th blood, state reservation, urban Indian, Terminated tribe

8. U.S. Citizenship • 19th century could not be a tribal member and a U.S. citizen • June 24, 1924 The Indian Citizen Act • “all non-citizens born within the territorial limits of the United States…are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States…”

9. Indian Population in United States • Total U.S. population • 281,400,000 • 2000 Census Bureau • 2,475,956, self identified as Indian • 0.9% of total U.S. population • Bureau of Indian Affairs • 1.5-2.0 million American Indian and Alaska Native

10. Indian Population in Oklahoma • 2000 Oklahoma Census Bureau • Oklahoma’s population is 3,450,654 • 76.2% white • 7.9% American Indian (compared to U.S. 0.9%) • 7.6% African American • 5.2% Hispanics • 1.4% Asian

11. Indian Population in Oklahoma • 273,230 Oklahoma American Indians are descendents from the original 67 tribes inhabiting Indian Territory

12. Indian Tribes: What is a Tribe? Ethnological Definition • A group of indigenous people, bound by blood ties who were socially, politically, and religiously organized to the tenets of their own culture • Group of people who lived together • Occupied a definite territory • Spoke a common language

13. Differences in Major American Groups • American Indian • Asian migration theory • Eskimos and Aleuts • Eskimos (or Inuit) • Aleuts • Native Hawaiians

14. Number of Tribes • 557 federally recognized tribes in the United States • 67 tribes associated with Oklahoma history • Indian Territory • 35 tribes maintain tribal councils in Oklahoma • Largest Indian tribe: Navajo Nation 143,405 members (1990 Census) • Smallest Indian tribe: California rancheros with <6 members (1990 Census) • management

15. Tribal Membership to a Federally Recognized Tribe • In the past, the U.S. government determined tribal membership • Today, tribes define who is a tribal member and who is not • Present-day tribal enrollment may not be consistent with traditional concepts of tribal membership

16. Tribes in the United States • Five Civilized Tribes • Six Nations

17. Indian Reservation • An area of land “reserved” for an Indian band, village, or tribe (or tribes) to live on and use • Title to the Indian-owned reservation land is held in trust by the U.S. for the benefit of said Indians • Not all reservations were created on tribal homelands

18. Federal Indian Reservations in the United States • 300 reservations located in 33 states • Largest: Navajo Reservation 14-15 million acres • Smallest: Sheep Ranch Rancheria 9/10th of an acre • California has 95 reservations • 27% of Arizona state land lies in boundaries of 22 reservations • More than 50% of Indians live in the urban areas

19. “Indian Territory” and the State of Oklahoma • Territory to be formally organized by the U.S. and governed by a confederation of tribes • Tribes were “removed” from the east to Indian Territory • Trail of Tears • No territorial Indian government was established • In 1907, statehood was established for Oklahoma

20. “Indian Territory” • Dawes Commission • General Allotment Act • transformed Indian reservation lands to individual land allotments • No Indian reservations in the state of Oklahoma • Osage tribal lands

21. Political and Legal Status of Indian Tribes in the U.S. • Treaties • Government-to-government relationships between federal government and tribal government • “Trust relationship” • Tribal sovereignty • Self determination

22. United States Indian Policy • Colonial beginnings • 1776-1830 early U.S.-Indian relations • Removal era • Emphasis to civilize and Christianize Indians • Removal of tribes to Indian Territory • 1860-1880 reservations and wars

23. United States Indian Policy • 1880-1930 assimilation and allotment • Assimilate Indians into American life by changing their customs, dress, occupation, language, religion and philosophy • Disastrous conditions on reservations (Meriam Report, 1928) • Education and boarding schools

24. “Terminated Tribes” • U.S. policy to end federally recognized status of Indian tribes • 100 Indian tribes, bands, and rancheros were “terminated” • Results were disastrous • Ponca Tribe of Nebraska regained federal recognition on 10/31/97 (37 years after termination resolution was passed)

25. Political and Legal Status of Indian Tribes in the U.S. • Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 • Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance of 1975 • Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 • American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 • Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) • Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (IACA)

26. Culture and Spirituality Among American Indian Tribes

27. Common Cultural Heritage? • Over 500 tribes, over 500 cultures • 10 American Indian culture areas--plateau, northwest, northwest coast, California, great plains, southwest, southeast, northeast, great basin, arctic, and sub-arctic

28. Common Cultural Heritage? • Broad similarities • Traditional life-ways, rural • A shared response to Euro-American society • A shared history with the U.S. government

29. Common Values of American Indians • Hold nature as extremely important • Group consensus • Present-time orientation • Cyclic patterns • Spiritual world • Native non-interference • Indirect communication • Self determination • Interdependence • Living in harmony, Balance • Respect • Humor

30. American Indian’s View Tribal members first Family relationship Indians second Community relationship Americans third Second level community

31. Spirituality (French, 1987) • “The universe provides the spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and biological means for human existence. The original American Indians felt the universe about them and dedicated themselves to keeping the human’s world in balance with the cosmos.”

32. “All of them loved the earth and held her body and children sacred. American Indians today maintain a spiritual association with nature and the world surrounding them. By caring for the earth, the people assure that the earth will provide for the Indian tribes and their children.”

33. Spirituality and American Indians • Cannot compare American Indian spirituality from one tribe to the next but there are some similarities: Similar world view • Nature based cosmic whole is greater than Jesus/One God • A shared notion of cosmic harmony • Emphasis on experiencing directly powers and visions • A common view of the cycle of life and death • Spirituality and health are inseparable • Harmonious relationship with the earth • Respect for self and earth • Every animate and inanimate object has a purpose

34. Indian Theories of Disease Traditional healers, woman or midwife • No one is considered sick while they have an appetite • Obvious treatment for obvious cause – wound • Object intrusion- worm, insect • Chronic – supernatural cause, witchcraft • Violation of taboo, spirit intrusion, unfulfilled dreams, purpose • Gathering- prayer song for what is giving its energy to you • Soul loss 50% uncured

35. Indian Definition of Medicine • Medicine – array of concepts and ideas that were unexplainable but necessary to create or return health. • Steam boat I called “Great medicine” mystery • Medicine=mystery • Medicine man = man containing mysteries • Personal strength = strength of personal medicine • Sitting Bull had strong medicine (chi)

36. Medical Treatment of the Native Americans • Medicine bundle - briefcase • Pain relief – narcotics, plants, alcohol • Isolation techniques of contagions • Hand washing, Urine/clean water • Daily full immersion in water to increase urine • Moving water for sprains • Cautery, plant leaves, bread molds, honey, Urine(Urea osmotic) licking for wounds, • Clay to settle the stomach (calcium, magnesium)

37. Leeches for swelling, burning • Plasters- corn, herbs • Plaster casts • Contraception- teas, barriers • Enemas • Cupping, sucking • Tooth brushing • Massage - acupressure • Smoke, purification, herbal ingestion- tobacco

38. Spiritual Remedies • Medicine man, shaman – priest, psychiatrist • Drumming, counseling, sweat • Vision quest, dreams, • Peyote, alcohol, tobacco, Psylocibin • Fusion with Christian • Pow wow, • Stomp grounds • Sharing information

39. Common Traditions of American Indian Tribes • Telling stories • Language • Food – preparation, sharing • Indian dances – stomp • Indian ceremonies – sweat lodge, Pow Wow • Dress – Tare, Jingle, Fringe • Clan membership – Maternal blood lines, family Name

40. Common Traditions of American Indian Tribes • Indian names or naming ceremonies – Identify totem, bestow gift • “Indian medicine”

41. Leading Causes of Death Among American Indian Tribes • Alcoholism • Tuberculosis • Diabetes mellitus • Accidents • Suicide • Pneumonia and influenza • Homicide

42. Cherokee Traditions in Oklahoma • Clan membership • Seven clans • Keetowah society • Indian names or naming ceremonies • “White name” and “Indian name” • “Indian medicine” • Medicine man • Conjuring

43. Cherokee Spirituality • Stomp Dance, gathering/Pow Wow • Clans and arbors • Sacred fire – purification, gazing • Medicine men • Tobacco and pipe • Food

44. Cherokee SpiritualityContinued • Song leaders • “Shackle wearers” • Stick ball • Wampum belts • Red Smith’s birthday

45. Cherokee Traditions in Oklahoma • Telling stories • Trail of Tears • “Little People” • Language • Cherokee • Food • Hog fry • corn

46. Cherokee Traditions in Oklahoma • Indian dances/ Indian ceremonies • Cherokee Holiday • Stomp dance • Drum

47. Cherokee Traditions in Oklahoma • Dress • Tear dress Ribbon shirt

48. Summary • Stereotypes of Indians continue to exist. • Definition of being Indian has different cultural and legal definitions. • There are over 500 tribes with different cultures. • U.S. policy towards Indian tribes has been assimilation to mainstream society. • Indian tribes share some common traditions and philosophies.

49. SummaryContinued • Spirituality is inseparable with health and illness is disharmony in self. • Indian are the poorest population in the U.S. • Indian have some of the highest rates of diseases (alcoholism, accidents, diabetes). • There are many traditions in a tribe and each tribe has their own traditions, language and history.

50. SummaryContinued • There continues to be a lack of understanding of Indian culture. • The biomedical health care differs from the American Indian health care