American Indian and Alaskan native

How many federally recognized tribes?

574

1452—Doctrine of Discovery

Pope Nicholas V granted the King of Portugal the right to conquer and subdue non-Christians, seize their property, and turn them into perpetual slaves

How many federally recognized tribes?

574

1452—Doctrine of Discovery

Pope Nicholas V granted the King of Portugal the right to conquer and subdue non-Christians, seize their property, and turn them into perpetual slaves

1492—Christopher Colombus

Claims the “New World” for Spain (“they would make find servants with fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want”)

1542—Bartolome de las Casas

Spanish priest who wrote “A Brief Account of the Destruction”

1879—Carlisle Indian Industrial School

most famous of over 350 schools was formed to force Native Children to learn the ways of Christianity and English(Richard Henry Pratt, “kill the Indian in him, and save the man”)

Income and wealth gap

face challenges getting higher paying jobs with good benefits due to less access to high-quality education, geographic location, language differences, discrimination, and transportation barriers

Education

have the lowest educational attainment rates; historical trauma created a mistrust between education systems; Indian education schools are chronically underfunded

Social/community setting

centuries of racism have impacted the places and relationship where native people live, work, learn, play, and worship

health access and use

lack of insurance, transportation, childcare, ability to take time off work, culturally insensitive patient-provider interactions and inequalities in treatment

neighborhood and physical environment

22% live on reservations; native people residing in poor communities often lack access; communities may have higher crime, pollution, accident, and injury rates

workplace conditions

temporary work arrangements, lack of worker safety measures, limited or no health insurance benefits, and discrimination

median household income

$7,270

Group success is more important

verbal translation of stories and history— Alzheimer’s affects this community disproportionately

eye contact

direct eye contact considered rude, especially with elders

respect for elders

great esteem; take care of elders at home

Fatalistic view

individuals health is under the control of higher power

mental health

20% higher suicide rate; substance abuse

Pregnancy, birth, and child-rearing

away from the man (usually another women helping)

limited activities and food

passage from the spiritual world into the physical world

adulthood marked by ceremony

death and dying

do not speak about negative outcomes of medical procedure— believe it will happen if spoken about

Some people look at death as a natural circle of life

DNA and organ donation are unacceptable

hunting/farming

now sedentary

farming lands taken by the government— turned into residences and golf courses

meat, fish, plants, berries, and nuts

rise in mercury levels in the water—poisoning wildlife

now rely on many food subsidies

highly processed food

Powwows

cultural events centered around native American heritage

traditional dress and foods

medicine wheel—sacred hoop

cycle of life; used for health and healing

Dimensions of health:

• four directions

• father sky

• mother earth

• spirit tree

medicine bundle

container for items believed to protect or give spiritual powers to their owners

Sweat lodge

steam; used in Colorado’s Native American Peoples

method for cleansing and purifying the body

Sand painting—dry painting

• artworks

• healing rituals

• Navajo, Pueblo, Hopi, and Zunie tribes