Native Americans, Stress

1
Native Americans, Stress Health

• HS/KIN 169

2
Locating Native Americans

• _at_ 2.5 million, so about .9 of the population
  (Census 2000)
• There are 569 federally recognized AI/AN tribes,
  plus an unknown number of tribes that are not
  federally recognized
• Must be 1/4 Indian blood to be recognized by BIA
• Cultural identity and tribal identities important
  to the extent that many Native Americans hold
  dual citizenship
• The term American Indian is generally accepted,
  though Native American is more popular in
  discourse
• Media images have until recently been created by
  white media Christmas in the Clouds (2005)

3
Brief Historical Overview

• Violence from the outset, and justified by
  colonists on religious, racist, and land-use
  means
• Even Jefferson believed they should be
  civilized
• Jackson (1929-30s) Trail of Tears and other
  forms of Indian removal
• Civil rights Citizenship in 1924, and in 68 the
  Indian Civil Rights Act was passed

4
(Traditional) cultural values and identity

• Note As with other groups, acculturation is key,
  and there is a whole generation who have not seen
  a reservation
• Sharing
• Cooperation
• Harmony with nature
• General religious ritual/peace pipe
• Respect for elders

5
Native Americans in the media?

• Film and television?
• Music?
• Politics?
• Sport?
• Other areas???
• http//youtube.com/watch?vmIHoh9cZYdY
• http//youtube.com/watch?vTeq8-3Xitxc

6
General stress health overview (CDC/NIH)

• There are 569 federally recognized AI/AN tribes,
  plus an unknown number of tribes that are not
  federally recognized
• Each tribe has its own culture, beliefs, and
  practices.
• Tribes exist as sovereign entities, but federally
  recognized tribes are entitled to health and
  educational services provided by the federal
  government
• Indian Health Service (IHS) charged with serving
  the health needs of these populations, but more
  than half do not permanently reside on a
  reservation
• Geographic isolation, economic factors, cultural
  barriers, inadequate sewage disposal, and
  suspicion toward western medicine due to
  traditional spiritual beliefs are factors for
  lack of health

7
General stress health overview (Schinke, 1996)

• Nutritional factors
• Prepackaged government staples that are high in
  sodium fat
• Alcohol use
• _at_ 5x the prevalence, and approaching 3.5x
  alcoholism
• Related to accidents (e.g. 3x more likely to die
  in auto accidents and 2x from suicide)
• Alcohol drug use used to cope with
  acculturation stress
• Education
• Far less HS college grads

8
Smoking within Native American populations

• Many tribes consider tobacco a sacred gift and
  use it during religious ceremonies as
  traditional medicine
• BUTthe tobacco-related health problems they
  suffer are caused by chronic cigarette smoking
  and spit tobacco use
• Because of the cultural and geographic diversity
  of American Indians and Alaska Natives, tobacco
  use often varies widely by region or subgroup
• As a part of the day's routine, or as a rite
  prescribed by the tribal customs.

9
Smoking within Native American populations

• Nationally, lung cancer is the leading cause of
  cancer death among American Indians and Alaska
  Natives
• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of
  death among American Indians and Alaska Natives,
  and tobacco use is an important risk factor for
  this disease
• Data from the 1997 National Health Interview
  Survey show that among the five major racial and
  ethnic populations adult smoking prevalence was
  highest among American Indians and Alaska Natives
  (34.1) followed by African Americans (26.7),
  whites (25.3), Hispanics (20.4), and Asian
  Americans and Pacific Islanders (16.9)

10
Smoking within Native American populations

• Smoking rates highest in Alaska (45.1) and the
  North Plains (44.2) lowest in the Southwest
  (17.0)
• The prevalence of heavy smoking (25 or more
  cigarettes per day) is also highest in the North
  Plains (13.5)
• In 1994/1995, the rate of smoking among American
  Indian and Alaska Native women of reproductive
  age was 44.3, compared with white (29.4)
• those who reported that they were light smokers
  (smoking fewer than 15 cigarettes per day) was
  49.9, compared with 35.3 for whites
• Sovereign nations are not subject to state laws
  prohibiting the sale and promotion of tobacco
  products to minors

11
Smoking within Native American populations

• Tobacco Industry Influence To build image and
  credibility in the community, tobacco industry
  funds cultural events such as powwows and rodeos
• use cultural symbols and designs to target
  racial/ethnic populations
• American Spirit cigarettes were promoted as
  "natural" cigarettes (the package featured an
  American Indian smoking a pipe) In addition,
  certain tobacco product advertisements have used
  visual images, such as American Indian warriors.

12
Indigenist intervention model (Walters, Simoni
Evans-Campbell, 2002)

• Eurocentric paradigms focus on individual
  pathology
• An "indigenist" perspective of health
  incorporates the devastating impact of historical
  trauma and ongoing oppression of Native Americans
• Model emphasizes cultural strengths
• family and community, spirituality and
  traditional healing practices, and group identity
  attitudes

13
Behavioral approaches to stress/health
interventions

• Heritage
• Use of oral culture tradition to tell stories of
  health and fitness,
• Use of cultural capital (e.g. Billy Mills!)
• Role Models
• Again, Mills has set up numerous programs (e.g.
  Running Strong for American Indian Youth)
• Increased health education
• Positive self-image
• Media representation
• Ability to move past stereotypical domain
• Skills training
• Coping communication skills
• Assertiveness and anger management training

14
Sport Participation andNative Americans
(Coakley, 2003)

• Native Americans comprise dozens of diverse
  cultural groups
• Traditional Native American sports combine
  physical activities with ritual and ceremony
• Native Americans often fear losing their culture
  when they play Anglo sports
• Stereotypes used in sports discourage Native
  American participation
• http//youtube.com/watch?v4QaDQL0rMWw
• http//youtube.com/watch?vvlF4OdDZnLE

15
Images of Native Americans in Sports

• Using stereotypes of Native Americans as a basis
  for team names, logos, and mascots is a form of
  bigotry, regardless of the intentions of those
  who do it
• Further, Staurowsky (2000) argues that it relates
  to a larger idea of cultural dispossession
  consumption of other
• Are there conditions under which a group or
  organizations could use the cultural and
  religious images of others for their own
  purposes?
• What would happen if a school use the Catholic
  cross as their team logo and have someone act
  like the Pope during half time?

16
In Whose Honor?

• Though many universities have removed names, and
  media refuses to use mascot names, backlash has
  occurred
• Further, hundred of high schools fly under the
  radar with institutionalized racist mascots
• The only reason this is allowed to continue is
  because of the collective way in which we
  rationalize NI mascots!
• As Chris Rock said, when was the last time you
  saw two Indians?
• Tradition should, in a civil society, be used in
  itself to defend injustice and inequity

17
Any thoughts or comments on the video?

• Do you understand the importance of not
  supporting mascots?
• Why do you think the fans (esp. university
  alumni) are so resistant in removing the Native
  American mascots?
• Do you see why it is not a trivial idea?