Celebrating Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month
In this Issue:

  • Culture is Community
  • Additional Resources
  • What's Happening Around the Region?
  • Epi Corner: Humility, Respect, Understanding, and Inclusion: Working with Indigenous Peoples

Culture is Community
by
Aron Wahkinney, MS
Enrolled Member of the Comanche Nation and tribal public health professional

Beginning in 1990, each November has been recognized and celebrated as Native American Heritage Month (The Library of Congress, 2020). This is a time to celebrate and honor the rich histories, traditions, cultures, and contributions that many indigenous nations have made to this country. Many people may not know that it was the Great League of Peace that brought together the Iroquois Confederacy and began democracy in what is now North America. It was this confederacy that also helped shape the United States Constitution (Native Voices, Hansen, 2018). Modern day lacrosse was born out of the traditional Choctaw game known as stickball, where players would use kabocca’s (stick) and a towa (ball) to score points by hitting designated goal posts (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, 2020). These examples are just a mere grain of sand upon the mound of things to be recognized, celebrated, and respected. It is just as important to recognize how culture and traditions are being used today within different tribal communities and the strides being made to keep these cultures alive.
 
When I think about the term culture, it brings to mind one word--- community. Culture and community really are synonymous. There are different ways to look at community: friends, family, elders, young people etc. Community involves love, support, family, comradery, and togetherness. Incorporating cultural practices, ideology, and values into substance misuse prevention programs, or any other health focused programming, means to incorporate a sense of community, and all that comes with it.
 
Data show that American Indian/Alaska Native youth are at higher risk of experiencing substance use and other risky behaviors (Whitesell, Asdigian, Kaufman, C.E. et al., 2014). Data also show that culture and community can be protective factors that can help aid in the prevention of risky behavior such as substance misuse and abuse (Baldwin, Brown, Wayment, Nez, & Brelsford, 2011; Hawkins, Cummins, & Marlatt, 2004; ). Indigenous people have always known that our way of life leads to positive health outcomes mentally, physically, and spiritually. They weren’t known to be interventions, strategies, or evidence-based practices; they were a way of life… the evidence was there… and still is.
In 2016 I began working at the Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery Center in Lawton, Oklahoma. There was a small but growing program known as IAMNDN which stands for I Am Native Drug-free Nations. It was started by my relatives Raquel Ramos, Donald Ramos, and Ronnie Wahkinney. The core of the program was what they termed culture classes. These culture classes embodied community in all the ways I have just described and more. We’ll get back to these culture classes in a second.
 
You see, what was once a way of life that every indigenous person was able to live and experience, has become slowly over time (due to colonization and other higher level governmental policies that shall be saved for another time and place to get into) a much less lived experience by indigenous people. As a young native kid growing up in Southwest Oklahoma, I was able to experience indigenous community through powwows, family functions, and other tribal get togethers. However, I didn’t get to experience things like the Comanche language spoken in my home, growing and eating traditional foods, or participating in traditional healing ways like the sweat lodge or Native American Church. I wasn’t taught the depth of what it means to be Comanche, where our people come from, and how proud I should be to be Comanche and an indigenous individual. These aren’t the sole fault of the individuals who raised me, but rather entwined into a web of other assimilation and colonization factors that have compounded over time that results in less and less traditional indigenous teaching in the home. There are many other young indigenous people who go without learning, living, and experiencing their culture the way they should.
 
Now, I say all of this to bring us back to IAMNDN and the culture classes. I’ve seen these culture classes make such an impact on young native youth, bringing them out of their shells, empowering them to speak up, to laugh, to learn, to feel heard, to feel empowered, and to thrive. Teaching a young person something as simple as how to introduce yourself in your native tongue or how to make a traditional hand drum and drumstick can create a foundation for which a young person can build a sense of self and self-esteem, that may not have been there before. It’s not just about learning these teachings; it’s about the way in which they are taught. Bringing a group of people together who have shared experiences, shared values, and have a shared eagerness to learn where they come from can allow fantastic things to happen. A community can be born, and a culture can continue to thrive. Through building a foundation and helping to cultivate principles by which to stand on, a young person can then make better decisions that lead to better outcomes for their life. These culture classes not only helped young native people to have a better sense of self, increased self-esteem, and to be proud of where they come from, they also helped this 32-year-old man realize the importance of his culture, traditions, and where he comes from. These are some of the reasons I am so very proud of my culture and why I celebrate this month.  
 
References
 
Baldwin, J. A., Brown, B. G., Wayment, H. A., Nez, R. A., & Brelsford, K. M. (2011). Culture and Context: Buffering the Relationship Between Stressful Life Events and Risky Behaviors in American Indian Youth. Substance Use & Misuse, 46(11), 1380-1394. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51541146_Culture_and_Context_Buffering_the_Relationship_Between_Stressful_Life_Events_and_Risky_Behaviors_in_American_Indian_Youth
 
Hawkins, E. H., Cummins, L. H., & Marlatt, G. A. (2004). Preventing substance abuse in american indian and alaska native youth: Promising strategies for healthier communities. Psychological Bulletin, 130(2), 304-323. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14979774/  
 
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (2016). Choctaw Stickball. Retrieved from https://www.choctaw.org/culture/stickball.html
 
Rocky Mountain PBS (2018). Native Voices, How the Iroquois Great Law of Peace Helped Shape U.S. Democracy. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/native-america/blogs/native-voices/how-the-iroquois-great-law-of-peace-shaped-us-democracy/
 
The Library of Congress (n.d.). Native American Heritage Month, About National Native American Heritage Month. https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/about/
 
Whitesell, N.R., Asdigian, N.L., Kaufman, C.E. et al. Trajectories of Substance Use Among Young American Indian Adolescents: Patterns and Predictors. J Youth Adolescence 43, 437–453 (2014). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24136376/
Aron Wahkinney is an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma.
He spent time growing up in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science from the University of Central Oklahoma. He has extensive experience working in tribal public health and the area of grants management. He now lives in Denver, CO where he works at Denver Indian Health and Family Services, Inc. as the Contracts and Grants Program Manager. He enjoys being outdoors, connecting with nature, and hiking in the mountains with his wife Kortney and dogs Lily and Brady.
Additional Resources
South Southwest PTTC
Webinar recordings and materials for past events are available for each session. Please join us for Session 5: Community Trauma and Institutional Barriers to Racial Equity, December 1!
 
National Native American and Alaska Native PTTC
Throughout the month of November, the National Native American and Alaska Native PTTC will be honoring Native American Heritage month with a variety of events and projects.  
 
National Native American and Alaska Native PTTC
 
Pacific Southwest PTTC
This webinar discusses the role of culture in initiating and sustaining partnerships in native communities.
What's Happening Around the Region?
People of Color Learning Community Webinar Series

​​​​​​​​The South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center will host five virtual learning community sessions for prevention professionals in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas working in communities of color. The purpose of the learning community is to discuss strategies for creating change that lead to positive outcomes in communities of color.

Session 5
Community Trauma and Institutional Barriers to Racial Equity
Tuesday, December 1, 2020, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. CT

The South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center will host the final session of its virtual five-part learning community series for prevention professionals working with communities of color. Dr. Flojaune Cofer, Senior Director of Policy at Public Health Advocates will discuss how institutional barriers to racial equity create trauma. She will also explore solutions for promoting equity in your community.
 
In addition, moderator Albert Gay will guide participants through the completion of the learning community's strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) action plan for delivering culturally competent prevention services in communities of color.
Data Collection During the Pandemic
 
This webinar mini-series will discuss how to creatively adapt quantitative and qualitative data collection methods during the COVID-19 pandemic with real life examples. During the webinar series, participants will have the opportunity to discuss barriers, solutions, and lessons learned in their prevention work related to data collection during this critical time. 
 

QUANTITATIVE Data Collection During the Pandemic
Session 1 
December 8, 1:30-3:00 p.m. CT

In this webinar, participants will explore ways to adapt quantitative data collection methods during the pandemic. Specifically, participants will learn to identify effective methods for adapting quantitative data collection during a pandemic and describe ways to address confidentiality concerns with participants during online quantitative data collection. 

QUALITATIVE Data Collection During a Pandemic
Session 2
Tuesday, January 26, 1:30-3:00 p.m. CT
In webinar 2, participants will explore ways to adapt qualitative data collection methods during the pandemic. Specifically, participants will learn to identify effective methods for adapting qualitative data collection during a pandemic and describe ways to address confidentiality concerns during online qualitative data collection.
Six Elements of Effective Coalitions Series: Goal Directedness and New Skills

PTTC Network Community Coalitions and Collaborators Working Group

Thursday, November 19, 2020, 2:00 – 3:30 PM CT
 
This webinar is the third installment of a four-part series.

Webinar Objectives:
  1. Discuss two of the six elements used to achieve intended prevention outcomes
  2. Define what goal directedness and skills development means for coalition members
  3. Describe why fostering goal directedness and members’ skills is important to coalitions success
  4. Share two coalition success stories to demonstrate how to foster goal-directedness and skill development within your coalition
 
Be sure to view the first two webinar recordings and other products on the PTTC NCO website!
Prevention Online Courses

All online courses can be accessed at: healtheknowledge.org/courses
 
If you are new to HealtheKnowledge, please log in or set up an account here:
The South Southwest PTTC is currently suspending in-person training and meetings until further notice. Take advantage of our many virtual products and services available for free from our website.
Virtual Bytes:
Implementing Prevention Services in a Virtual Setting
We heard you! Results of the Changes in Prevention Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic survey conducted by the South Southwest PTTC May through June of this year revealed that many of you would like more information about conducting prevention services in a virtual setting.

For the next few months we will share training, information, and resources related to to this topic.

This month we are sharing a great podcast and other supplemental videos and Facebook resources from an organization serving 25 coalitions across 21 counties!

Mid America PTTC

In this podcast, Alicia Ozenberger chats with Rikki Barton, the Director of Prevention for the Community Partnership of the Ozarks. This episode is packed with great information from how covid-19 has impacted their coalition work, Mental Health Moments on Facebook and YouTube, and how their coalitions are engaging diverse community stakeholders during the pandemic.

The podcast mentions the videos they share on Facebook and YouTube! You'll want to check these out! Click the photo to the left below to link to the ACT MO Facebook page, click on More, Videos to view a wide variety of prevention videos. https://www.facebook.com/actmissouri

Mental Health Moments are also discussed in the Podcast. Click on the photo to the right below to view the Mental Health Moments, 1-2 minute videos on various mental health topics. You'll want to subscribe to their channel. These are great!
Epi Corner

Iris Smith, Ph.D., M.P.H.
South Southwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center
Humility, Respect, Understanding & Inclusion: Working with Indigenous Peoples
 
The definition of “indigenous” varies from one country to another. Generally, the term is used to refer to groups of people who were the original (pre-colonization) inhabitants of a country or geographic area. In many cases indigenous peoples maintain their sovereignty, language, culture, traditions, social, and political institutions outside of the dominant culture (Savovaara & Uusiaitti. 2013). In the United States, American Indian Tribes, Aboriginal Alaskans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians are considered indigenous. Indigenous groups are often marginalized and in contrast to other minority groups, face discrimination and struggle to protect their rights at both the collective and individual level. While indigenous groups may represent a relatively small percent of the population in a region, they are more likely to experience significant disparities in access to services, and evidence disparities in physical, and behavioral health outcomes. As such it is important to gather accurate data on the severity and scope of culture-specific risk and protective factors for these groups (Wyatt et al., 2015; Lauricella et al, 2016).
 
Data collection can be challenging for a number of reasons including, language, trust level, cultural worldview, and attitudes toward research. There is a need to “decolonize” research so that it accurately reflects the cultural “voices” and lived experience (Wright et al., 2016). According to these authors, the ultimate goal of decolonizing research is to empower indigenous peoples and encourage truly inclusive collaboration with researchers. Reaching this goal requires employing more culturally respectful and appropriate methodology for data collection, interpretation, and analysis. 
 
Tribal populations and other indigenous groups value the oral tradition as a source of knowledge. Strategies such as “talking circles” which are non-hierarchical and incorporate cultural rituals and imagery are more culturally responsive than traditional focus groups. Qualitative strategies such as photovoice, symbol-based reflection, and storytelling are additional alternatives to quantitative surveys and other empirical measurement strategies (Wright et al., 2016). The decisions about data collection procedures and instruments should be made in collaboration with members from the focus community, including the elders of the community. Culturally respectful research methods may require more time for planning, execution, analysis, interpretation, and reporting (Wright et al., 2016; O’Brien et al., 2014; Leung, 2014).  However, their use may yield valuable insights and strengthen partnerships and collaboration with the community. Ongoing self-reflection and critical review by researchers to identify potential biases that may compromise the integrity of the data is highly recommended. Detailed description of procedures and analytic methods in reports can enhance the credibility of findings for other critical audiences.
 
Resources 
 
 
CREA is located in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is an international community of scholars/practitioners that exists to promote a culturally responsible stance in all forms of systematic inquiry including evaluation, assessment, policy analysis, applied research and action research.
 
Ka’apu Kand Burnette CE (2019) A Culturally Informed Systematic Review of Mental Health Disparities Among Adult Indigenous Men and Women of the USA: What is Known?. British Journal of Social Work; 49(4); pg. 880-898.  

References

Ghanbarpour, S., Noguez Mercado, A. P., & Palotai, A. (2020). A Language Justice Framework
for Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation. In L. C. Neubauer, D. McBride, A. D. Guajardo, W. D. Casillas, & M. E. Hall (Eds.), Examining Issues Facing Communities of Color. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ev.20406
 
Lauricella M, Valdez JK, Okamoto SK, Helm Ss, Zaremba C (2016), Culturally Grounded Prevention for Minority Youth Populations: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Primary Prevention, 37; pg. 11-32. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26733384/  
 
Wyatt LC, Ung T, Park R, Kwon SC, Trinh-Shevrin . Risk Factors of Suicide and Depression Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Youth: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 26 (2); pg. 191-237. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2015.0059