Reflection Paper on Native American Indians

Jesslyn Guenther

Reflection Paper on Native American Indians

Diversity in Counseling

12/3/13

Reflection Paper on Native American Indians
Diversity in Counseling
12/3/2013
Jesslyn Guenther

Reflection Paper on Native American Indians

The Native American Indians are an important part of the culture of the United States. While their people have lived on this land for thousands of years, today their numbers are dwindling. Once, the Native Americans lived on this continent with little discourse and disruption. They were fed, content and established. In fact, the men and women usually were placed in typical roles. The men were hunters, warriors and protectors, while the women tended to the children, their homes and farmed (History of Native American Indians).

While the late 1800’s into the 1900’s and beyond began to bring struggle to the Native American Indians, they fought a tough battle in pursuit of protecting their land. Many different laws were passed by various U.S. presidents stating that the Indians should be removed. In other cases, bloody battles were fought with lives lost on both sides. The Native American Indians were forced out of their homeland, prompting such legendary stories as the Trail of Tears. Eventually many simply adopted European way of dress and even religion, with many Indians converting over to Christianity (History of Native American Indians).

Perhaps, no other group of people has quite the rich and storied culture as those of the Native Americans. They have a history rich in struggle, strife and triumph. So many aspects of our modern life were adapted from the old Indian cultures practiced centuries ago. Many familiar symbols that we take for granted were originated by Native Americans.

The teepee, totem pole, peace pipe and moccasins are just a few examples, but each of these symbols were actually integral pieces of a larger picture that wove together the tapestry of Native American life. Everything from native plants and animals, to housing, and the weather became a part of the culture in Indian life. The animals were revered as spirits, and although they were hunted and killed, their skins and hides were used as clothing and drums, their meat was never wasted, and their spirits lived in the mind of the tribes. Plants were cultivated and harvested, and used for various things such as dyes for blankets. The rain and sun were considered to be Gods, giving a sign to the Indians as the seasons changed (Native American Culture).

Totem Poles were a very integral part of Native American culture. The Indians believed that each person was assigned the spirit of a particular animal, and that their spirit was absorbed into this animal in death. The totem pole was a large, tall wooden carving of various animals, each representing a family member of a loved one who had passed away. Many people see dream catchers hanging from people’s car rearview mirrors, but few know their significance. The dream catcher is based on a legend told by the Lakota Tribe. It symbolizes holding onto good things in life, while the holes in the catcher are there to filter out bad thoughts and feelings. Smoke signals are another interesting aspect of Native American culture. They were used to communicate to others over a long distance and are yet another symbol of the proud heritage of the Native Americans (Native American Culture).

I think it’s very interesting how Native American Indians associate themselves with different animals. I myself belong to the Oneida Tribe and we associate with the bear, wolf and turtle. I found out not that long ago that I am a member of the wolf clan, which is associated with the importance of using your ears, being watchful and having a strong sense of family.

The three staples of Native American food are corn, squash and beans. Other foods that have been used widely in Native American culture include greens, deer meat , buffalo, fish, various birds, berries, pumpkins and wild rice (Native American Food).

The Native Americans are well revered for being resourceful people and when it comes to Native American food, there is no difference. They were well versed at using the ingredients that were readily available to them and for making many different foods with them. Corn and various corn products are abundant in Native American food recipes and they have lent many of their earliest delicacies to the American culture as a whole.

Along with staples and animal sources, herbs also played a vital role in early Native American food. Many of the earliest forms of medicine were derived from these food sources as well. The Native Americans were masters at making poultices, teas and herb remedies. They used herbs and plants such as peppermint, spearmint, clover, sage and rosehips to make teas and other foods. Today’s society and culture owes much of what it has learned about food and the natural American resources to the early Native Americans (Native American Food).

Alcoholism is the most well-known health problem in the Native community, and a source of ample stereotyping, but there are many other reasons why Native Americans and Alaska Natives die younger, on average, than other Americans. We are the sickest racial, ethnic population in the United States, said Irene Vernon, a professor at Colorado State University who specializes in Native American Health.

Native Communities suffer more of the usual predictors of poor health, such as poverty, unemployment and steep high school dropout rate. There’s also a heavy history; the removal of Native Americans from their lands and the boarding school movement when many Native children were separated from their families, renamed, stripped of their language and often abused. These traumatic impacts, loss of land, loss of community, loss of family, warfare have been passed on from generation to generation, Vernon said.

For Native people, these are five of the biggest public health problems they face today: Diabetes; American Indians and Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of diabetes of any group, according to the American Diabetes Association, Injuries; More Native Americans die by injury by the age of 44 than any other cause, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Compared to white Americans, Native people are twice as likely to die in a car crash, three and a half times more likely to die as a pedestrian, twice as likely to die by fire and three times more likely to drown, according to the Indian Health Service. Sexual Abuse; One in three American Indian women is raped in her lifetime, according to the justice Department. One failure of the system is that it’s impossible for tribal courts to prosecute non-Native men who rape Native women on tribal lands. On paper, President Obama closed that loophole when he signed the Violence against Women Act in March, but not one tribe is currently capable of enforcing the new law, reports Frontline. Tuberculosis; For centuries, tuberculosis ravaged the Native American population. A debate still rages over whether Europeans introduced the disease or not. TB rates have plummeted in the last half century, but as of 2008, its incidence was still five times higher for Native American and Alaskan Natives than for non-Hispanic whites. Suicide; In recent decades, youth suicide has become an epidemic. Young Native Americans are more likely to kill themselves than any other group. Native American teens and young adults are ending their own lives at triple the rate of their peers, according to government data, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (5 Big Native American Health Issues).

The Oneida Indian Nation is known as the United States first ally, having fought with the colonists during the American Revolution. The Oneidas participated in key battles such as Oriskany and Saratoga, and traveled hundreds of miles to deliver corn to Washington’s starving troops at Valley Forge (Oneida Indian Nation-History).

The Wisconsin Oneida are Iroquoian speaking Indian tribe currently residing on a reservation in northeastern Wisconsin near Green Bay. They originally came from upstate New York. The Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk and Tuscarora make up the Six Nations League of Iroquois. The Oneida refer to themselves as Oneyoteaka, “People of the Standing Stone.” According to Oneida traditions, there was always a large, red boulder near the main Oneida village in New York, The Oneida Creek and Oneida Lake area in North Central New York State were the principal areas of the Oneida homeland (Oneida History).

During the 1800’s, the state of New York and white land speculators forced the Oneida to sell large portions of their lands. From the American Revolution onward, the tribe’s homeland in New York shrunk from about six million acres to 4500 acres by 1839. In addition, the Stockbridge and the Brothertown relocated onto Oneida lands (Oneida History).

Eeazar Williams and Jedidiah Morse, white missionaries, believed the Oneida and other Iroquois Nations would continue to suffer white encroachment in New York. They launched a plan-approved by the Federal Government to relocate all New York Indians to Green Bay, Wisconsin area. A delegation led by Eleazar Williams arrived in Green Bay in 1821 and negotiated with the Menominee and Ho-Chunk for about 860,000 acres. The next year, another delegation negotiated a second treaty for an additional 6.72 million acres on the western shore of Lake Michigan. This was later reduced by the Federal Government to 65,400 acres to the Oneida because the Menominee and Ho-Chunk argued that none of their chiefs had been present at the 1821 meeting (Oneida History).

Today, the reservation falls within the boundaries of the Brown and Outagamie Counties. The revenues generated by casino gaming have allowed the tribe to buy back a considerable amount of land since 1988 (Oneida History).

Today, there are approximately 560 federally recognized Native American Tribes within the United States. Many face problems such as poverty, alcohol abuse and heart disease. Fortunately there are some who want to be sure the Native American History and way of life is preserved, so that we never forget the important role they have played in the development of this nation (History of Native American Indians).

Since, I am an Oneida Indian, I feel very passionate about what the Native Americans have gone through and in many cases still continue to go through in the United States. I like that the Federal Government has recognized, somewhat, what the Native Americans have gone through and have given them some of their rights back, but there is still a long way to go. There is still so much land that has not been given back to the Indians and they are confined to their reservations to receive these rights.

I also don’t like the stereotyping that is given to Indians that they are alcoholics and mean tempered. I think it is very sad that the sexual abuse rate is so high among Native Americans and that they still suffer from the diseases that were brought to them by the Europeans.

Since I am not a full-blooded Native American Indian, my skin is white and I feel that I have an advantage living off the reservation because of my white skin. I am not stereotyped because most people don’t know that I am Native American. On the other hand, I have felt quite uncomfortable when I am on the reservation, especially when I dyed my hair blonde, because I was looked at as non-Indian and treated differently. Now that I have changed my hair color back to brown, it has made a big difference as to how I am treated on the reservation.

My understanding of Native Americans has a great relevance to me as an AODA counselor because I will be very understanding of my clients because of what they have gone through over the generations. If I choose to work on the reservation, I feel I will be a great asset to the many Indians with substance abuse problems.

I always knew that I am Native American Indian and as a child I have been to the reservation to visit relatives but I never really understood the true meaning of my heritage until the past few years and I am proud to say that I am a Native American Indian and I want to do as much as I can to continue to learn about my heritage so I can use my education as an AODA counselor to help to decrease the problem of substance abuse among Native Americans.

I have already shared much of what I have learned with my family, friends and people I have met and started conversations with and I will continue to become more educated about the Native American culture so I can become the best AODA counselor possible and do everything I can to help my people.

Reference

The History of Native American Indians, www.indians.org/articles/native-american-indians.html

5 Big Native American Health Issues You Don’t Know About, www.america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/8/28

Oneida History - Indian Country Wisconsin, www.mpm.edu/wirp../ICW-156.html

American Indian Today, www.american-indiand.net/today.htm

Oneida Indian Nation / History, www.oneidaindiannation.com/history

Native American Food, www.indians.org/articles/native-american-food.html

Native American Culture, www.indians.org/articles/native-american-culture.html