Cultural Loss: And Its Effects on Indigenous Youth
Trishelle J. Chavez
San Felipe/Santo Domingo
Embedded Files
"Sharing One Skin" By: Jeanette Armstrong
In the reading “Sharing One Skin” the main message was about how we are all connected in some way. Armstrong went more in-depth about how her people, (the Okanagan) are tied physically, mentally, and physically to the land. She also touches on how important community is to her people. She makes it known that “community comes first in our choices”, and that when you are born, you are automatically born into a community that will be there to support you. The title, “Sharing One Skin” is mentioned at the end in relation to the Okanagan word that they use for extended family.
Armstrong, Jeanette. “Community: ‘Sharing One Skin’”. Paradigm Wars: Indigenous Peoples’ Resistance to Globalization. Sierra Books Publication. 2006. Print. Pp 35-39.
"Native American Identity"
By: Perry G. Horse
In the beginning of this reading, Horse seemed to touch a lot on what being Indigenous is, and what they feel about how they are addressed. In the text, it states that the author pauses whenever she hears the term “Native American”. This is mainly because when you really think about it, anyone can take up that term when they were born here in America. The author also writes a lot about how we as Native people took on a lot of the “white man's” ways. From speaking to the way we now live life. Towards the end of the piece, the author also mentions how they see that being a member of the “Tribal Nations”, and are citizens of the United States implying that that makes them “dual citizens”.
Horse, Perry G. “Native American Identity”. New Directions for Student Services. no . 109. Wiley Periodicals. Inc. Spring, 2005. Print. Pp 61-68
"Cultural Loss-Impact on Native American Health"
"Cultural Loss-Impact on Native American Health"
This video discusses firstly the domino effect that came from dams being put up in the 1920s and 1930s to preserve water in the Phoenix area. This caused a lot of changes to occur in the ways Native American communities did certain things such as farming or any traditional practices that took place before. This was one really big example of cultural loss. It caused a lot of “emotional and spiritual turmoil” to develop in the communities. This all directly causes and relates to identity issues, self-esteem issues, depression, and anger. This causes a lot of Native Americans to cope in a way that is not ideal; it can eventually lead to substance and alcohol abuse. This is all in some direct relation to the placement of dams, which leads to the loss of cultural context in the communities.
Californianewsreel, director. YouTube, YouTube, 22 Oct. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyj9OFuG5Dc. Accessed 22 Oct. 2021.
“Consequences and Remedies of Indigenous Language Loss in Canada”
“Consequences and Remedies of Indigenous Language Loss in Canada”
In the beginning of this article, there were a lot of mentions of the past historical trauma that the native people were put through in the past. One of the main causes of this was the boarding schools that according to the article, lasted until the year 1996. Due to this traumatic experience, most of the Indigenous languages spoken throughout Canada that remained are at risk of extinction. In addition to this, the boarding schools resulted in other harmful things such as cultural loss, a decrease in mental health, suicide, and substance abuse. This is seen in many Native American communities all around the world who faced historical trauma. Despite all of this, Indigenous tribes in Canada are making an effort to restore the culture and being supportive towards everyone who is making that attempt to restore it.
Khawaja, M. (2021, August 2). Consequences and remedies of indigenous language loss in Canada. MDPI. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/3/89
“The Akwesasne Cultural Restoration Program: A Mohawk Approach to Landbased Education”
“The Akwesasne Cultural Restoration Program: A Mohawk Approach to Landbased Education”
At the beginning of this article, the Akwesasne Cultural Restoration (ACR) Program was mentioned. This is something that was created to restore, and grow the culture and ways of living that are the root of the Akwesasne people. It was said that the culture did survive throughout the years, but pollution succeeded in cutting off the connection to the land, water, plants, and animals. One of the main shifts that are trying to be made is, restoring everything back to its natural state, before pollution and things that prevented a continuous connection with the culture. This is something that would prove to be difficult to do, but the Akwesasne are working to make it a reality.
Alfred, T. (n.d.). The Akwesasne Cultural Restoration Program: A mohawk approach to land-based education. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/des/article/view/22233
“New York’s Mohawk Tribe Works to Restore Their Culture”
“New York’s Mohawk Tribe Works to Restore Their Culture”
In this video, one of the main topics was language and the restoration of it. One of the attempts to restore the culture was creating a school in which they practice their traditional ways. This school consists of younger children, coming from traditional families. Children from the age of one can start at the school and become fully involved in the language. This was seen as something important because according to the video, not a lot of parents spoke the language due to residential boarding schools. The main intent of boarding schools was to strip Native American children of their language and culture.
PBS NewsHour, director. New York’s Mohawk Tribe Works to Restore Their Culture, Youtube, 20 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ApOZcWON8&t=390s. Accessed 17 Feb. 2022.
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