“The point of the
journey is not just healing. It’s also
recovering the
truest, most spontaneous, joyful, and
creative core of
ourselves.”
Gloria Steinem
We establish a sense
of belonging by learning about our cultural roots leading us down a path of
discovery. We can meet others who are on the same paths as we are and they can
provide us with positive support and encouragement. Sometimes people can be
their own worst enemy and do the opposite of what is needed. For example, many Euro-Americans have lost
touch with their cultural origins. A person of European descent once said “What
about the white people? We left our
families of origin to move to this country and forego our cultural ties to those
communities we left behind. We have suffered also.” Yes, many Euro-Americans
did suffer. All of the people in the world resided in some form of tribal
community during the distant past. For the sake of becoming mobile societies, a
multitude of people have lost valuable connections to their cultural roots. The
results of the Aboriginal Healing Project in Canada demonstrated the importance
of returning to our cultural heritage. Cultural intervention has been
associated with successful healing practices concerning overcoming the harmful
effects of historical trauma.
Activities aimed at renewing and
reviving Native American cultures have contributed to individual, family, and
community healing. These activities include Elders’ teachings, storytelling,
language programs, activities involving nature, feasts, Pow Wows, learning
traditional art forms, harvesting medicines, drumming, singing, and dancing. Culture
is connected to the collective values and worldviews of all people. Culture is
the shared set of beliefs derived from the group’s practice of a shared
language, behaviors, customs and knowledge and a common understanding of
reality, history and future for a specific group. Cultural interventions tend
to be collective activities and these activities promote a sense of belonging.
Many of us have
merely existed in limbo trying to figure out who we are and what is really
important to us. I myself have struggled with determining my own cultural
values and identity. In order to get to
the bottom of this dilemma I decided to gather as much information as possible
about the various cultures I was associated with due to my own personal
birthright. I am of Indian, French and Dutch descent so I delved into what it
meant to belong to these ethnic backgrounds. What part of those cultural heritages
best describes who I am? My examination of my cultural roots revealed a lot
about who I am by examining my values.
During my
exploration I discovered I place a lot of importance on work ethic, honesty,
compassion for all of the Creator’s creatures and people, and last but not
least, fairness. For example, my Indian side brings into the forefront my
strong belief in honesty. Throughout history Indian people would rather face
death than go against their values. Being honest has gotten me into trouble on
many occasions. I volunteer at our local animal shelter, so guess what else is
important to me. I love all animals and
believe it is our responsibility to make sure they are taken care of and
protected and I recycle a multitude of things from plastic to paper to help preserve
the earth’s resources. We either compost our vegetable waste or bring this
waste to a place where animals can eat it. We have fed countless deer and
crows. I also have respect for elders and place a lot of importance on their
teachings.
I probed into my
Dutch side and found out people in the Netherland’s practiced political campaign
strategies which tie closely to what I believe in, such as the use of public
service announcements to announce the candidates’ platforms when running for
governmental positions instead the use of campaign contributions to enable
political candidates to flood the market with information that discredits their
opponents. The Dutch people are also known to have a strong work ethic and
place value on being thrifty, practical, and well organized. The Dutch people are
known to dislike displays of wealth, because this contradicts their egalitarian
beliefs. The term egalitarian represents a belief in the equality of all
people, especially in the political, economic, and/or social realms. I also
believe in the egalitarian mindset.
When exploring my
French heritage, the first thing that comes to mind is my passion for life.
There are so many days when I wake up saying to myself “I love my life,” even
the tough times and the lessons those hard times have brought to me. I greatly
appreciate art and I am creative in many ways. I am not so much fashion or
cuisine conscious although I have been known to indulge in a crepe now and
again. The French government promotes and supports the French culture through
education and government policies.
Take note about
what is important to you and make a list of your values. Explore where these values came from; for
example if you know you are of Indian descent, what is the significance as far
as your own personal belief system. It was vital for me to gain a full
understanding of my values and where these values originated from such as my
Indian heritage. My values are very
important to me and those who forsake their values to please others pay a high
price. My cultural values strongly represent who I am. We would be hard pressed
to find many people who can say they are 100% Native American or any other
ethnic group for that matter in this country. The United States is a melting
pot of diverse ethnicity. We need to consider other factors as well when
questioning our cultural values and making the determination about what is
important to us.
The following
exercise is designed to help us enhance our cultural awareness. We can meet
with family members and/or work by ourselves to examine responses to the
following questions in our effort to explore our own culture:
·
Who
took care of us when our mother or caregiver was away from home? At what age were we left alone? At what age
were children in our family given responsibility to care for the other children
in the family?
·
What
form of discipline or punishment did our family use most often? Did this form
of discipline effect how we felt about our parents? How so? Were there any
kinds of discipline or punishment our parents wouldn't use because they felt it
was harmful to us?
·
What
were the family rules about meals? Did everyone sit down at the table together?
Who cooked? Did our family cook regular meals every day? Could we eat whatever
we wanted, when we chose? What kind of food did we eat most?
·
Did
our family have different expectations for specific children in the family?
Older or younger children? Boys and girls?
·
Who
made what kinds of decisions in our family? Which were made by our mother, our
father, or other family members? Any joint decisions? What influence was there
from extended family, grandparents, others living in the home? What decisions
were children permitted to make for themselves?
·
Who
did our family turn to for help and support in times of need or trouble? Did we
help ourselves? Did we turn to immediate
or extended family? Did our family have a wide range of extended family and
friends? A church group? A community? Did we turn to professional helpers such
as a plumber, electrician, counselors, and/or the bank for example?
·
Did
adults other than our parents care for us for a period of time or have a strong
influence on our development? How did we feel about being cared for by people
other than our parents? What was our relationship with relatives? What part did
aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, non-blood family members play in our lives?
·
What
were our family's values and beliefs concerning the following:
Respecting our Elders
Formal education
Finances, money, and the importance of money and
success
Rites of passage
Religion and
spirituality
Codes of Conduct
The role of
reciprocity (a mutual interchange of favors and privileges)
Appreciation for
diversity (learning valuable lessons from other cultures)
The major life goals our families had for us
·
Which
of our family's values and patterns of behavior do we still adhere to and which
have we changed?
The practice of cultural
interventions cannot be considered the entire part of our healing; but it will
open the door to more intensive healing by creating a sense of identity, pride,
and belonging. It can lead to developing a better sense of underlying values
such as wholeness and balance. I remember the feelings I experience when I attend
Pow Wows. Listening to the drums and watching the dancers brings me feelings of
gratitude, warmth and a sense of belonging.
Healing is sacred and there are various forms of cultural practices that
may enhance our healing process.
The most important
event in an Indian child’s life was, and continues to be with many tribal
entities, the receipt of personal identity through a naming ceremony. The given
name permitted the child to have a place by the tribal fire and be a part of
the tribal thoughts and discussions. The name was a gift from the spirits,
inherited through a naming ceremony by the person bestowing the name, usually
soon after the child’s birth. The given name was to be respected for its origin
within the tribe and cherished by the one receiving it. The children’s names
would come to the leaders and other adults through dreams and visions.
Sometimes children would receive the name of a namesake who passed. In the
past, no one could have the same name when they resided in a traditional Native
American village. Today, Indian people of all ages can receive their spiritual
names. I received my Indian name from a
spiritual healer when I was in my 30s and the reception of my name helped me to
further establish my personal identity. Traditional healers can be located by
contacting local tribal offices.
The function of the healing circles
is to re-connect individuals with the parts of themselves that have been
injured and to connect with others through a process of voluntary, personal,
and mutual disclosure. Healing circles
permit every participant to actively participate as teachers as well as
learners; to be healed as well as to heal. The support created in these circles
offers therapeutic properties. The most sacred teachings derived from these
healing experiences are those which arise from the collective insights of the
participants who fully participate in the healing circle in a supportive
manner. There are many ways in which we can delve into our cultural heritage
and there are many interesting tidbits about Native American cultures.
Ceremonies were often held to
celebrate various stages in the lives of the Native Americans. Ghost suppers
were held to honor those who passed on. The ghost supper has been a traditional
fall ceremony of Indian people throughout much of history. The time when leaves
are falling on the ground was considered a time for remembering and honoring
those who walked on. The ghost supper has been held in many different ways. One
common denominator includes the serving of favorite foods of the ones who are
being remembered. Usually a place is set at the table for the one(s) who passed
on. The plate was fixed with a variety of the loved one’s favorite foods and
left for the entire evening. Ancestry has been paramount for Indian people and
ghost suppers are a way of celebrating our ancestry. Ghost suppers served as a venue
for family stories and fond memories of the deceased. Families would visit
another home and eat the food they prepared. Then the family would be invited
to their home and so on. This fostered community awareness, and encouraged
community trust and sharing.
Indian
people of all ages have participated in fasting activities. Fasting usually
takes place each spring and fall to help seek new direction in life by shedding
old or negative energy and replenishing with positive energy. Fasting may take
place in the woods, a fasting lodge or on a vision quest. The vision quest is a
highly personal ceremony that serves as an integral part of the process of
self-reflection and self-understanding. Vision quests served as an important
developmental ritual for both boys and girls during their adolescent years and have
served as a part of a lifelong process of learning, balance, and growth.
The sweat lodge ceremony is
another way Indian people have united for a common purpose, which was to
commune with the Creator and other spirit guides for healing purposes and
spiritual guidance. The sweat lodge ceremony served as a vehicle to give
thanks, and pray to Gitchi Manito (the
Creator) and the attendees’ spirit guides. These ceremonies continue to be held
today.
Praying and giving thanks is a
good way of communicating with the universe.
Prayers come before all else at many gatherings of Indian people. It is important to give thanks for all that
is provided to us such as the food we have to eat, the water we have to drink,
and our loved ones. Humor and play were considered integral components to good
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, especially during the long
winter months.
Pow Wows
are also considered spiritual events and continue to be held throughout most of
North America. They are a way in which the Anishanaabeg (original people) socialize
and celebrate their heritage. The term “ Pow Wow” comes from the Algonquian
derivative of “Pauau.” It originally
meant curing ceremony. Pow Wows signify a time in which Anishanaabeg could sing,
dance, feast and give gifts. The main emphasis of this spiritual practice
continues to be with the powers of nature, which are Father Sun, Mother Earth,
mountains, rivers, clouds and animals. The traditional female and male dancers
celebrate Mother Earth’s gifts. Different forms of dancing are used to elicit
rain for crops, preparation for hunting, food gathering, healing, and warfare
as well as a way of extending respect and giving thanks. Many of these dances are handed down from one
generation to next.
Storytelling provided a lens in
which the Indian people could recall and honor the past, understand the
present, and foresee the future. In the past legends told during storytelling
sessions served as the primary method for teaching children about the
philosophy and/or about the worldviews of the Indian people. There are two
types of stories or legends, one form tells about anecdotes or narratives about
exceptional events and experiences, while the other informs us about sacred
stories of our ancestors. For example, every culture has a creation story, this
type of legend tells us about an exceptional event.
Smudging is a
spiritual ceremony using smoke from the burning of the four sacred herbs: sage, cedar, tobacco, and sweet grass. These medicinal plants are used to cleanse
people, places, food and objects.
Smudging is used to erase negative energy, creating an opening for
positive healing energy. If smudging
occurs during a healing circle, the burning medicine may be placed in the
center of the circle which connects the participants to their inner sacred
fire.
The four sacred plants are often
utilized in sweat lodge ceremonies, Pow Wows, ghost suppers, naming ceremonies
and other spiritual practices. These sacred plants complete the circle of life.
Their smoke can provide cleansing for the mind, body, spirit and soul. They can
remove negative energy. It has been very important for the Anishanaabeg and
other cultural groups to bestow gratitude for all the Great Mystery has
provided to them. Keeping the idea of gratitude in their minds and the proper
use of all the sacred plants helps those who use these sacred plants to convey
their personal meaning of thankfulness. The plants carry additional
significance, such as their representation of the four directions and the four
stages of our lives: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and elderly. Other
herbs and spices are also used under the direction of a medicine man and other
spiritual healers.
Ways in which to explore our cultural
heritage may include meeting with other family members and ask what ethnic
groups our family came from before coming over to this country if we are not
only of Native American descent. If you are of Indian descent, again meet with
elders, attend cultural events such as Pow Wows and read books about the Indian
and other cultures you may be connected. Again, many of us have several lines
of descent from European, Native American to Asian. Explore your heritage by using the internet. Use
an internet search engine to obtain information about your culture heritage. Google
is a popular search engine on the internet. If you do not have a computer or
the internet, go to the public library to conduct your research. Your
exploration and discovery of your cultural values and identity will prove to be
very rewarding.
