Mind, Body And Spirit: The Navajo Culture

The early conception with disease and sickness was viewed as a punishment from a god(s). It was more of superstition and myths that primitive people based the reasoning of why a person, or why people were getting sick. As time went on people started to evolve and started using science to try and justify why people were getting sick. In which people started thinking that the cause of disease was due to miasma. They started to assume that there were invisible vapors that floated in the air and people inhaled it.

Let’s start with the language portion of the Peoplehood matrix and the affects that settler colonialism has had on Navajo. In Peoplehood, it is stated that the language portion of the Peoplehood matrix is “a group-particular language, by way of its nuances, references, and grammar, gives a sacred history a meaning of its own, particularly if origin, creation, migration, and other stories are spoken rather than written” (Holm, et al. pg. 13). Especially in the late nineteenth century, Navajo children like many other indigenous children were sent to boarding schools. Settler colonialism resulted in a need to as Native Words Native Warriors puts it “eliminate traditional American Indian ways of life and replace them with mainstream American culture.”

The Native American culture is the original culture of the United States. Members of Native American tribes live throughout the country. “There are an estimated 4.9 million persons, in 565 federally recognized tribes who are classified as American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AI), alone or in combination with one or more other designated racial classifications. This demographic group compromises 1.6% of the U.S. population” (Horowitz, 2012). Wisconsin is home to the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Ojibwa (Chippewa), and the Potawatomi tribes (“American”, 2014). It is important for nurses within this state, as well as any other state, to understand the Native American belief system in order to provide a quality healthcare experience. Nurses are the primary point of contact in the healthcare setting. Client advocacy is one of the nurse’s major roles. Therefore, the nurse should have the highest level of diversity understanding for the cultures within the local region.

Throughout history, the Navajo tribe hasn't always been what it is today. Although the Navajos first location of existence is not well known, they’re one of the most studied Native American tribes.Their culture was affected by relocation of environment, wars between the Spaniards and the U.S. Government, and more. Even though most people would think in today’s world, Navajos don’t exist anymore, they have a population of 250,000. Located in the states of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, the Navajo nation covers 27,000 miles of land. Even through wars, The treaty between the United States and the Navajos, and the colonization of Christopher Columbus, the tribe has been able to maintain what they can from their culture throughout the years.

The word Navajo means highly cultivated lands. The Navajo tribes began in the 1500s. They survived by trading maize and woven items for bison meat and weapons (“Navajo Indians”). The Navajos are the largest of all Native American tribes. They live on the largest reservation in the United States in the Four Corners area (“The Navajo Tribe”). They lived in small, simple homes made of sticks and bark. Eventually they built the homes out of stones and adobe. They designed their homes so the doors would face the east, causing the sun to shine in. These homes are called hogans.

When caring for a Native American patient, it is imperative that the nurse provide culturally competent care. In this scenario, there are two main dimensions along which cultural tensions between the patient and the nurse can arise. The first pertains to the actual practices and values of Native American culture, which may be at odds with the practices and values of dominant healthcare institutions. The second is both broader and more subtle: it pertains to the historical relationship of the Native American people and the

The Group of people that will be described in my paper is the Navajos of the Navajo Nation, located in the northeastern part of Arizona, and their religious beliefs. Another topic that will be discussed is the ceremonies that are held among the Navajo tribe. The reason this topic interest me is due to my wife and hearing stories about ways she was taught as a child. Also how much of an impact it has had in her life due to family members taking part in these ceremonies.

The Navajo Native Americans lived all throughout the Southwest ever since their tribe was created in the early 1500s. They primarily roamed through Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Living in the Southwest meant surviving in tough, warm climates and often having to deal with serious droughts. All though this could have become a serious problem, the Navajo people not only found a way to survive but flourish.

The Navajo people live on a reservation

My summary is about the navajo. First is their food. They farmed a lot. On their farm they grew corn,beans,and squash. The men hunted deer, antelope, and small game. The women gathered nuts, fruit, and herbs. Next is tools. They used bows and arrows, spears, and rawhide shields. They used hoes and rakes for farming.

The use of a traditional healers prior to making healthcare decisions may slow interventions, but it is also a necessary component of Indian culture. Lomay and Hinkebein (2006) write, “From a pragmatic prospective, this might mean allowing time for the Navajo patient and his or her family to consult with a traditional healer prior to pursuing a more mainstream course of treatment” (p. 39). By giving the individual time, you are allowing them to reach a sense of “balance” that main in fact improve therapeutic outcomes (Lomay & Hinkebein, 2006). Biological Variations in the American Indian Culture

An understanding of important characteristic of American Indian communication is especially helpful for healthcare workers who wish to build a mutually fulfilling relationship with American Indian clients. Healthcare workers must understand the significance of nonverbal communication. American Indians are comfortable with long periods of silence, and interest is shown through observant listening. American Indians generally take time to carefully conclude and think about what they want to say before speaking, so it is important to allow time for them to respond to questions. Many American Indians who visit family members in the hospitals show their support by silence. When trying to obtain information on a patient’s health status, healthcare

The mother will understand her role in her child’s care in that the healthcare professionals can’t do much to help without her consent. The nurse will develop a better understanding of the Navajo culture as to help with knowing what customs to expect while the child is being cared for. Communication will increase and health decisions in the child’s health will be made quicker.

Writer chose an article, “Culturally competent nursing care for American Indian clients in a critical care setting” retrieved from Critical Care Nurse Journal (2005), which focuses on American Indian, Native American, and Alaska Native cultural group, the smallest racial minority groups in the United States, that consists original people indigenous for the North American continent and has been ignored by healthcare system. Access to healthcare for Native Americans is more difficult than for the rest of the population because of their geographic isolation in villages and communities in states that are large in area and have large reservations, poor transportation, lack of running water, and efficient communication system.

In 2007, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) published a paper on cultural competence. It outlines the importance and necessity of this relational concept in patient care. Though it was written for physicians, the same concepts apply to nurses. When looking at the specifics of Maori care and the unfamiliarity within the health care system of the belief systems and habits of the Maori people. It is found that it contributes to the unwelcome, and uncomfortable feeling of the Maori towards the health care system and has led to poor patient interaction (p. 7). This was the case for the patient-nurse interaction in Mr. M’s circumstance. The nurses created an uncommunicative situation by stereotyping, rather than exploring the patients’ values. Had the nurses