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Looking back. Contributors who helped preserve knowledge on Navajo healing. Before 1841. Little mention of Navajo or their health 1841 expedition headed by General Kearny To survey military strength of the Navajos Reported “Navajos as healthy, well clothed, and well-fed”.
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Looking back Contributors who helped preserve knowledge on Navajo healing
Before 1841 • Little mention of Navajo or their health • 1841 expedition headed by General Kearny • To survey military strength of the Navajos • Reported “Navajos as healthy, wellclothed, and well-fed”
The starvation and pain of the Long Walk • 8-9 thousand to Bosque Redondo • High mortality/morbidity • Estimated 2,000 deaths • Small hospital not well utilized Notes made of high rates of infections, respiratory problems etc. • Left no markers-cemetery
The Happy but Unhealthy Return to the Homeland Highest death rates among those returned from Ft. Sumner
Burying bitter memories/experiences The original memorial at Ft. Sumer
The 1868 Treaty and post Ft. Sumner Promises for schools, rations, economic recovery, improving health Government health resources 1889-1893: 1 doc/18,000 Field matrons (sanitation) The peace Policy Encouraged missionaries to establish schools and health resources Presbyterians (Ganado) Catholics (St. Michaels)
Community Health Nursing With an interpreter: from Hogan to hogan
Washington Matthews, M.D. (1843-1905) Army Surgeon, stationed at Ft. Wingate
Jonathan Letterman, M.D. • Army physician prior to Matthews • “Navahos have no religion, no legends, no health knowledge” • Matthews: • Navahos have multitude of legends, an elaborate religion with symbolism and allegory comparable to the Greeks • Have numerous prayers and songs • Songs full of poetic images
Who was Washington Matthews? • Born in Ireland • At age three, mother dies • Father brings him to United States • Father is physician • Attends and graduate from medical school • Joins the Army • Confederate Prison • Hidatsa/Mandan in Montana • Navajo work most significant
Matthew’s contribution • A self taught ethnographer • Worked with a number of chanters • 1887: The Mountain Chant: aNavaho Ceremony • 1897: Navaho Legends • 1907: Navaho Myths, Prayers, and Songs • not active in treating patients—but understands chanters not appreciated by most medical providers/missionaries • 1921 passage of the Snyder Act
Under the 1930’s New Deal • Marked by the great depression • Collier, new commissioner • Encouraging cultural revival, more resources • Staff: 23 doctors, 51 nurses, 2 dentists • 1938 new hospital at Ft. Defiance • Blessed by traditional healer • The negative side: livestock reduction
The Native American Church • Banned by the Navajo Tribal Council in 1940 • Aberle: NAC became an alternative to dealing with the emotional devastation associated with livestock reduction • Collier—encouraged various organized religions to come establish churches on reservations
Erasing cultural traditions to foster “civilization” Ganado: “Tradition is the enemy of progress”
The Health care in Ganado • Opened the hospital in 1911 • 1927: Clarence Salisbury, M.D. • Missionary physician • Worked to win the confidence of local community and local healers • hospitals as places of death • Become more culturally sensitive • Initiated the first accredited nursing school for native nurses in the United States (1930-1953)
Sage Nursing School graduation Ages 18-30, Unmarried, High school Graduate, and a Health Certificate
Father Haile and Chic Sandoval Not a physician but made significant contribution to preserving knowledge about Navajo healing
Father Berard Haile (1874-1961) • A German, born in Ohio and had a number of siblings • At age 3, Jacob’s mother dies • Father unable to care for all of the children • Placed in a Catholic orphanage • Becomes Franciscan priest • Works with Edward Sapir at U of Chicago (Linguist) • Radcliffe-Brown vs. Sapir • 52 years at St. Michaels • From 1902-1954
Contribution • Priests were well accepted • Haile developed the Navajo Alphabet • 29 characters in Navajo alphabet • Wrote or helped write 22 books • Worked with a number of chanters • Some of the books by Father Haile • Learning Navaho • Origin Legends of the Navajo Enemy Way • Blessing way, etc.
From Some Navajo Healers: Hosteen Klah, a Chanter (Newcomb area) Worked with Franc J. Newcomb and Mary Cabot Wheelwright
Hosteen Klah’s Sand Painting Rugs 1867-1937, wove 29 rugs/drawings (NAU/Santa Fe) Age 25, at Chicago’s World Columbian Exposition Died 1937 of pneumonia at Rehoboth hospital Buried near Wheelwright Museum
Frank Mitchell, a Blessingway Singer Charlotte Frisbie and David McAllester, 1978
1950s: The Termination Era • The Cornell-Many Farms Project • (Kurt Deuschle, M.D.; Cliff Barnett, PhD, etc.) • Use of healers—TB Sanatoriums • The concern over diminishing number of Navajo healers • 1978 Medicine Men Association formed • Protecting traditional medicine • 1999 NAGPRA • 1999 School for Medicine Men (Robert Bergman)
1960s • Economic Opportunity • Paving the way for self-determination • Improving health/school resources • Funding tribes directly • Bypassing BIA • CHR programs • IHS training physician assistants
1970’s Era Self Determination • Using traditional practitioners in Behavioral health programs • Dine’College: Nursing program • Making a place for medicine people in the health care arena • Winslow • Increasing the number of Navajo physicians and other health care providers
Making Progress in reclaiming cultural traditions and valuing the gift of healing from both Western and traditional medicine