Looking back

1. Looking back Contributors who helped preserve knowledge on Navajo healing

2. 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”

3. 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

4. The Happy but Unhealthy Return to the Homeland Highest death rates among those returned from Ft. Sumner

5. Burying bitter memories/experiences The original memorial at Ft. Sumer

6. 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)

7. Community Health Nursing With an interpreter: from Hogan to hogan

8. Washington Matthews, M.D. (1843-1905) Army Surgeon, stationed at Ft. Wingate

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Erasing cultural traditions to foster “civilization” Ganado: “Tradition is the enemy of progress”

15. 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)

16. Sage Nursing School graduation Ages 18-30, Unmarried, High school Graduate, and a Health Certificate

17. Endishodi: Father Berard Haile of St. Michael’s

18. Father Haile and Chic Sandoval Not a physician but made significant contribution to preserving knowledge about Navajo healing

19. 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

20. 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.

21. From Some Navajo Healers: Hosteen Klah, a Chanter (Newcomb area) Worked with Franc J. Newcomb and Mary Cabot Wheelwright

22. 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

23. Frank Mitchell, a Blessingway Singer Charlotte Frisbie and David McAllester, 1978

24. 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)

25. 1960s • Economic Opportunity • Paving the way for self-determination • Improving health/school resources • Funding tribes directly • Bypassing BIA • CHR programs • IHS training physician assistants

26. 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

27. Making Progress in reclaiming cultural traditions and valuing the gift of healing from both Western and traditional medicine