david begay , ph.d. national indian health board 2012 tribal public health summit

Principles of Indigenous Learning and Its Application to Understanding Health Impacts

of Uranium Exposure

David Begay, Ph.D.David Begay, Ph.D.

National Indian Health Board National Indian Health Board

2012 Tribal Public Health Summit2012 Tribal Public Health Summit

May 30, 2012May 30, 2012This work funded by CDC U01 TS000135; 3P20MD004811 - 02S1

Presentation AgendaPresentation Agenda Overview of the concepts of Indigenous Overview of the concepts of Indigenous

world views and learningworld views and learning Juxtaposition of Euro-American and Juxtaposition of Euro-American and

Dine’ PerspectivesDine’ Perspectives Comparison of Western & Navajo Comparison of Western & Navajo

Research ProtocolResearch Protocol Overview of the Navajo Birth Cohort Overview of the Navajo Birth Cohort

Study (NBCS) LogoStudy (NBCS) Logo Considerations for NBCS training Considerations for NBCS training

WorldviewsWorldviewsPeek through the lens of the Peek through the lens of the

Navajo mindNavajo mind Commonalities and Commonalities and

differences between differences between Euro-American and Euro-American and NavajoNavajo

Interrelationships of Interrelationships of all thingsall things

All the parts enfold All the parts enfold the wholethe whole

Navajo Worldview Navajo Worldview and Perspectivesand Perspectives

Worldview provides Worldview provides perspectiveperspective

Order created by Order created by natural cosmic processnatural cosmic process

Process creates Process creates organization, organization, structure, and structure, and epistemologyepistemology

Natural order creates Natural order creates natural law of natural law of interrelationship and interrelationship and interdependenceinterdependence

JuxtapositionJuxtaposition

Euro-AmericanEuro-American

Separation of man Separation of man and natureand nature

View of the universe View of the universe as mechanical to be as mechanical to be manipulated and manipulated and controlled by mancontrolled by man

Dine’/ IndigenousDine’/ Indigenous

Inseparable organic Inseparable organic interconnection interconnection between man and between man and nature forms nature forms harmonious wholeharmonious whole

View of universe as View of universe as living system of living system of interrelationships interrelationships with man as an with man as an integral part of the integral part of the wholewhole



Rational, empirical Rational, empirical faculties overrule faculties overrule intuitive facultiesintuitive faculties

Intuitive and Intuitive and subconscious faculties subconscious faculties are not valued in are not valued in reductionist reductionist methodologymethodology


Intuitive, spiritual Intuitive, spiritual faculties importantfaculties important

Intuitive Intuitive consciousness of the consciousness of the unity and unity and interrelationships of interrelationships of all phenomenaall phenomena



Library as repository Library as repository of knowledge of knowledge

Value of objectivity Value of objectivity research – subjectivity research – subjectivity is devaluedis devalued


Nature and elders are Nature and elders are repository of repository of knowledge (stories knowledge (stories and songs)and songs)

Value of participatory Value of participatory research – subjectivity research – subjectivity and objectivity are and objectivity are both valuedboth valued



• Emphasis on Emphasis on individualityindividuality

• Primarily quantitativePrimarily quantitative

• Validation through Validation through pre-agreed upon set pre-agreed upon set of criteriaof criteria


Emphasis on value of Emphasis on value of collaborationcollaboration

Primarily qualitativePrimarily qualitative

Self-validation comes Self-validation comes from individual from individual intuitive, community intuitive, community recognition and recognition and approval, application approval, application to relevant way of lifeto relevant way of life



• Scientific methods Scientific methods include hypothesis, include hypothesis, experimentation and experimentation and replicationreplication

• Reductionistic, Reductionistic, breaking down to breaking down to smallest denominatorsmallest denominator

• Separation of matter Separation of matter and spiritand spirit


• The use of The use of hypotheses, hypotheses, experimentation and experimentation and replication is of lesser replication is of lesser valuevalue

• Consciously aware of Consciously aware of parts as they relate to parts as they relate to the whole dynamic the whole dynamic systemsystem

• Unity of matter and Unity of matter and spiritspirit



• Separation of body Separation of body and mindand mind

• Separation of Separation of inanimate and animateinanimate and animate

• Spirituality not often a Spirituality not often a way of lifeway of life


• Unity of body and Unity of body and mindmind

• Everything in the Everything in the universe is animateuniverse is animate

• Spirituality is integral Spirituality is integral part of lifepart of life



• Religion is separate Religion is separate from state and from state and professionprofession

• God is patriarchal God is patriarchal noun-god who lives in noun-god who lives in heaven, separate from heaven, separate from man on earth. God is man on earth. God is transcendenttranscendent


• Spirituality is integral Spirituality is integral way of life, all-way of life, all-encompassingencompassing

• Spirituality is intrinsic Spirituality is intrinsic to entire universe to entire universe processes, man is processes, man is inherently interrelated inherently interrelated to the immanent.to the immanent.

MattersMatters to Considerto Consider

Importance and Importance and awareness of awareness of indigenous indigenous perspectivesperspectives

Constructive Constructive dialogues should dialogues should include indigenous include indigenous perspectivesperspectives

WesternWestern and Navajoand Navajo Research Protocols Research Protocols

(W)(W) Language of mathematics – measurement basedLanguage of mathematics – measurement based (N)(N) Language of Spirit – interrelationship basedLanguage of Spirit – interrelationship based

(W)(W) Interplay between theory and observation or experimentInterplay between theory and observation or experiment (N) (N) Validated through centuries of observation and empirical Validated through centuries of observation and empirical

knowledgeknowledge

(W) (W) Prediction and repeatability using the scientific method and Prediction and repeatability using the scientific method and processprocess

(N) (N) Cyclical way of knowing and living in accordance with nature’s Cyclical way of knowing and living in accordance with nature’s teachingsteachings

(W) (W) Humans can be viewed as being superior to nature – Humans can be viewed as being superior to nature – technology can create distance between people and nature technology can create distance between people and nature

(N) (N) Humans are integral participants in an animate universe – non Humans are integral participants in an animate universe – non hierarchicalhierarchical

WesternWestern and Navajo and Navajo Research ProtocolsResearch Protocols

(W)(W) Knowledge is gathered and transmitted by anyone with Knowledge is gathered and transmitted by anyone with technical training, often through written journalstechnical training, often through written journals

(N)(N) Knowledge is collectively honored and only imparted to Knowledge is collectively honored and only imparted to those who are deemed qualifiedthose who are deemed qualified

(W) (W) Scientific community vouches for results of experiment, Scientific community vouches for results of experiment, not not the character of an individualthe character of an individual

(N) Navajo community often provides validation connected (N) Navajo community often provides validation connected to to the character of the knowledge holdersthe character of the knowledge holders

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Iiná Nizhóní Iiná Nizhóní A Beautiful Life for Mother and BabyA Beautiful Life for Mother and Baby

Development of the Navajo Birth Cohort Study LogoDevelopment of the Navajo Birth Cohort Study Logo

Logo Created by: Sandy RamoneLogo Created by: Sandy Ramone

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My Initial My Initial ThoughtsThoughts

Child birth is one of the most sacred events for a Diné family

Reminds us of White Shell Woman, the Diné emergence story

White blanket with stripes is an old design, reflective of age-old teachings that continue today

Baby represents all Navajo newborns and their quest for a beautiful life

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EASTWhite Shell Mountain (Mt. Blanca)

or Sisnaajiní

SOUTHTurquoise Mountain

(Mt. Taylor), or Tsoodził

WESTAbalone Shell Mountain

(San Francisco Peaks), or Dook’o’oosłííd

NORTHObsidian Mountain

(Mt. Hesperus) or Dibé Nitsaa

Study will be Navajo Study will be Navajo Nation-wide: Within the Nation-wide: Within the Four Sacred MountainsFour Sacred Mountains

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EducationEducation

Social Life, CeremoniesSocial Life, Ceremonies

ScienceScience

Awareness of Role of Environment in HealthAwareness of Role of Environment in Health

The Four DirectionsThe Four Directionsgive meaning to the Studygive meaning to the Study

Why corn stalks Why corn stalks appear in the NBCS appear in the NBCS

logologo Corn pollen represents Corn pollen represents

life – the growing of the life – the growing of the childchild

Corn pollen used as an Corn pollen used as an offering in prayersoffering in prayers

White corn represents White corn represents malemale

Yellow corn represents Yellow corn represents femalefemale

Provides for our food Provides for our food basebase

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Why “Iiná Nizhóní”?Why “Iiná Nizhóní”?

Diné life is holistic – Diné life is holistic – strives for beauty, strives for beauty, peace, joy and harmonypeace, joy and harmony

Ultimate desire of all Ultimate desire of all Nihokáá Dine’é Nihokáá Dine’é (“Worldly People”) is to (“Worldly People”) is to achieve a Iiná Nizhóní achieve a Iiná Nizhóní (a “life beautiful”) (a “life beautiful”) before and after the before and after the birth of a childbirth of a child

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Photo courtesy of America West Center, University of Utah

The Navajo Birth The Navajo Birth Cohort Study Cohort Study

This study will look at effects of This study will look at effects of community uranium exposures on community uranium exposures on birth outcomes and child birth outcomes and child development. We, the research development. We, the research team, have a sacred duty to team, have a sacred duty to conduct the study with knowledge conduct the study with knowledge and respect for traditional and respect for traditional Diné Diné teachings and practices around teachings and practices around child birth.child birth.

Our logo is a constant reminder of Our logo is a constant reminder of that responsibility to the research that responsibility to the research team and to our communities.team and to our communities.

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Photo courtesy of nativeamericanlinks.com

Navajo Birth Cohort StudyHelping Your Baby and Future Generations To Grow in Beauty

Call 1-877-545-6775for more information and how you can participate

Principal Investigator – Johnnye Lewis Ph.D., D.A.B.T. Artwork by Sandy Ramone

Funding from CDC/ATSDR: U01 TS000135

All work will be approved and monitored by• University of New Mexico Human Research Review Committee – HRPO# 11-310

• Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board – pending

A collaboration of ―

• DiNEH Project (University of New Mexico Community Environmental Health Program, Southwest Research and Information Center);

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry;

• Navajo Area Indian Health Service; and • Navajo Nation Division of Health

Coming Summer 2012!

A research study responding to community concerns about uranium effects on Navajo babies

Interface with Existing Interface with Existing Clinical CareClinical Care

Work within existing clinical systemsWork within existing clinical systems Standard or routine clinical careStandard or routine clinical care Additional specimens to be collectedAdditional specimens to be collected

Urine and blood at prenatal visit for mom (enrollment, Urine and blood at prenatal visit for mom (enrollment, 33rdrd trimester, delivery) trimester, delivery)

Urine and blood from dads at time of consentUrine and blood from dads at time of consent Meconium at birthMeconium at birth Baby blood from finger sticksBaby blood from finger sticks Baby urine at homeBaby urine at home

ConsiderationsConsiderations for Trainingfor Training

Effective communication of Effective communication of sensitive topics in Navajo & sensitive topics in Navajo & EnglishEnglish Pregnancy, birth, developmentPregnancy, birth, development Birth defectsBirth defects Developmental concernsDevelopmental concerns

Thank You !Thank You !

Contact us if you have Contact us if you have questions:questions:

Call 1-877-545-6775Call 1-877-545-6775

david begay , ph.d. national indian health board 2012 tribal public health summit

Documents

indigenous perspectiveswestern

integral way of life

empirical faculties

subconscious faculties

navajo mindcommonalities

entire universe processes

national indian health

tribal public health