Native Tradition,Environment,

& Community Health

Project Accomplishments

Contributors & Contact Info

Nat

ive TEACH Project

A Summary of Our Research

Native Tradition, Environment, And Community Health Project A partnership between Northwest Indian Collegeand the University of Washington (NIEHS Grant# ES07033)

Between 2009 and 2011, the Native TEACH project team:• Created a written survey exploring perspectives on the relationship between

healthandtheenvironment,importantissueswithinnativecommunities,andtheprospectofcollaborationwithlargeruniversities.

• Collectedsurveysfrom60NWICstudentsandjointlyanalyzedresultstoidentifymajorthemesandcoreconcepts.

• Adapted the written survey for use in two student-facilitated talking circles atNWIC;

• Administeredthewrittensurveytoover100tribalcollegestudentsandstaffattheAmerican IndianHigher EducationConsortium (AIHEC) student conference inMissoula(March2009).30differenttribalcollegeswererepresented.

• Involved students from both NWIC and UW in our partnership activities withtheunderstandingthatthesestudentsareourfuturetriballeadersand/orfutureresearchers.

• Hostedaseriesof informaldiscussionswithelderswith theLummiNationandNWIC community, culminating in a presentation of our culminating story to agatheringofover100Lummielders.

• PresentedourfindingsattwonationalandoneinternationalNativehealthresearchconferences

• Supported the development and piloting of a class on community-basedparticipatoryresearchmethodsatNWIC.

Janice Brendible • Former Instructor, NWICKelly Edwards • Associate Professor, U of WAAmber Forslund • Student, NWICRose James • Acting Assistant Professor, U of WA Adib Jamshedi • LummiVenturesProjectRegina Wilson Johnny • Student, NWICMary Teri Haldane Kennedy • Student, NWICAmy Paul • Graduate Student, Johns HopkinsValerie Segrest • Native Foods EducatorJon Sharpe • Research Administrator, U of WABuffy Towle • Student, NWIC

For more information, please contact:JonSharpe,Administrator,NIEHSCenterforEcogenetics&EnvironmentalHealth,jsharpe@uw.edu,206.685.5333,orvisithttp://depts.washington.edu/ceeh/

Wellnes

s

Community

Inter-R

elationship

Thisisastoryofawomanwhoknowsthatherbabyiscomingsoonandshewantstotakeadvantageofthelatesummerandfinishgatheringberries.Andsoshefindsabeautifulplacefullofalldifferentsortsofberrybushes.There’sapaththroughthe

landandshefollowsthispathandbeginstofillherbasketwiththesweetberries.Asshe’sgathering,abrightcircleburieddeepwithinabushcatcheshereye.Shereachesinandpullsoutthecircle,andseesthatit’satable–aroundkitchentable.Shestopsherpickingtolookatwhatshe’sfound.Thetableismadefromheavy,darkwoodthatiswornsmoothfrommuchuse.Sherejoicesinthefactthatthistableisbigenoughnotonlyforherandhernewbaby,butalsoforherfamilyandhercommunity.Itisaplacewherepeoplecancometogethertosolveproblems,tosharestories,tocryandlaughandhelponeanother.This table is community.

Thewomanbeginspickingagainandsoonabrightcircledrawsherattentionfromdeepwithinabush.Shereachesin and pulls out the circle and seesthatit’sadrum.Shestopstorestfromhergatheringandlookatthisnewgiftshe’sbeengiven.Thedrumisperfectinformandsheholdsittohertowarmit and feels how the drum carriesmysteryoflifeandcreation.Itremindsherofthebabyshecarriesandhowsheandheareseparate,butconnected.Whatsheeats,heeats.Whatshedrinks,hedrinks.Wearelikethatwiththeearthtoo,shethinks.Itisourwombandwearesodependentuponherforsurvival.HowwetreatMotherEarthisthemostimportantlegacyweleaveourchildren.This drum is wellness.

Thewomancontinuespicking.Whenher basketis full and she is ready to rest, another circle oflight catches her eye. She reaches in and pullsoutthecircle,andseesthatit’sanest–around,delicately woven bird’s nest. She stops to lookatwhatshe’s found.Thenest ismade fromtiny,fragilereedsandtwigs,butthenestisstrongandsturdy because of how wisely these are joinedtogether.She imagines thebabybirds thatwereraisedinthisnest,andhearstheharmonyoftheirvoices joined insong.She rejoices that thenestwillremindhertoraiseherbabytoseekbalanceandharmonyandthepowerofunity.This nest is Inter-Relationship.

Severalwinterspassandnowherbaby isplayingather feet.Heplayswith the threecirclesshefoundsomanysummersago.Herbabyplayswiththetable,andherbabyplayswiththedrum,andherbabyplayswiththenest.

Onesummerdayshedecidestoreturntothebeautifulplacetoshowhimwhereshefoundhisplaythings–he’scuriousandshewantstoshowhimeverything.Soshetakeshimbyhishandandleadshimthere,onlytofindthatatall,hardfencenowsurroundstheberrybushesandshecan’tclimboveritandshecan’tclimbunderit.There’snowayin.Thefencehasspacesbetweentheboards,andthroughtheseopeningsshecanseethatthelandisbrownanddying.Therearenoberriesleft.Everythingissick.Thewomansitsdownonthehardgroundandcries,forshewantedtoshowherbabyhowbeautifulitwasandshewantedtoshowhimthegiftofabundancethatMotherEarthprovides,butnowthere’snothingthere.

Asshesitsweeping,herbabygentlygathersupthebasketwiththeplaythingsandslipsthroughaspace in the fence.Hegoesover to the landandcarefully returns the table,thedrum,andthenesttotheground.Assoonasthelastplaythinghasbeenreturned,everythingflourishes.Thebushesturnbright,applegreenwithfreshnewgrowth.Flowersbloom,droptheirpetals,andripentorich,redberries.Thebabylaughsandbeginspickingthe berries and placing them in the basket. The woman sees the tradition carried onthroughherbabyandhertearsturntotearsofjoyandpride.

Our Story, “THE RETURN”

Watch a 10 minute video montage of the story at:http://vimeo.com/24837612

Password = TEACH2011

More at http://depts.washington.edu/ceeh/community_teach.html