Native American Culture
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Native American Culture
Native Americans are people who originated from the United States and Native Alaska. Fifteen thousand years ago, their ancestors arrived in the United States of America, where most society, cultures, and people developed. In 1492, European colonization began with a decline in the population due to infections from diseases; they had less immunity to fight. After the United States’ formation, there was a war on settler colonialism against the Native Americans resulting in massacres and displacement from their ancestral lands. Since 1960, the determination movements of the Native Americans have resulted in changes in their lifestyle. Even though more than five million Native Americans still face some contemporary issues, the culture of native America is unique. This paper highlights the culture of Native Americans, healthcare beliefs, and cultural effects on their health care.
Prevalent Health Care Beliefs and Need Of This Culture
Native Americans believe that their health and well-being revolves around interactions and actions by the spirit world. According to them, someone’s well-being depends on a good relationship and harmony with the universe and nature. Therefore illness results from falling out with the spirits, causing disharmony. For instance, a Native American with a broken leg will seek help from a physician and seek healing from a spiritual person such as a medicine man.
Secondly, Native Americans believe that illness originates from supernatural forces. For instance, the Cherokee believe that lack of proper respect from the hunters’ causes’ animals spirits or haunt and cause illness to a community. Others also believe that illness results from the ancestors’ sins and persons’ wrongdoing.
Thirdly, according to Native Americans, healing is a sacred calling. People gifted with healing are mandated to help people with the gift. Healing places and natural herbs and medicines are essential in the treatment of diseases. Through prayers, they believe that one can relieve the power to heal.
How the culture Affect their health
The Native American culture harms the health of the community. Most Native Americans exhibit lactose intolerance due to drinking undiluted cow’s milk, which may cause infection and illness. In most cases, the condition is elated to lactose intolerance and no other factors. Secondly, the community practices many food restrictions that may cause adverse effects on their health. For instance, some people may be restricted from taking protein for the rest of their life, or people with fever are not allowed to eat meat, or beliefs like women are not allowed to eat salt for a year.
How my cultural belief compare with Native American Cultures
My cultural beliefs differ from the Native American beliefs in various ways. According to my culture, illness is caused by infections from bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Malaria, for instance, we believe is caused by parasites, unlike the native Americans who believe that illness results from various forms like causing disharmony to the spirits or sins of the ancestors. Secondly, from my community, we believe that proper treatment of diseases and illness is obtained from a physician similar to the native American idea on physicians cure. However, according to our culture, we trust the health care professional more than the traditional medicine men. Even though a smaller percentage of my community prefers using herbal medicine, most prefer modern healthcare treatment.
Cultural And Communication Consideration When Caring For Native Americans
There are a variety of cultural considerations needed when taking care of Native Americans. First, one should acknowledge the existence of intergenerational trauma, which resulted from forced assimilation, homelessness due to land grabbing, and family raptures, mostly where the patient is elderly. Secondly, it is essential to ensure that you initiate a cultural formulation discussion to help understand the patient and create an environment suitable for telling a story. Finally, it is vital to ensure that the environment is receptive and welcoming. One could even consider decorating the office with art.
Health Disparities related to communication
One of the health disparities in Native America is that they measure intelligence by listening and understanding rather than asking questions. They believe in no interruption when explaining their problem or condition and value being heard. Also, they believe that nurses should not share their problems with others.
Secondly, there is a need to ask about what their tradition says on specific medical procedures. For instance, if one is to carry out an arm amputation procedure, Native Americans may want the arm to be blessed, the body cremated, and kept until he is dead to bury it together with the body.
Finally, the Native American elders are highly honored and valued in the community. The elders are treated with a lot of care and love. The community, therefore, advises that a gentle shake is the best greeting for the elderly, and one should avoid looking at them straight in the eye. Health care providers are therefore advised to avoid even touching them.
Conclusion
Native American culture is diverse and influenced by the originality of the community. The community believes that health and well-being revolve around interactions and actions by the spirit world, and therefore, sicknesses are caused by human faults. However, in cases of illnesses, they prefer treatment from the medicine man, and in case they visit health care facilities, it is essential to consider their culture.