GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME.
WE'RE STARTING BACK UP TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY WAS AWAKE
WITH A FIRE ALARM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
WE'LL HAVE A GREAT DAY TODAY.
THE THEME IS THRIVING AND
CENTERING LOVE AND WE'LL LEAN
INTO THAT AND TO GET STARTED IN
A BEAUTIFUL WAY WE'LL HAVE A
NUMBER OF SINGERS AND THEN OUR
HAWAIIAN KANAKA MALE RELATIVES.
FIRST MR. LANCE FISHER TO OPEN
US UP AND MR. GEORGE AND ON THE
OUR HAWAIIAN RELATIVES AFTER
THAT.
I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE
TEEPEE IS SET UP AND THERE'S A
HEATER IN THERE IF YOU WANT TO
HEAL AND SMUDGE IT WILL BE IN
C1-C2.
THANK YOU.
IT.
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS LANCE FISHER AND
WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF IN MY
NATIVE TONGUE.
IT TRANSLATES TO NATIVE BEAR AND
THE SONG WAS EXPOSED BY A SENIOR
THAT TALKS ABOUT WHEN YOU SING
THIS SONG I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER
ME.
REMEMBER ME WHEN YOU SING THIS
SONG.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
[OFF-MIC]
WE CAME HOME FROM BOARDING
SCHOOL OUR MISSION WAS MORE
IMPORTANT.
TO BE RAISED 12 MONTHS OUT OF
THE YEAR I WAS IMMERSED INTO OUR
CULTURE.
TO ME MY CULTURE WAS FIRST AND
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE WE
DIDN'T HAVE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY
AND ELDERS DID WHAT WE COULD DO
AND SING.
AND BE STRONG ENOUGH TO EXPRESS
THEMSELVES AND I SEE IT AND I
PRAY FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE
AND IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE
TO SHARE THIS TIME AND BE HERE.
I THANK KARINA AND DEB PARKER,
THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE AND ALICIA
AND GREAT TO SEE A BROTHER I
GREW UP WITH, FREDDY LANE AND
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING OUR
PEOPLES.
REALLY GIVING THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME OVER
HERE AND SHARE OUR COASTAL SONGS
AND OUR PRAYERS AND HOW MUCH IT
MEANS TO OUR PEOPLE OVER THERE
AND WITH THAT THE SONG IS
ENTITLED NOT FORGOTTEN.
IT'S COMPOSED BY MY OLDEST SON.
>>
[SP
[SINGING NON-ENGLISH]
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
WE COME BEFORE AND THEY ARE MADE
OF TEA LEAF AND THANKS FOR BEING
HERE IN THIS PLACE, IN THIS
SPACE.
THE CHANT THAT WE PROVIDED IS AN
HONORING OF PRESENTING LEI TO
OUR HOST AND OF THIS PLACE AND
IT IS A GIFT.
>> I'LL FURTHER EXPAND WHAT LEI
MEANS FOR US IN HAWAI'I.
IT'S INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS FOR US
WHICH IS ANOTHER WORD FOR
CHILDREN AND WHEN YOU WEAR A LEI
OF FLOWERS IT'S REALLY YOU
BRINGING AND WEARING WITH YOU
YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND YOUR
PAST GENERATIONS.
AND SO WE CALL IT OUR ANCESTORS
AND THIS PARTICULAR WEAVING OF
THIS LEI IS BRINGING THINGS
TOGETHER AND BRAIDING AND
REPRESENTS RELATIONSHIPS.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY THE
REST OF THE DAY AND TOMORROW AS
WELL AND RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO
BLESS ALL OF YOU AND SO WE HAVE
AMAYA HERE WHO IS GOING TO PASS
OUT PACKETS OF SALT AND FOR US
WE'RE OCEAN PEOPLE SURROUNDED BY
WATER AND THE WATER IS CLEANSING
FOR US.
WE HAVE CEREMONIAL PRACTICES IN
THE WATERS SURROUNDING HAWAI'I
AND SO WE BRING SALT, WE BRING
THE WATER TO YOU.
SO THIS IS HARVESTED IN HAWAI'I
AND INSIDE THE PACKET -- SO IF
YOU JUST TAKE A COUPLE GRAINS OF
SALT, OF MINERALS OF HAWAI'I AND
INSIDE OF IT HAS BEEN HARVESTED
WITH A SEAWEED THAT WE USE,
PRACTITIONERS USE FOR BLESSINGS
FOR HEALING AND FOR FORGIVENESS.
WE DO CIRCLES AND HAVE A
PRACTICE THAT WE BRING IN THIS
WHAT WE CALL KALA AND WE INFUSE
THE SALT WITH THE KALA TO BRING
THAT HERE WITH YOU.
WHEN WE CAN'T BE AROUND THE
WATER, BOTH TONI AND I WORK IN
PRISONS IN HAWAI'I WITH OUR
NATIVE PEOPLE WE BRING THE WATER
TO THEM.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FOR
YOU TODAY TO PARTAKE IN THIS
PRACTICE.
IT'S CALLED PI'KAI AND WE WILL
CLEAR OUR MINES AND CLEANSE
OURSELVES AND PREPARE OUR MINDS
AND OUR SPIRITS AND WE HAVE WHAT
WE CALL OUR ANCESTORS HERE IN
THE ROOM AND WE'RE GOING TO SET
OUR INTENTIONS FOR THE REST OF
OUR TIME HERE AND IT IS TIME TO
LET GO, TO RELEASE AND SO WE CAN
FILL OURSELVES BACK UP AND ALSO
PROVIDES PROTECTION AND
SURROUNDS US WITH ALOHA.
SO EVERYBODY'S GOT SOME.
WE DID SOME EARLIER.
WHEN YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN JUST
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND JUST FEEL
THE GROUNDING.
THINK OF THAT SPACE THAT KEEPS
YOU WHO YOU ARE AND PROVIDES
THAT SAFETY AND YOU THINK OF
YOUR ANCESTORS AND THINK OF YOUR
FUTURE GENERATIONS AND YOU CAN
PUT SOME OF THE SALT IN YOUR
MOUTH AND LET IT MELT AND THINK
OF IT AS CLEANSING AND WASHING
AWAY AND AT THE SAME TIME
NOURISHING YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR
BODY AND BREATHE AND RELEASE AND
THINK OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
TONI AND I ARE HULA
PRACTITIONERS AND WILL START US
AND END WITH THAT SAYING WE DO
IN OUR HULA PRACTICES.
>>
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY HAWAIIAN RELATIVES AND THE
GEORGE FAMILY AND LANCE, THANK
YOU FOR ALL YOUR SONGS AND
BLESSINGS THIS MORNING TO GET US
STARTED IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME SELENA.
PART OF OUR THRO OFFICE TRIBAL
HEALTH RESEARCH OFFICE.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS SELENA AND I'M A
MEMBER OF THE NAVAJO NATION AND
GOOD MORNING, RELATIVES.
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
I WORK IN THE TRIBAL HEALTH
RESEARCH OFFICE.
WE HAVE AN AWESOME TEAM WITH
DR. CALDWELL AND DR. WALTERS AND
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND TO BE
PART OF THE TEAM AND HAPPY YOU
GUYS ARE ALL HERE.
SO, YESTERDAY WE HAD A GROUP AND
I WAS SO -- I DON'T KNOW HOW TO
DESCRIBE THIS FEELING MAYBE
INVIGORATED, ELATED, IT WAS THIS
AMAZING FEELING YESTERDAY WHEN
WE WERE SETTING UP THE TEEPEE
AND IT'S A SACRED SPACE FOR US.
IT WAS AMAZING JUST TO BE THERE
AND TO WITNESS THE TEEPEE GOING
UP ESPECIALLY HERE AT NIH
CAMPUS.
IT'S A HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR US
AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE PART
OF THAT.
I WANT TO THANK OUR SPIRITUAL
LEADERS.
THERE'S TWO IT SPIRITUAL
LEADERS, MR. JASPER PABLO, CAN
YOU STAND FOR ME, PLEASE.
[APPLAUSE]
AND HE'S OUR PROFESSOR AND OUR
OTHER IS AVERY DENNY.
HE MAY HAVE STEPPED OUT.
AND THEN ALSO MYRA MEDRANO OR
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR IT THRO
AND TOM HINLY PART OF THE LUMI
NATION.
WE HELPED US.
WE HAD HIS MUSCLE AND OUR
HAWAIIAN SISTERS, DR. MAHEALANI
MILLER AND THEY'RE STRONG WOMEN.
AND THEN ALSO KEN JENSON THE ONE
WHO BROUGHT HIS TEEPEE.
HE WAS AMAZING.
THAT GUY WAS CLIMBING THOSE
POLES AND PUTTING THAT TEEPEE
TOGETHER.
BUT IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GO SEE IT, IT'S JUST SITTING
OUTSIDE AND IT'S HEALING AND
IT'S MEDICINE AND GO VISIT THE
TEEPEE.
[NO AUDIO]
>> THANK YOU.
AND MS. JACKIE REARDON IS PART
OF OUR THRO TEAM AND WE'RE
GROWING.
NEXT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
DR. SAM TORRES.
HE'LL OPEN US UP TODAY ON BEHALF
OF NAVS SO THANK YOU.
>>
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
WELCOME RELATIVES.
SENDING YOU GOOD ENERGY.
IT'S AN HONOR TO CONTINUE THIS
CONVENING TODAY AS WAS MENTIONED
A VERY HISTORIC CONVENING.
WE'RE HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO
BE A PART OF IT AND TO HELP AND
HOLD SPACE AND FURTHER THE
DIALOGUES THAT OF COURSE AS WE
HAVE SEEN ALREADY THIS WEEK ARE
MUCH NEEDED.
I WANT TO JUST OFFER SOME BRIEF
REFLECTIONS AND WON'T MAKE
EXTENDED REMARKS.
I DO WANT TO HONOR THE OFFERINGS
OF THE SONGS AND THE PRAYERS
TODAY.
THANK YOU TO THE GEORGE FAMILY,
TO LANCE, TO DR. MILLER, DR
DR. BISSETTE FOR HONORING THE
SPACE AND FOR RECOGNIZING THIS
IS A SACRED SPACE.
WHEN WE GATHER AS RELATIVES AND
BRING OUR SONGS TOGETHER AND OUR
LANGUAGES AND ALREADY WE HEARD
SEVERAL OF OUR TRADITIONAL
LANGUAGES THAT HAVE COME FROM
THESE LANDS, THE LANDS WE CALL
HOME SO I'LL JUST INTRODUCE
MYSELF ONCE MORE.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FOLKS
JOINING US TODAY.
TODAY MAY BE YOUR DAY ONE BUT WE
HAD A BEAUTIFUL DAY ONE
YESTERDAY.
THOSE JOINING US TODAY, WE GREAT
YOU AS RELATIVES.
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
IN MY LANGUAGE I WANTED TO SHARE
WITH YOU THE NAME I WAS BORN
WITH.
DANIEL TORRES.
I'M IRISH AND FRENCH ON ANY
MOTHER'S SIDE AND IT'S IMPORTANT
TO BRING ALL OUR ANCESTORS INTO
THE SPACE AND LIKE TO REMIND
MYSELF AND OTHERS IN MY CIRCLES
THAT WE ALL DO INDEED COME FROM
PLACE-BASED CULTURES.
THAT THE WEDGE IMPACT OF
COLONIALISM THOUGH IT FEELS VERY
DEEP AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE THESE
ENCOUNTERS WITH COLONIALISM THAT
ARE HARD TO FORGET ABOUT BECAUSE
THEY'RE SO IN OUR FACE.
THEY HAVE PROVOKED THOSE TRAUMAS
THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ON A
DAILY BASIS AND GENERATIONALLY.
BUT WITHOUT CENTERING THOSE
EXPERIENCES, WE CAN'T EXPECT TO
HEAL FROM THEM AS WE'VE HEARD
YESTERDAY.
IN ORDER TO CENTER ANCESTRAL
LOVE WE HAVE SEEN WE ALSO NEED
TO CENTER THE TRUTH.
AND NOT TO PUT OUR TRAUMAS ON
DISPLAY.
WE SAW SOMETHING COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT YESTERDAY AND THE WORK
THAT NABS ENDEAVORS TO BE A PART
OF IS TO HONOR THOSE EXPERIENCES
TO REMIND US OF THE ANCESTRAL
LOVE AND THE RELATIVES WHO
SHARED SO MUCH COURAGE FOR BEING
HERE MIKED UP ON A STAGE WHICH
HAS ALL ITS LIMITATIONS OF BEING
CENTERED AND UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
AND WE KNOW THE THREATS THAT GO
INTO THAT BUT WE ARE A COMMUNITY
OF RELATIVES.
THIS IS AN HISTORIC EVENT INDEED
BECAUSE OF THE PLACE WE'RE ON
AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS AND THE ENTITIES
HERE REPRESENTED BUT ULTIMATELY
DEEPER THAN THAT RELATIVES FROM
DIFFERENT NATIONS, YES.
BUT OUR KINSHIP AND OUR SHARED
STRUGGLES AND SHARED JOY UNITES
US.
I WAS REMINDED BY THE COURAGE
AND VULNERABILITY OF OUR AUNTI
S -- AUNTIES AND UNCLES AND THE
EFFECT ON THESE LANDS BY
COLONIALISM AND IN CONVERSATION
THIS MORNING WAS REMINDED THAT
WE SHARE THESE STORIES ALSO TO
INVITE EACH OTHER, TO LOVE ONE
ANOTHER MORE DEEPLY.
WHEN WE SHARE ABOUT THOSE
EXPERIENCES IT'S NOT JUST TO SAY
THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND IT HELPS
TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN HEAL
GOING FORWARD WHATEVER THAT PATH
AND JOURNEY MAY BE AND IT LOOKS
DIFFERENT OF COURSE BUT WHEN YOU
SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES WITH ME,
EYE TO EYE, PERSON TO PERSON AND
IN A CONTEXT LIKE THIS WE'RE
HERE YES TO LISTEN, WE'RE HEAR
TO LEARN BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY,
WHEN THOSE STORIES ARE SHARED WE
OFFER AN INVITATION TO LOVE ONE
ANOTHER MORE DEEPLY.
THAT'S WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY AND
WHAT WE SAW TOGETHER.
AS WE ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS AND
CONTINUE TO WORK MORE DEEPLY
TOGETHER ON SEEING EACH OTHER
AND RECOGNIZING AND HONORING
EACH OTHER, I INVITE US TO SIT
WITH THAT AND HOW CAN WE LOVE
EACH OTHER MORE DEEPLY.
AND THE PROCESS, THE METHOD, IF
YOU WILL, RIGHT, BUT THE
ANCESTRAL TEACHINGS OF LISTENING
AND BEING MOTIVATED AND MOVED BY
OUR STORIES.
LET'S CONTINUE TO CENTER THAT
ANCESTRAL LOVE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY
THROUGH THAT LOVE THAT WE CAN
WALK ON A PATH THAT LIBERATES US
FROM THOSE TRAUMAS AND OFFERS A
PATHWAY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE
FREE OF THOSE BURDENS THAT WERE
PLACED ON US.
AND I WANT TO JUST CLOSE IN
TRANSITION BY OFFERING THE WORDS
AND REFLECTIONS OF OUR AUNTIE
HARDEN YESTERDAY.
WE CAN NEVER KNOW THE EXPERIENCE
OF THE BOARDING SCHOOL UNLESS
YOU WERE THERE OURSELVES.
WE HAVE OUR OWN BURDENS AND
TRAUMAS AND TRY TO HOLD THAT
SPACE TOGETHER WITH ONE ANOTHER.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN OPEN UP THE
INVITATION TO SEE EACH OTHER
MORE DEEPLY AND LOVE EACH OTHER
MORE PASSIONATELY AND FIERCELY
AND IN THE SAME LIGHT PROTECT
OUR PEOPLE AND TO CARVE A NEW
PATH FORWARD GUIDED BY OUR
ANCESTRAL TRADITIONS AND
TEACHINGS BUT WE HAVE TO CENTER
THAT LOVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING ALONG
THIS JOURNEY WITH US AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU
ALL MORE DEEPLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TORRES.
I'LL INVITE OUR FIRST PANEL UP
TO COME UP AND GET SITUATED.
THE PATHWAYS TO THRIVING LOVE,
LAND AND WATER WITH MODERATOR
DR. DIANE HIRSHBERG AND
DR. JOHNSON-JENNINGS AND SHARON
DAY AND DR. SUINA.
WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME BUT WE'LL STILL GIVE
PANELISTS THEIR FULL TIME BUT IF
YOU NEED A MINUTE FOR A LITTLE
BREAK OR WHATEVER WHEN WE'RE
TRANSITIO
TRANSITIONING BETWEEN PANELS
GRAB A COFFEE OR WHATEVER AND
COME ON BACK.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELCOME, PANELISTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY
COLLABORATORS.
I'M DIANE HIRSHBERG AND I'M
HONORED TO BE HERE AND FOR US TO
BE PART OF THIS DAY THAT BEGINS
TO HELP US DIG DEEP INTO THE
IDEA OF THRIVING AND WHAT DOES
IT MEAN NOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD
SOME PROFOUND AND DEEP SHARING
OF TO THE EXPERIENCES PEOPLE
HAVE HAD THROUGH BOARDING
SCHOOLS AND AS DESCENDANTS OF
SURVIVORS AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT
STEPS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN
THIS.
I ASKED THE PANELISTS TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SHARE
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN
DESCRIPTIONS OF OURSELVES BUT
THE BIOS ARE KIND OF TYPICAL
BIOS AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY
SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT WHY WE'RE
HERE.
AND AS WE GET STARTED TO SHARE A
BIT THAT I AM IN THE LANGUAGE OF
SOME OF MY FRIENDS I'M NON
INDIGENOUS AND ON THE
TRADITIONAL AND UNCEDED LANDS OF
THE DINAH PEOPLE OF THE UPPER
COOK INLAND AND THANKFULLY
WELCOMED TO THE BEAUTIFUL LANDS
AND I COME TO THIS PLACE BECAUSE
OF THE WISDOM OF COLLEAGUES OF
MINE IN ANCHORAGE AS I WAS DOING
RESEARCH AMONG SCHOOLS AND
MOVING TO ALASKA A BIT MORE THAN
20 YEARS AGO LOOKED AT ME AND
SOME OF YOU IN THE ROOM PROBABLY
KNOW PAUL ONTAKUK WHO SAID TO ME
YOU NEED TO STUDY THE BOARDING
SCHOOL EXPERIENCES BECAUSE THEY
COME UP IN MY DOCTORAL WORK AND
SAID YOU NEED TO STUDY IT NOW.
AND THAT SAYING WAS ECHOED BY A
NON-INDIGENOUS EDUCATOR,
DR. BILL MAUL WHO HEARD THE SAME
THING AND SAID YOU NEED TO STUDY
BOARDING SCHOOL.
WE BEGAN THAT WORK 20 YEARS AGO
AND JIM LEBELLE WAS PART OF THAT
AND OTHER FOLK STARTED THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT EXPERIENCES.
BEING TOLD AS WE BEGAN THAT WORK
THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T READY TO
TALK.
SO I'M HERE AND I FEEL HONORED
AND OVERWHELMED BY WHAT HAS BEEN
SHARED AND LEARNED AND THE
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND THE
PROFOUND WISDOM YOU BRING TO
THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
MORNING'S CONVERSATION.
I'D LIKE TO PASS THIS ON TO
DR. MICHELLE JOHNSON-JENNINGS TO
START THE CONVERSATION.
>>
>> I LIKE TO USE VISUALS BECAUSE
IT SEEMS TO KEEP ME ON TASK A
LITTLE BIT BETTER.
ALL RIGHT.
SO
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> I'M MICHELLE JOHNSON-JENNINGS
AND FROM THE CHOCTAW FLATION OF
-- NATION OF OKLAHOMA AND BORN
AND RAISED THERE AND FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
BEFORE I TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT
MYSELF I WANT TO SAY I'M SO
HONORED TO BE HERE AS WELL.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE ASKED TO
SPEAK AND TO BE AMONGST ALL OF
YOU HERE TODAY.
YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
ORGANIZERS AND I WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR
ANCESTORS WITH US TODAY AND
GREET THEM.
I FEEL THEM STRONGLY HERE WITH
ME AND TO GREAT MY OWN ANCESTORS
AS WE SIT AND DISCUSS TODAY.
I'LL GIVE THE CAVEAT AS WELL
MOST OF THE PAINTINGS, IMAGES I
HAVE IN THE PRESENTATION ARE
MINE.
I EITHER PAINTED IT AND THE
FIRST IS NOT MINE SO I'LL POINT
OUT THE ODDITY.
THIS IS A CREE ARTIST I JUST
LOVE THE DESIGN AND CONNECTIONS
AND REMINDS ME OF MY GRANDMOTHER
ACTUALLY.
SO, IT WHO I AM.
I'M SORRY, YOU KNOW HOW THINGS
GET GARBLED.
I'M CHOCTAW AND BORN AND RAISED
IN OKLAHOMA AND WE CAME FROM THE
MOUNTAIN REGIONS GROWING UP
HOWEVER, I HAVE FAMILY ACROSS
CHOCTAW NATION IN OKLAHOMA AND
ONE SISTER WHO CAME WITH ME BUT
MY HUNDREDS OF COUSINS AND
NIECES AND NEPHEWS ALL RESIDE
THERE.
I AM ALSO A CLINICAL HEALTH
PSYCHOLOGIST BY TRAINING.
I SAY THAT AS A CAVEAT.
I'VE BEEN WESTERN TRAINED FOR
MANY YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN ENTRENCHED IN
WESTERN MEDICINE AND A LOT OF
TIMES I COME BACK TO MY FAMILY
AND MY GRANDMOTHER IN PARTICULAR
AND HAVE TO RELEARN HOW TO HEAL
AND HOW TO APPROACH HEALING
WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WITHIN MY SISTERS AND MY OTHER
FAMILY, I'M A FIRST GENERATION
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HOWEVER, I
ALWAYS SAY MY FAMILY IS FAR MORE
INTELLIGENT THAN I AM.
THEY DO THINGS I CANNOT DO.
I CAN READ BOOKS AND READ WELL
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE
ENCOURAGED ME TO DO AS A CHILD.
AND MY CAREER HAS TAKEN ME
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
I'M FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF
OUR CHOCTAW ANCESTORS WHO WORE
SUPPOSEDLY IN THE BIG FLOOD AND
WE HAD TOO LITTLE FOOD AND MOVED
BACK AND THE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT
TO GIVE UP THE LAND THEY HAD AND
WE KEPT TRAVELLING TO THE
YUCATAN AND CROSSED THE WATERS
OF SOUTHEASTERN U.S.
MYSELF I STARTED IN OKLAHOMA,
WENT TO MONTANA, MINNESOTA THEN
TO CANADA AND NOW IN WASHINGTON.
SO ALSO NEW ZEALAND FOR A YEAR
SO WE'RE TAKING A LITTLE TRIP
AROUND BUT WE'LL SEE.
VERY GRATEFUL TO BE THERE RIGHT
NOW AS CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE INSTITUTE AND DIRECTOR OF
OUR DIVISION ON INDIGENOUS
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND
LAND-BASED HEALING.
ALL IN ALL BEING A PSYCHOLOGIST
GIFT I WOULD SAY I SEE MYSELF
MORE OF A STORY TELLING.
TELLING STORIES, RENARRATING THE
STORIES JUST AS I LEARNED
STORIES AS A CHILD.
I CONTINUE TO TELL MY CHILDREN
STORIES.
I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS, TWO SONS
AND THEY ARE ARE TRULY AMAZING.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THEM AS WE GO ALONG.
I HAVE ALSO MY GRANDMOTHER'S
HERE AS WELL.
I WANT TO PAY HONOR TO MY
GRANDMOTHER AS THE ANNIVERSARY
OF HER PASSING AND WAS A
BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVOR AND
LEFT AND WAS FORCED TO GO TO AN
INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL AND THEN
MY GRANDFATHER I DON'T HAVE UP
HERE YET.
SOMETIMES WE TALK ABOUT TRAUMA.
I THINK ABOUT THE TRAUMA IN MY
FAMILY WE OFTEN SKIRT AROUND.
WE DON'T SEE THE FOREST THROUGH
THE TREES.
I KNOW WITH OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITY
IN PARTICULAR THE TRAIL OF TEARS
WAS OFTEN DISCUSSED BY MYSELF
EVEN AS A CHILD AND BY MY OWN
CHILDREN LATER AS A PRESENT-DAY
EVENT AS BEING FORCED REMOVED BY
THE GOVERNMENT WITH MASS LOSS OF
LIFE AS WE WALKED WITH THE FIRST
TRIBE TO BE REMOVED AND LAD TO
ASSEMBLE IN MISSISSIPPI AND
THREE WAVES OF REMOVAL AND THIS
SEVERELY IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY
AND THEN TO HAVE GENERATIONS
JUST BEGINNING TO SURVIVE AND
THEN PLACED IN BOARDING SCHOOLS
AND I LOOK AT MY 7-YEAR-OLD NOW
AND THINK IF HE WERE RIPPED AWAY
FROM ME EVEN AT AGE 7 I COULDN'T
IMAGINE THE PAIN AND LOSS THAT
WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THIS
TRAUMA DOES GET US I THINK
RIGHTFULLY SO FEELING VERY DOWN.
AS I HAVE MOVED FORWARD IN MY
OWN JOURNEY AND THROUGH WORKING
WITHIN COMMUNITY I'VE USED ART
AS A WAY TO ILLUSTRATE IT HOW TO
RE-NARRATE AND TRANSFORM THE
NARRATIVES.
THIS IS A PAINTING OF MINE AND
THAT IS MY GRANDMOTHER HOLDING
HER FIRST BORN CHILD.
I LOVE THIS IMAGE BECAUSE OUR
CHOCTAW WAS SO STRONG AND
POWERFUL AND SHE WAS DEFINITELY
OUR MATRIARCH AND TOOK IN HER
GRANDKIDS WHENEVER SHE COULD.
SHE CARED FOR THEM AND LOVED
THEM AND TOLD US THE BEAUTIFUL
STORIES ONCE BEING A DOCTORAL
STUDENT I SAID GRANDMA I TALK
ABOUT HOW I LIST TO BE HEALTHY
IN A CHOCTAW WAY AND TELL ME
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HEALTHY TO
YOU IN A CHOCTAW WAY AND SAID
THE STORIES ABOUT THE ANIMALS
AND I SAID YEAH THE KID STORIES,
NO, SHE WAS IN A COMMUNITY WHERE
THEY ONLY SPOKE CHOCTAW AND WE
SAT AROUND THE FIRE AND TELL THE
CHILDREN THE FIRE.
SHE SAID THOSE STORIES TELL YOU
ALL YOU NEED TO BE WELL AND I
FOCUSSED ON HE STORIES FROM HER
AND HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS WOULD
SHARE STORIES AND COLLEGE
FRIENDS IN OKLAHOMA WE WOULD
SHARE STORIES AND TRYING TO
DECODE WHAT ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR LIVING IN A GOOD WAY.
IN THAT IMAGE I PLACED HER IN
THE CENTER BECAUSE SHE IS
SOMEONE I SEE AS MY ROLE MODEL,
AS MY MENTOR AND THE FLICKER
BIRD FOR US REPRESENTS HEALING.
SO I HAVE THE HEALING OF THE
FLICKA BIRD COMING THROUGH BUT
THE COLUMNS ARE PASTED AS THE
TREATY OF DANCING RABBIT CREEK
THAT ARE MOVED US FROM OUR
HOMELANDS.
SO I PUT HER IN THE MIDDLE THERE
ONE OF HEALING, A SPACE OF
HEALING OF BEING REMOVED AND
TAKEN THE BOARDING SCHOOL AND
THROUGH THE WAVE OF THE WATER OF
GENERATION AND RENEWAL.
BEING ABLE TO CROSS INTO AN AREA
OF HEALTH AND WELL BEING DRAWN
UPON OUR SACRED MEDICINES I
PAINTED HERE AND OUR TOBACCO
BROTHER TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW
WE CAN GIVE PRAYER AND RENEW AND
HEAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD TODAY.
NOW, WE HAVE THIS IMPACT OF
TRAUMA AND IT IS THERE AND IT'S
TRUE AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE
THAT AND SEE THAT AS A TRUTH WE
MUST BRING TO THE FOREFRONT.
AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S THE
IMPACT OF LOVE ACROSS
GENERATIONS.
I HAVE HERE MY FAMILY IN THE
UPPER RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S THE HOTEL THEY HAD IN
OKLAHOMA.
I SAY HOTEL LOOSELY BECAUSE IN
OKLAHOMA BACK THEN WAS JUST A
TWO STORY HOUSE BUT THIS IS
WHERE THEY WOULD HOST PEOPLE AND
ONLY SPOKE CHOCTAW AND THE
RAILROAD CAME THROUGH AND THOSE
ARE MY GRANDPARENTS THERE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY
GRANDFATHER YOU BUT WAS A
PREACHER AND MEDICINE HEALER AND
PEOPLE CAME TO TO BE HEALED AND
HE WAS ABLE TO TREAT THEM IN A
DISCREET THEM BECAUSE IT WAS
ILLEGAL BACK THEN AND MY
GRANDMOTHER WAS ALSO A HEALER.
MY FATHER SPEAKS CASUALLY IN HIS
ELDER YEARS ABOUT THE PEOPLE ON
THE BED AT THE HOSPITAL AS SHE
WAS PASSING AND EVERYBODY SAW IT
AND THE NURSES SAW IT AND THE
DOCTOR SAW IT, THE LITTLE PERSON
WAS RIGHT THERE AS FAR AS HE
KNEW HELPING HER HE'LL BEFORE
SHE PASSED AND PASS IN A GOOD
WAY.
I THINK OF HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO
MOVE FORWARD DESPITE THE
TRAUMAS.
WE HAVE THE BOARDING SCHOOL THAT
MY FAMILY WENT TO IS JONES
ACADEMY AND MY BROTHER AND
SISTER HAD A SHORT STINT THERE
AS WELL AND IT CHANGED INTO THE
CHOCTAW NATION'S HAND AND
THERE'S A SCHOOL AND THE PHOTO
OF THE TRAIL OF TEARS IS A STOCK
PHOTO NOT MINE.
I HAVE ANY GRANDFATHER HERE A
BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVOR AND HIS
SIBLINGS.
I NOTICED THEY DON'T EVEN LIST
THE MOTHER'S NAME BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT SURE WHO THEIR
MOTHER WAS AND THEIR FATHER ALSO
PASSED.
IT'S A HEARTACHE ON THAT SIDE OF
THE FAMILY AS WELL BUT YET HE
STILL LOVED US WITH A FIERCE
LOVE AND HE WOULD TAKE ME ASIDE
AND TEACH ME CHOCTAW AS A CHILD
AND THAT LOVE JUST OOZED OUT OF
HIM AND SAID I LOVE YOU IN HIS
CHOCTAW WAY AND MY GRANDMOTHER
AS WELL AND WE HAVE THE NATION
THERE.
I PUT THAT AS A REPRESENTATION
THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AS A
COMMUNITY EVEN IF MY FAMILY
WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE DIRECT
POLITICS OF THE NATION THE
COMMUNITY WAS THERE FOR EACH
OTHER.
DURING THE TIME OF HARDSHIP AND
TURMOIL WE HAD FAMILY.
WE HAD COMMUNITY PUSHING US
FORWARD AND WE HAD OUR MEDICINES
AND WAYS TO GET AROUND WHAT WAS
IMPOSED UPON US.
AND I THINK BACK TO THAT
RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH AND THAT
POWER THAT'S WITHIN THAT AND
WHERE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER
HOLDING ME ON HER LAP AS A BABY
AND CHILD AND MY BROTHER AND
SISTER IT JUST TWO OF MY
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IS A GREAT
POWER TO ME TO HAVE THAT BEHIND
ME AS A MOVE FORWARD AND PASS
THAT ON TO MY CHILDREN AS WELL
AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.
NOW, IT'S A DIFFICULT TIGHT ROPE
TO WALK.
THIS IS MY YOUNGEST.
BUT WE HAVE TO BALANCE THIS.
THE TRAUMA WITH THE IDEA OF LOVE
THAT COMES FROM ABOVE YOU CAN
REACH UP AND GRAB WHEN WE'RE
FEELING DOWN IS CRITICAL AND
IMPORTANT.
AND OUR ANCESTORS HAVE DONE THIS
ALL ALONG.
FOR MYSELF I JUST GOT OFF A
PLANE FROM IRELAND AND I DON'T
KNOW IF IT'S BEEN 24 HOURS AND
THIS IS A PURCHASE FROM MY
CHILDREN FOR MYSELF AND MY
HUSBAND AND IT WAS ASHORT TRIP
BUT AFTER THE TRAIL OF TEARS
THIS LONG WALK WHERE OUR
COMMUNITY WAS DESOLATE AND TRIED
TO SURVIVE AN STARVING, LATER ON
THE NEXT THEIR CHILDREN HAIRED
OF PEOPLE STARVING AS WELL
AND -- HEARD OF PEOPLE STARVING
AS WELL AND I HEARD FROM AUNTIES
AND GRANDMOTHERS THEY ARE SO
MUCH LIKE US WE HAD TO GIVE.
WE HAD TO HELP.
NOBODY ELSE WOULD SEND MONEY BUT
THE CHOCTAW NATION WOULD AND THE
EQUIVALENT OF $250,000 TODAY AND
I MET A PRESIDENT WHO CAME IN
AND THEY ARE DANCED FOR US AND
WE DANCED FOR THEM AND I'LL
NEVER FORGET THAT BECAUSE WHEN I
SHOOK HER HAND, SHE SAID PLEASED
COME VISIT SO MY WHOLE ADULT
LIFE I'VE BEEN WANTING TO GO
VISIT AND THEY ARE HAVE DONE
SUCH WONDERFUL WORK AND
RECIPROCITY OF OFFERING FULL
RIDES TO THEIR UNIVERSITY, THEY
HAVE DONE A SCULPTURE TO HONOR
US AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GO.
AND I CANNOT TELL YOU THE LOVE
AND THE GENUINENESS I
ENCOUNTERED AS PEOPLE HELD MY
HAND AND SAID THANK YOU FOR WHAT
YOU DID FOR US AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ANCESTORS.
AND I THINK I WONDER IF MY
ANCESTORS KNEW WHEN THEY SAT AND
WALKED THE TRAIL OF TEARS, THEY
ARE FOCUSSED ON THE SEVEN
GENERATIONS FORWARD TO GET THEM
THROUGH.
ONE OF MY GRANDMOTHERS I READ AN
ACCOUNT AND SHE SAID SHE CARRIED
HER LITTLE BROTHER ON HER BACK
ON THE TRAIL OF TEARS BEAR FOOT
IN THE SNOW AND SHE CARRIED HIM
BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T MAKE IT
THROUGH AND SHE SAID WITH EVERY
STEP I TOOK I THOUGHT ABOUT MY
LOVE FOR THE SEVEN GENERATIONS
FORWARD FOR EVERY STEP.
I THOUGHT WHO IS THAT?
WHO IS THE SEVENTH GENERATION
AFTER HER AND I COUNTED IT AND
IT'S MY CHILDREN AND I GET TO
THEM YOU WERE LOVED SO MUCH
BEFORE YOU WERE BORN BY HER AND
THAT GOT HER THROUGH THAT
TRAUMA.
WHEN I WENT TO IRELAND AND SAT
IN THE SPOT WHEN THEY'RE
HONORING US AND I THOUGHT MOVING
THAT FORWARD AND HOW POWERFUL
THAT IS FOR HEALING AND HOW OUR
ANCESTORS HEALED BY GIVING THE
GIFT OF A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY
AND A LITTLE BIT OF SUPPORT TO
SOMEONE ELSE.
NOW, IN INDIGENOUS FRAMEWORK
I'LL TRY TO HURRY BECAUSE I
DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TIME BUT
HAPPY TO DISCUSS LATER FOR
ANYONE INTERESTED.
WE HAVE FRAMEWORKS AND I'M A
CLINICAL HEALTH PSYCHOLOGIST AND
INSTEAD OF BRINGING WHAT
STRENGTHS YOU BRING AND WHAT
BEAUTY AND STORIES AND
TEACHINGS, THE FIRST THING I'D
WALK IN AND SAY IS WHAT DO YOUR
ANCESTORS CURSE YOU WITH?
DO THEY CURSE YOU WITH DIABETES
RISK?
MENTAL HEALTH RISK?
WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU INSTEAD
OF FOR YOU AND FROM AN
INDIGENOUS VIEW THAT'S VERY
DIFFERENT.
I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED AND HONORED
TO WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS
NORTH AMERICA FOCUSSING ON WHAT
OUR ANCESTORS HAVE GIFTED US TO
BE WELL TODAY AND HOW TO HEAL
FROM THE TRAUMA BECAUSE TRAUMA
AND LOVE ARE BOTH IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE DR. VOLKOW HAS DONE
PRELIMINARY WORK AT EPIGENETICS
AND LOOKING AT HOW WHEN TWO WINS
SEPARATED AT THE BIRTH THE ONE
AT THE LESS LOVED HOUSEHOLD
STILL HAS SWITCHES TURNED ON TO
PUT THEM AT RISK FOR SUBSTANCE
USE OR OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES,
DIABETES, ETCETERA.
WE KNOW IF THE OTHER TWIN GOES
TO A LOVING HOUSEHOLD THE
SWITCHES GET TURNED OFF BY AGE 5
AND EVEN AS ADULTS WE CAN TURN
THOSE OFF BY LOVING INTERACTIONS
AND POWERFUL, COLLECTIVE
INTERACTIONS.
JUST AS OUR ANCESTORS TAUGHT US,
MY GRANDMOTHER ESCAPED FROM
BOARDING SCHOOL AND WE GET
STORIES HOW YOU NEVER STRIKE A
CHILD.
YOU NEVER UPSET A PREGNANT
WOMAN.
YOU ALWAYS SPEAK LOVINGLY TO A
CHILD AND IN CULTURAL WAYS
THERE'S UNCLE WHO WILL GUIDE
THEM AND DO POSITIVE
REINFORCEMENT.
THOSE ACTIONS ARE SO CRITICAL TO
PROTECT AND MOVE US FORWARD AND
BEING AUNTIES IN THE COMMUNITY,
AS A COMMUNITY AT LARGE CAN ALSO
OFFER THAT LOVING SUPPORT.
IT'S SO CRITICAL FOR OUR WELL
BEING AND ALTERS NOT ONLY THE
GENERATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO
THAT FOR BUT THE SUBSEQUENT
GENERATIONS.
AS I TELL MY FOUR CHILDREN WE
TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR YOU.
YOU KEEP IT GOING AND DOING MORE
FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN AND MORE
FOR THEM.
IT'S A SHORT BLIP IN OUR HISTORY
AS DR. SMITH SAYS.
COLONIZATION IS A SHORT BLIP
ACROSS THOUSANDS OF YEARS WE'VE
BEEN NATIVE PEOPLE.
IF WE CAN INTERRUPT THAT AND GET
BACK ON TRACK AT BEING THE
LOVING KIND WONDERFUL
COMMUNITIES WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.
OF COURSE IT'S NOT A MAGIC WAND.
THAT'S MY ELDERLY THERE.
WE KNOW WE CAN TAKE THE EFFORTS
AND THAT IT MEANS A LOT TO EACH
OF US.
NOW, MY CHARGE IS TO TALK MORE
ABOUT LAND AND SO I THINK LAND
IS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN HEALTH.
IT DEFINITELY REALIGNS US WITH
OUR ANCESTORS.
WE GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH LOVE
BOND THE LAND.
AS YOU WALK UPON THE LAND YOU
WAN CAN FEEL THE LOVE THERE AND
ANY WORK CENTERS AROUND
COMMUNITY AND GOING BACK TO
SITES OF TRAUMA AND CALLING ON
THE ANCESTRAL LOVE THAT CALLED
THEM THROUGH.
WHEN I WORK WITH COMMUNITIES
THEY'LL OFTEN SPONTANEOUSLY
DESIGN THEIR OWN CEREMONIES UPON
THE LAND.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR CEREMONIES
ANYMORE AND WHAT DO WE DO AND I
SAY A NEW CEREMONY WILL EMERGE
BECAUSE THE LAND SPEAKS TO THEM
AND WE SPEAK TO THE LAND.
KNOW, WE KNOW THERE'S SCIENTIFIC
BENEFITS OF LAND-BASED
INTERVENTIONS.
I HAVE TO SAY WESTERN SCIENCE IS
JUST NOW CATCHING UP IN A LOT OF
WAYS BUT OUR ANCESTORS ALREADY
KNEW THIS AND I WAS TALKING
OUTSIDE I'D BE MORE LIKELY TO
REMEMBER ALL THAT I SAY RIGHT
NOW.
WE KNOW YOU HAVE MORE ACADEMIC
LONG-TERM CLARNG CHANGES IF YOU
GO OUTSIDE AND REMEMBER
ANCESTRAL WAYS OUTSIDE.
THE CEREMONIES ARE HELD OUTSIDE
AND THERE'S GOOD REASON.
WE'RE AMAZING SCIENTISTS AND OUR
ANCESTORS KNEW THIS AND KNEW
WHAT WAS BEST FOR US.
TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO GET DIRTY
FIRST AND HAVE TO DECOLONIZE AND
LOOK AT OUR WAYS AND IS IT
SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT
TO US AND GO BACK TO WHAT'S
INDIGENOUS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO RECREATE
CEREMONIES WE NO LONGER DO, WE
CAN CREATE NEW ONES.
IT'S SUCH A RELEASE AND A--HA
MOMENT AND WE HAVE ELDERS THERE
AND YOUTH THERE AND COLLECTIVELY
COME TOGETHER.
IT'S NOT ABOUT PERSONAL GLORY
OR ABOUT BEING A LEADER OR THIS
OR THAT BUT GIVING AND STEPPING
ASIDE AS NEEDED.
WE NEED TO REVITALIZE AND THEN
ENTER A SPACE OF THRIVANCE AND
WE BOTH HAVE DISCUSSED THIS MORE
THOROUGHLY IN A CHAPTER RECENTLY
BUT THRIVING IS GROWING
ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SURVIVING.
WE SURVIVED AND WE'RE HERE BUT
HOW DO WE SET TO THE FUTURE
COURSE TO THRIVE IN TODAY'S
WORLD AND MOVE FORWARD IN A GOOD
WAY?
LAND-BASED HEALING IT'S JUST
HEALING UPON THE LAND.
IT'S NOTHING NEW IN TERMS OF
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE DOING IT ALL THE TIME.
BUT IN TERMS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS INTEGRATED
WAYS TO APPROACH IT IN A
SCIENTIFIC WAY TO GET GRANT
MONEY TO UTILIZE THIS TO ADDRESS
SOME OF THE ILLS UPON US THROUGH
COLONIZATION AND OPPRESSION.
WE TWO THAT BY HEALING
INTERVENTIONS UPON THE LAND
BASED ON ANCESTRAL PRACTICES AND
TEACHINGS.
TO DO SO WE ALSO NEED A
REVOLUTION.
WE NEED TO CENTER THE LOVE AND
PACKET IN THERE.
WE KNOW THERE'S HISTORICAL
TRAUMA BUT IF WE CAN FIND THE
LOVE THAT GOT US THROUGH, THAT'S
OUR KEY TO DOING WELL TODAY.
AND OF COURSE AS WE CENTER OUR
HEALING UPON THE LAND AND GET
BACK TO OUR ANCESTRAL TEACHINGS
WE CAN HAVE NARRATIVE
TRANSFORMATION AND THRIVANCE.
THAT'S MY SON WHO WILL PROBABLY
NEVER WIN A COMPETITION BUT BOY
DOES HE LOVE FANCY DANCE.
AND WE KNOW LAND FACILITATES
LOVE AND WELLNESS AND THAT'S MY
GRANDMOTHER BACK WITH MY
YOUNGEST BEFORE SHE PASSED.
IT'S BEING ABLE TO TOUCH THE
EARTH LITERALLY AND MADE A PAIR
OF MOCCASINS FOR MY FIRST SON
AND MY HUSBAND TOLD ME TO CUT A
HOLE AND I SAID I'M NOT CUTTING
A WHOLE IN THESE MOCCASINS I
SPENT 10 MONTHS BEADING AND HE
SAID THEY HAVE TO TOUCH THE
EARTH AND I ASKED MY GRANDMOTHER
AND SHE SAID, YES, HE'S RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO DRILL A HOLE IN
THESE, THE BABY HAS TO TOUCH THE
EARTH AND FEEL THE DIRT AND KNOW
WESTERN SCIENCE IS CATCHING UP
AND NOW WE HAVE GROUNDING AND
RUNNING A WIRE TO THE OFFICE AND
LETTING SOMEONE WEAR A BRACELET
AND IT CHANGES THE DOPAMINE AND
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK
BAREFOOT ON THE GROUND AND WE
CAN DO THIS THROUGH WE ENVISION
RESEARCH AND SCIENCE AND WE HAVE
A LOT OF INDIGENOUS SCIENTISTS
AND TODAY HAVE AMAZING
COLLEAGUES OF MINE.
IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE SEEING
THEM TAKE ON PROFESSORSHIPS AND
SCIENTIFIC ROLES AND THEY ARE
KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE
AND NOW WE'RE IN A PLACE TO HAVE
INDIGENOUS SCIENTISTS DOING THE
WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WITH
THEIR AUNTIES AND COUSINS,
WORKING TOGETHER BEING
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND APPROPRIATE
AND RESPECTFUL AS WELL AND WE
CAN DO THIS THROUGH NOT JUST
LOOKING THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL
BUT INTERVENTIONS AND THROUGH A
NEW GAZE LOOKING AT THE LAND,
EARTH, MOON, SKY, SUN AND
RELATIVES AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR
HEALTH AND WELL BEING.
NOW WE KNOW LAND IS AN INANIMATE
HEALING AND WE LOOK AT LAND ONE
DIRECTION HUMANS GO IN THE
FOREST AND FEEL BETTER, GREAT.
BUT LAND BENEFITS FROM US BEING
THERE.
AS I SPEAK WITH MY
NON-INDIGENOUS COLLEAGUES
THEY'RE STARTING TO FIND THAT.
IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S HUNTERS
THERE'S A BETTER MICROBIOME FOR
THE EARTH AND TREES GROW BETTER
AND A COLLABORATIVE BENEFIT AND
MOTHER EARTH BENEFITS AS WELL SO
BOTH ARE NEEDED.
I BELIEVE I'M PRETTY MUCH OUT OF
TIME BUT WE HAD OUR PIVOTAL WORK
WITH ONE OF THE FIRST LAND-BASED
HEALING CLINICAL TRIALS.
I CAN'T FIND AN EARLIER ONE SO I
THINK WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST
ONES DR. WALTERS AND I DID AND
WE PILOTED THIS TWICE AND IT WAS
AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND
RE-NARRATE OUR STORIES AND WHEN
I CRY MY NOSE GOES RED AND
SWELLS AND I'LL BEING CRYING THE
WHOLE TIME.
BUT THE POWER OF BEING IN THE
PLACE AND FOOT STEPS OF MY
ANCESTORS, I CANNOT TELL YOU
WHAT THAT MEANT TO ME.
IT FELT LIKE A WARM BLANKET UPON
ME WHEN I KNEW THEY STOOD IN THE
SAME SPOT AND MADE ME FELL
WONDERFUL AND CENTER THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME TO DO THE
SAME FOR THE SEVEN GENERATIONS
FORWARD.
BECAUSE WHATEVER WE DO TODAY
AFFECTS THEM.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
CHILDREN, WE ARE THE ANCESTORS
IN THE MAKING RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD A FRAMEWORK I'M HAPPY TO
TALK ABOUT WITH ANY OF YOU LATER
ON BUT THIS IS NOT ONLY RESEARCH
PROJECTS WITH THE NATION BUT OUR
NEW PROJECT WITH KIA RIEFRG UP
AND THE QUESTIONS EVOLVED FROM
OUR FIRST PILOT.
IT WAS OUR FACILITATORS WALKING
AND WE BROUGHT OUR CHILDREN WING
US AND OUR CHILDREN DID
INTERVIEWS AND I'M HAPPY TOE
SHARE A LINK OF MY DAUGHTER AND
SHE SAID THAT WAS FINE WHEN SHE
WAS 12 SHE CAME WITH US.
AS WE COMPLETED THE FIRST PILOT
WE SOLIDIFIED THE QUESTIONS OF
WHAT KIND OF ANCESTOR DO I WANT
TO BE AND WHAT MESSAGE DO I
ENVISION FUTURE GENERATIONS TO
BE?
WE FOCUS ON THESE AND DO
EXTENDED WALKS AND DO CAMPING
OUT AND TAKE TIME TO KNOW THE
LAND AND GET TO BE IN THE SPACES
AND REFLECT WHAT ANCESTOR WE
WANT TO BE KNOWN AS AND HOW WE
WANT OTHERS TO SEE US TODAY.
AND THAT HAS ACTUALLY
INTERRUPTED MY CHILDREN ENGAGES
IN SUBSTANCE USE BEHAVIORS AND I
SAY CALL ME IF YOU DRINK NO
QUESTIONS ASKED AND MY ELDEST
SAID HOW CAN I POSSIBLY DRINK
AFTER ALL MY ANCESTORS DID FOR
ME AND SHE OWES THEM BECAUSE
THEY DID THAT FOR HER AND THAT'S
REALLY POWERFUL.
WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO DO THE WAKAYA
PROJECT AND HAVE A COUPLE
COHORTS AGAIN AND INTERESTING TO
SEE THE YOUTH OUT ON THE LAND
AND BEING WITH US AND A HEAD NOD
TO OUR STAFF COULDN'T DO IT
WITHOUT THEM AND UNFORTUNATELY
WHILE WE LOST DR. WALTERS TO NIH
AND SOON LOSE JESSIE WE HAVE AN
ALL INDIGENOUS STAFF AND WHEN I
IT FIRST STARTED I COULDN'T
IMAGINE AND THE MAJORITY OF THE
OKLAHOMA ARE CHOCTAW AND EVEN TO
THE SITE P.I. IS CHOCTAW.
I THINK ABOUT THE REVOLUTION
WE'VE BEEN CREATING BY DESIGNING
AND RE-ENVISIONING AND
TRANSLATING THE TRAUMA TO HOPE
AND RESILIENCE.
WITH THAT I'LL STOP AND LET MY
COLLEAGUE AND I'LL SHARE THIS
WITH ANYONE INTERESTED AND WE'RE
HOSTING AN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE RECALLING INDIGENOUS
CALLINGS OF LOVE.
>> THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
WE HAVE DR. SUINA.
>> I'M DR. IS SUINA.
I PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS BEING LEADING IN
DIFFERENT POSITIONS FROM
PRESIDENT, TREASURER TO
SECRETARY AND HAVE SEEN THE
ORGANIZATION GROW FROM $300,000
BUDGET TO NOW WELL OVER $4
MILLION.
SO IT'S BEEN AMAZING PROGRESSION
AND ADVANCEMENT.
AS MY SLIDES ARE LOADING I'LL
CONTINUE TO REFLECT ON OUR
MORNING.
I THINK PINNING BACK OF THE
THEME OF SPEAK LOVE AND I WAS
THINKING ABOUT HOW NUMBER ONE TO
THE CREATOR DOESN'T WANT ME TO
WAKE UP ON TIME SO I WAS LATE.
THE CREATOR DOESN'T WANT ME TO
DO MY SLIDES SO AFFECTED WI-FI
AND CREATOR DOESN'T WANT US TO
GATHER AND THERE WAS A FIRE AND
LASTLY CREATOR WANTED ME TO DO
YOGA THIS MORNING.
I DON'T THE IF ANYBODY SAW ME
THIS MORNING BUT I HAD TO HOP IN
THE BACK OF AN SUV FROM MY
COLLEAGUES WHO OFFERED THE SUV
UP AND I WAS CONTORTING IN THE
BACK AND CRUNCHED IN THERE.
THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
ONCE THE IMAGE LOADS YOU'LL SEE
A PHOTOGRAPH OF MY GREAT GREAT
GRANDMOTHER.
HER NAME IS THALHANIA.
IN MY INTRODUCTION I SHARED WITH
YOU MY NAME WHICH TRANSLATES TO
POLLEN WOMAN AND ALSO AM A
CARRIER OF THE FOX CLAN AND I
HAVE FOUR TEENAGERS YOU'LL SEE
THROUGHOUT MY PRESENTATION AS
WELL AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW
DR. MICHELLE REALLY FOCUSSED ON
LAND-BODY SPIRITUAL CONNECTION
AND FOR ME THE WORK I'VE BEEN
DOING WITH NABS HAS BEEN A
CURATION OF STORIES AND WHAT I'D
LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL
TODAY.
SO HOW DO WE CENTER THIS WORK?
BRINGING OUR ANCESTORS INTO THIS
SPACE AND BRINGING THEM WHEREVER
WE GO TO WHERE WE VISIT AND
FINDING OUR PATHWAYS AS HUMAN
BEINGS AND TRYING TO LEARN OUR
LANGUAGES.
TRYING TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN TO
WALK GOOD PATHS AND FOR ME I
THINK OF ALL THE BABIES THAT
WERE TAKEN TO PLACES.
AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I
ESPECIALLY WANT TO CALL ON THIS
FEMALE LINEAGE AS PART OF MY DNA
AS FOX CARRIER OF OUR WAYS OF
KNOWING IN OUR PUBLIC
COMMUNITIES AND HOW WE RECOGNIZE
EACH OTHER.
HERE'S TO OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS
MAY WE KNOW THEM AND MAY WE BE
THEM AND RAISE THEM AND YOU'LL
SEE A COLLECTION OF DIFFERENT
PHOTOS WE PRINTED AS PART OF OUR
WORK AS NABS AND TRIED TO
CONTRIBUTE TO SHARING MORE WHAT
THE NARRATIVE STORY TELLING
ASPECT LOOKS LIKE VISUALLY.
AND THE PHOTO YOU SEE BEFORE YOU
IS ARE THESE GIRLS AS THEY
ENTERED IN 1884.
MORE ABOUT MY FOX KITS.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE'S A
PHOTO OF MY CHILDREN AND I HAVE
A 16-YEAR-OLD SON.
TWINS WHO ARE 14 AND 14 RA AND E
YOUNGEST IS 12 AND YOU SEE MY
DAUGHTERS AND NIECES AND
BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION OF WOMEN IN
MY FAMILY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO
CARRY OUR CLAN FORWARD.
I ALSO CENTER MYSELF IN THE WORK
AS A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THE NARRATIVES OF MY OWN HEART
STORY CURATIONS COME TO THIS
WORK AND COME THROUGH MY GRAPHIC
DESIGN AS WELL.
LIKE DR. MICHELLE MENTIONED
EARLIER THE THEME OF MOVING FROM
SURVIVANCE TO THRIVANCE IS HOW
WE COME TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY
TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
HOW TO BEGIN IN THE WORK FOR THE
NATIONAL NATIVE BOARDING SCHOOL
HEALING COALITION?
SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES PRESENT
TODAY MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT BACK
IN 2017 AS I WAS COMPLETING MY
MASTER'S DEGREE AT THE TULSA
COLLEGE OF LAW, MY NEPHEW WAS IN
A HORRIFIC CAR ACCIDENT WITH MY
SISTER AND NIECE AND
UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T SURVIVE.
MY SISTER WAS MAKING A LEFT LAND
TURN IN ALBUQUERQUE ON A STREET
THAT'S NOT SUPER BUSY SUNDAY
MORNING AND THE OFFICER T-BONED
THEM AND HER SON WAS IN A COMA
FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND WHEN I
HEARD THE NEWS OF THE ACCIDENT I
FOUND MYSELF STRUGGLING WITH THE
LOSS AND TRYING TO HELP AND AS I
DUG DEEPER IN MY RESEARCH AND
CONTINUING WITH INDIAN EDUCATION
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM AND I
WAS ONE OF TWO PEOPLE FROM THE
SOUTHWEST TO DIG INTO THE
ARCHIVES AND PUT IN CURRICULA SO
THE RESEARCHERS CAN TEACH ABOUT
BOARDING SCHOOL AND INDIAN LAW
AND POLICY.
AS I WAS DOING SO I CONTINUED TO
LOOK AT THE LINEAGE OF SOME OF
OUR RELATIVES THAT HAD ATTENDED
AND I MADE THIS VERY REMARKABLE
DISCOVERY WHICH I'LL SHARE IN
SEVERAL SLIDES HERE NOW BUT I
ALSO WANT TO COME BACK TO
CENTERING OUR SURVIVOR RELATIVES
AND HOW WE KNOW THAT IT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO CAPTURE THEIR
STORIES BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE
PASSING ON.
SO YOU MAY RECOGNIZE OUR
GRANDMOTHER WHO HAS SINCE
JOURNEYED ON BUT THIS IS BACK IN
2018 AT THE HUNDRED YEAR
ANNIVERSARY CLOSING OF CARLYLE.
IT WAS HELD AT THE COMFORT INN
IN DOWNTOWN CARLYLE AT THE
BEGINNING WHEN I NABS HAD FULLY
MOVED TO OUR 5013C STATUS AND IS
AND THIS IS WHEN LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR FLANIGAN HAD A
DECLARATION FOR THE RECOGNITION
IN MIN AND AS PART OF THE
INSTRUMENTAL WAYS THE STORIES
COME TO THE DESKS AND TO THE
TABLES OUR ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS
AND PARTNERS TO CARRY THE WORK
FORWARD IT'S IMPORTANT WE
CONTINUE THESE KIND OF
CONVERSATIONS.
THIS IS JULY 2022 AND FIRST PART
OF THE APOLOGY TOUR IN ALBERTA,
CANADA.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND
THIS VERY MOMENTOUS EVENT WITH
OUR CEO DEBORAH PARKER AND STILL
REFLECTING AND HOW THE WORK HAS
CONTINUED TO MANIFEST ITSELF IN
DIFFERENT SPACES TO ALLOW US TO
COME TOGETHER AS RELATIVES AND
HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS TO PRAY
TOGETHER AND CRY TOGETHER AND
LAUGH TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HEARD OF
OF THE LADIES CACKLING YESTERDAY
DURING THE BREAK AND MY STOMACH
HURT SO MUCH IT'S THE BEAUTY OF
HOW WE ALLOW THIS TRANSCENDING
OF HUMOR AND GRIEF TO MEET US IN
PLACES WHERE WE KNOW THAT OUR
ANCESTOR SPIRIT CONTINUES TO
LIVE ON AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE
FEED THAT FIRE FOR ME IN THIS
WORK.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARD THE
ACADEMIC SITE AND WHAT I FOCUS
ON AS THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, TACOMA WAS TO
[NO AUDIO]
TOE HAVE EMBODIMENT OF LAND,
BODY AND SPIRIT AND THEY SPOKE
TO IT THIS MORNING AND HOW WE
COME TOGETHER THROUGH OUR
RELATIVES OUR KINSHIP AND WAYS
OF NOBODY.
IN OUR PUEBLO COMMUNITIES AND
MANY LIKE OURS THE CONNECTION
WITH CORNMEAL AND WE PRAY WITH
CORN.
CORN IS LIFE FOR US.
AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON ALL
MY CORNY JOKES BUT I HAVE A LOT.
I'VE COLLECTED A LOT OVER THE
YEARS.
IN TERMS OF THE SPIRITUAL
KINSHIP AND KNOW WHEN BABIES ARE
BORN, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE TAKEN
OUT TO GREET ON THE FORTH DAY OF
LIFE AND THIS IS WHERE I GAINED
MY NAME, CORN POLLEN WOMAN.
IN THIS WORK THE POLLINATION
COMES TOGETHER IN MANY WAYS TO
SPEAK TO LOGIC MODELS LIKE THIS.
THE IDEA THAT OUR ANCESTORS
PRAYED US INTO EXISTENCE.
WE KNOW WITHIN WESTERN SCIENCE
IS THAT OUR GRANDMOTHERS WERE
CARRYING THE SEEDS OF US WITHIN
THEM AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
TELLS US AND WE'VE KNOWN THIS
FOR TIME AND MEMORIAL.
AND I THINK THAT THE BEAUTY OF
THE WAYS THAT THIS COMES
TOGETHER REALLY SPEAKS TO HOW
IT'S AN ALTRUISTIC RESPONSE TO
WANT TO CREATE HEALING PATHWAYS
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, TO HEAR
THOSE TRAUMAS TO HEAR AND THIS
IS THE INTERGENERATIONAL FUTURE
WE CONTINUE TO MANIFEST AND LOOK
FORWARD TO IT.
MY MOST RECENT TRIP TO CARLYLE
WAS LAST MONTH AND THE CEMETERY
LOOKS DIFFERENT AND A SHOUT OUT
TO MANDI AND BEING A CARETAKER
TO OUR RELATIVES THERE.
AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW,
OUR PUEBLO NATION, OUR 19
PUEBLOS WITHIN THE STATE OF
NATUNEW
MEXICO WE'RE THE TOP FIVE OF
CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED CARLYLE
FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 1879 TO
1918.
AS I WAS CONTINUING TO DIVE
DEEPER INTO MY OWN RESEARCH AND
DIG INTO THE ARCHIVES OF 2017 I
ALSO MADE THE DISCOVERY OF A
RELATIVE BY THE NAME OF PEDRO
SANCHEZ BURIED IN THE CARLYLE
CREM
CEMETERY AND IT STRUCK ME THIS
IS ONLY FIVE GENERATIONS REMOVED
AND WHAT HAPPEN WHEN OUR
CHILDREN DON'T HAVE THOSE
HEALING ELEMENTS OF HOW WE
PROCESS AND SEND OUR RELATIVES
AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN
OUR SALING AND HOW DO THE RIPPLE
EFFECTS PLAY OUT TODAY?
I WAS SEEING THIS IN THE GRIEF I
WAS EXPERIENCIE IING TRYING TO
MY CHILDREN COPE WITH LOSING
THEIR 7-YEAR-OLD COUSIN.
MUCH LIKE THESE CHILDREN HAVE
ALSO CRIED THE SAME TEARS.
YOU'LL SEE AT AGE 16 HE WAS
4'10".
I KNOW WE'RE SHORT BUT NOT
HOPI --
[LAUGHTER]
AND PEOPLE SAY YOU'RE SHORT AND
I SAY YEAH, I'M PUEBLO HEIGHT,
4'10" AGE 16 AND HIS CAUSE OF
DISCHARGE, DEATH.
IN BRINGING TOGETHER THE WAYS
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE SPACE
LIKE THIS, I THINK IT'S SO
BEAUTIFUL KNOWING THAT OUR
RESPECTIVE PLACES WE'RE COMING
FROM WE'RE BRINGING OUR
SPIRITUAL OFFERINGS AND BRINGING
OUR PRAYERS AND BRINGING THE
STORIES OF OUR ANCESTORS AND SUR
IS SURVIVING RELATIVES AND HOW
THE WORK HAS CONTINUED TO
MANIFEST ITSELF FROM A POLICY
STANDPOINT HAS BEEN WITH SUCH
TREMENDOUS MOVEMENT AT NABS AND
WHERE WE WERE AND LOOKING AT
WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY I GIVE
TOTAL SHOUT OUT COMMENDING MY
COLLEAGUES FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK
BECAUSE IT IS ALL OF OUR HARD
WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHO WE
ARE AND THIS IS A PHOTO OF US
EARLIER THIS YEAR AND SISTER
DAVID'S OFFICE THIS PAST
FEBRUARY AND CONTINUE TO LOBBY
ON CAPITOL HILL AND OUR BROTHER
WHO HELPED TO GET THE MESSAGE
OUT AND MORE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS OF
OUR COLLEAGUES AND THE WAY WE'VE
CONTINUED TO COME TOGETHER THE
PHOTO ON THE LEFT IS MY ELDEST
MY SON AND ONE OF MY TWINS AT
THE RIVER AND COMING FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF WORKING WITH
NATIVE YOUTH AND KNOWING WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A CLASSROOM
WITHIN K-12 I MISS THAT IN MANY
WAYS AND BEING THE MOTHER OF
FOUR TEENAGERS I THINK OUR YOUTH
ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT
ARE GOING TO LEAD US FORWARD AND
SEE THE CONTINUED WAYS YOU'RE
WORK HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS FROM
INDIAN LAW AND POLICY AND HEALTH
AND HEALING TRAUMAS.
THOUGH SOMETIMES MY KIDS DON'T
NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT I DO THEY
SAY I LOVE YOU FOR THE WORK
YOU'RE DOING AND IT'S A
SACRIFICE TO BE IN THIS LINE OF
WORK AND CONSTANTLY HANDLING
TRAUMA AND HEARING STORIES THAT
COULD BE RETRIGGERING TO US BUT
IN CONCLUSION I'M GRATEFUL FOR
ALL THE WAYS WE'VE CONTINUED TO
PUSH ME MOVEMENT FORWARD.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED.
MY DISSERTATION FOCUSSED ON
HEALING EFFORTS DURING THE TIME
OF COVID AND LOOKING AT
TRUST-BASED PHILANTHROPY BECAUSE
GOING FROM INDIAN ED TO SMALL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT I'VE SEEN
SO MANY OF US CREATING OUR OWN
PROJECTS AND NARRATIVES AND
NONPROFITS GEARED TOWARDS THE
HEALING EFFORTS TO HELP HEAL OUR
COMMUNITIES.
YOU'LL FIND MORE IN THE NABS AND
INTERVIEWS TO SHARE MORE OF MY
VIEW POINTS.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
I KNOW WE STARTED THE DAY A BIT
LATE --
>> WE'RE BACK ON TIME.
MAYBE SAY THAT WE COULD CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATIONS AFTER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLANS ARE
FOR IF WE'RE MOVING STRAIGHT TO
THE NEXT SESSION OR -- HOW WOULD
YOU LIKE US TO PROCEED?
WE CERTAINLY CAN TALK?
>> I THINK IF PEOPLE HAVE
QUESTIONS WE KCAN -- OR WE COUL
STRETCH AND TAKE A QUICK BREAK
OR --
>> WE HAVE QUESTIONS TOO BUT WE
WANT TO RESPECT TIME.
WE'RE CLOSE TO ON TIME.
>> COOL.
SO WE CAN DO THAT.
SO THE PRESENTATIONS WERE BOTH
REALLY POWERFUL JOURNEYS THROUGH
HOW OUR COLLEAGUES ARE THINKING
ABOUT THE BROAD TOPIC WE WERE
ASSIGNED WHICH IS --
>> I KNOW.
PATHWAYS TO THRIVING: LOVE, LAND
AND WATER.
BUT IN MY FINEST REDUCTIONIST
WAY TO THINK ABOUT IF SOMEONE
WERE TO WALK UP TO YOU ON THE
STREET AND SAY SO WHAT DOES
THRIVING MEAN TO YOU, HOW WOULD
YOU ANSWER?
SO FOR ME I WOULD SAY WHAT DOES
THRIVING LOOK LIKE?
IT'S SPEAKING LANGUAGES.
IT'S OUR WOMEN AND OUR MEN
TENDING TO OUR FIRES, HUNTING ON
OUR TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS.
MOVING THROUGHOUT OUR LANDS WITH
ACCESS AND NOT HAVING TO BE
BURDENED WITH THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH TRYING TO
REGAIN OUR LANDS.
IT'S OUR BABIES COMING HOME FROM
PLACES THEY WEREN'T MEANT TO BE
BURIED.
I IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE OUR
PUEBLO WAYS IN PARTICULAR
BECAUSE THAT'S THE WORLD VIEW I
COME FROM WILL CONTINUE ON AND I
THINK BEING A WITNESS TO THE
BEAUTIFUL WAYS THAT WE COME
TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY FOLLOWING
OUR TRADITIONAL CALENDARS THAT
THOSE WAYS WILL CONTINUE, THAT
THOSE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE
WILL CONTINUE TO PAVE THEIR WAY
FORWARD AND OUR CHILDREN WILL BE
ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OUR
ANCESTORS BECAUSE THEY'RE
SPEAKING THE SAME BREATH AND
PRAYER IN SYNC.
>> WHEN I THINK OF THRIVANCE
ADDS MY COLLEAGUE THINK OF THE
WONDERFUL UNDER PINNINGS OF WHO
WE ARE.
ADDS I LOOK AT MY CHILDREN I
THINK THEY ARE THRIVING RIGHT
NOW.
THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD
KNOWING WHO THEY ARE AND LOVING
WHO THEY ARE.
AND KNOWING THEIR LOVE AND WE'RE
ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE
STATE OF MIND AND FRAMEWORK THAT
WE ARE THRIVING.
WE'RE ABLE TO REIMAGINE WHAT WE
WANT IN THE FUTURE AND ABLE TO
TAKE STEPS VEEP IF THEY'RE JUST
SMALL STEPS AND OF COURSE WE ALL
GET DOWN WHEN WE TAKE ONE STEP
FORWARD SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE
WE'RE TAKING TWO STEPS BACK.
AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE ABLE TO
GRAB AND FEEL BOLSTERED BY OUR
ANCESTRAL LOVE AND KEEP REACHING
FOR MORE FOR THE NEXT SEVEN
GENERATIONS TO ME IT'S A STATE
OF THRIVANCE OPPOSED TO JUST
MERELY ADVISERING.
-- SURVIVING.
>> I HAVE TO SAY AS WE FOCUS ON
YOUTH I HAVE SEEN SUCH A
TRANSFORMATION IN THE COUPLE OF
DECADES I'VE BEEN IN ALASKA IN
TERMS OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND
OWNERSHIP WHETHER IT'S THE YOUNG
PEOPLE STANDING ON THE STAGE AT
AFN ASKING PEOPLE TO THEY WILL
THE STORIES OR SOME OF THE YOUTH
MOVEMENTS ARE POWERFUL THAT
YOUTH ARE REALLY TRANSFORMING
THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING AS A
STATE AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE
AND I THINK THAT IS THRIVING.
WE HAVE YOUTH AND ELDERS LEADING
TOGETHER.
SO YESTERDAY WE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
RELATIONSHIPS.
AND RELATIONS, THE PLANT, THE
TREES, THE ANIMALS BEING
RELATIONS.
SO I KNOW YOU TALKED A BIT ABOUT
THIS BUT HOW IS YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND AND WATER
CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR THRIVING?
YOU'VE TALKED A BIT ABOUT YOUR
FAMILY'S THRIVING AND DON'T KNOW
IF YOU HAVE MORE YOU'D LIKE TO
SHARE ABOUT THAT.
>> I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.
>> I THINK IT'S HOW WE SITUATE
OURSELVES AND BEING IN A STATE
OF THRIVANCE AND HOW WE RELATE.
ANYTIME I GO INTO A NEW AREA WE
GO AND GREET THE WATER.
WE GREET THE WATER AND PRAY AND
TREAT THE LAND AND PRAY AND
GREET THE TREES, THE SKY, THE
EARTH.
IT'S SAYING HELLO TO YOUR
RELATIVES AND RECOGNIZING YOUR
PART OF IT IS REALLY CRITICAL
AND IMPORTANT I THINK FOR ALL
HUMANS TO KNOW WE'RE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER AND CONNECTED AND THE
EARTH IS WITH US AND WE'RE PART
OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HEALTH
AND WELL BEING IF WE EXPECT TO
BE WELL, THE EARTH MUST BE WELL
AND ANIMALS AND RELATIVES AND
INSECTS HAVE TO BE WELL AND KEEP
THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD
AND ACT UPON THAT.
I THINK IT INFORMS OUR WORK.
ANYTIME I WORK WITH YOUTH IT'S A
VERY COMMON PHRASE IN MY
RESEARCH WE FIND IN OUR
INTERVIEWS WITH THEM THEY ALWAYS
SAY HOW CAN I BE WELL IF THE
LAND IS NOT WELL AND IT'S SAID
AGAIN AND AGAIN ACROSS DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES AND I WORK A LOT IN
CANADA, U.S., NEW ZEALAND WE SEE
IT REPEATEDLY SO IT'S CRITICAL
FOR OUR WELL BEING.
>> DID WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM
THE AUDIENCE?
>> HI, THANK YOU.
FREDDY LANE.
I WANTED TO MORE THAN ANYTHING A
COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATIONS.
I DO THE GATHERING OF EAGLES AND
THIS IS OUR FIFTH ANNUAL COMING
UP MAY 17-26 IN LOMI AND I
INVITED EVERYBODY AND ALSO
INVITED EVERYBODY TO MAUI AND WE
DO A GATHERING OF EAGLES.
I JUST GOT BACK.
THAT CONNECTION TO THE LAND AN
OUR TRADITIONAL WATERS WHEN WE
HOST THE CANOE JOURNEY IT WAS
IMPORTANT WE TALKED ABOUT
TRAVELLING OUR ANCESTRAL
HIGHWAYS.
I THINK YOUR PRESENTATION HIT IT
RIGHT ON THAT THAT CONNECTION
WITH THE LAND AND ANCESTRAL
SACRED SITES.
PEOPLE CALL THEM CITIES WHERE WE
ARE, SEATTLE, HARPER, THEIR ALL
OUR ANCIENT VILLAGES AND HAVE TO
REMIND OUR RELATIVES THAT AND
OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR NAME IS
SCOTTISH AND I BEGAN TO
RECOGNIZE MY GREAT GREAT
GRANDFATHER.
I THINK RECOGNIZING THAT AND THE
CONNECTION TO THE LAND IS SPOT
ON WHEN YOU -- WE ALWAYS MAKE
EVERYBODY TOUCH THE EARTH AND DO
WATER BLESSING CEREMONIES AND
SEEING MORE OF OUR CUSTOMS,
TRADITIONS, RITES OF PASSAGE AND
COMING OF AGE CEREMONIES.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US WE HELP
PRACTICE THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT, THOSE ANCIENT TRADITIONS
IN SOME OF OUR CULTURES MAY BE
GONE BUT LIKE MY LATE CHIEF MADE
MY HAT, HE SAYS, YOU WILL
REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE IT'S IN
OUR DNA SO I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS RITA.
I'M NOT NATIVE BUT I WONDERED
AND KARINA SAID EARLIER HOT
MIKE.
I AM WITH NIH, THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS AND STROKE.
I'M HOPING MY QUESTION ISN'T
INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE I'M NOT
SURE IF I SAID THAT I'M WHITE
BUT I'M WHITE BUT KARINA SAID
EARLIER THAT THE HOT MIKE
AWKWARDNESS AND I PUT MY FOOT IN
IT MOST DAYS.
I DO WORK WITH AND RUN A PROGRAM
WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER
INSTITUTES WHERE WE BRING NATIVE
YOUNGSTERS IN TO DO RESEARCH FOR
THE SUMMER AND THEY'RE AMAZING,
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE BUT SOME OF
THEM ARE VERY ANGRY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT
MISPLACED ANGER AT ALL BUT I'M
WONDERING HOW THE LAND COULD
HELP -- HOW THE LAND CAN HELP
WITH FORGIVENESS AND I'M NOT
SAYING FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENED
AND I'M NOT SAYING FORGET THE
TRAUMA OR IGNORE THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA THAT
CONTINUES ON GENERATION TO
GENERATION BUT I JUST WONDER HOW
THE LAND CAN PLAY AN APART WHICH
IS LIKE A FORGIVENESS WHICH IS
LIKE WAY CLOUD SOME DAYS FOR
THESE YOUNGSTERS.
ANYWAY.
>> WHEN YOU SAY FOR FORGIVENESS
FOR?
>> FOR SOME OF THEM BECAUSE OF
THE TREATMENT OF THEIR ANCESTORS
BY THE COLONIST AND COLONIZING
AND SETTLERS AND ALL THE HORROR
AND THE BOARDING SCHOOLS THERE'S
BEEN THE TRAUMA PASSED ON
GENERATIONALLY TO THEIR PARENTS
AND GRANDPARENTS SO MAYBE
THERE'S VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE THAT'S CONTINUED ON
BECAUSE OF THE TREATMENT OF
THEIR ANCESTORS WHEN THEY ARE
WERE YOUNG AND SO THERE'S ANGER
WITH THEIR RELATIVES SOMETIMES
BECAUSE OF HOW THEY'VE BEEN
TREATED AND HOW THAT'S MOVED ON
AND THEN THERE'S ANGER
APPROPRIATELY, FRUSTRATION AND
DEEP SEEDED ANGER THEIR FAMILIES
HAVE PUT IN BECAUSE OF THE
COLONIZATION.
I FEEL LIKE IF THERE WAS A WAY
TO BETTER EXPRESS -- AND I DON'T
WANT TO SAY HANDLE IT LIKE IT'S
SOME EASY THING TO DO BUT I FEEL
LIKE THEY CARRY THIS HUGE BURDEN
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT -- I'M
CURIOUS IF THERE'S WAYS FOR IT
BECOME LESS OF A BURDEN?
I DON'T KNOW.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO FORGIVE
THEIR PARENTS FOR THE ABUSE THAT
HAPPENED TO THEM CAN THE LAND
HELP WITH THAT HEALING?
HAD DOES THAT --?
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND.
YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT HEALING
OPPORTUNITIES UPON TRAUMA POND
UPON THE LAND?
>> YES.
CAN THE LAND HELP IN THE
HEALING OF A YOUNGSTER WHO MAYBE
WAS HURT BADLY BY A RELATIVE AND
I'M NOT SAYING -- I'M NOT DOING
THIS WELL.
I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD LET IT
GO LIKE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN BUT I
ALSO FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES IT
BECOMES VERY ALL CONSUMING AND
THEN THEY TURN TO UNHEALTHY
PRACTICES.
>> I THINK THE LAND WAS ALWAYS
HEALING AND BREATHING AND
THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN
PARTAKE IN AND EMBRACE NATURE
AND FOR THE INDIVIDUAL YOUTH
WHETHER IT'S -- TO THE
MOUNTAINS, TAKING A HIKE OR
GOING IN THEIR BACK YARD AND
SCOOPING UP THE EARTH, EMBRACING
IT.
THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THAT
HEALING CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER.
I WANT TO HONOR WE HAVE A
SURVIVOR WITH A QUESTION AS WELL
SO I'LL BE SURE TO CONNECT WITH
YOU.
I KNOW WE STARTED A CONVERSATION
THIS MORNING SO YEAH.
>> I KNOW IT --
>> THE MIKE'S NOT ON.
>> CAN WE POSSIBLY GET THE MIKE
ON?
>> WITH YOUR FAMILIES IT'S
WONDERFUL.
I LOVE LEARNING ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE HOW THEY WERE RAISED, THE
WAY THEY WERE FOLLOWED AND WHEN
I WAS SENT TO DALLAS, TEXAS, I
HAVE TWO IN MY FAMILY I CALL
PEOPLE WATCHERS.
I WAS A PEOPLE WATCHER.
AND I SIMULATED WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE DID AND I THINK THAT WAS
ONE OF MY SURVIVAL SKILLS BUT
WITHIN OUR RESERVATIONS
ESPECIALLY MY RESERVATION ROSE
BUD, PINE RIDGE, EAGLE BUTTE,
DOWN IN FORT THOMPSON, THESE ARE
RESERVATIONS THAT OUR PEOPLE
WERE PLACED ON.
WE KNOW ABOUT HUNTING, NUMBER
ONE THING, WATER IS LIFE.
WE ALWAYS KNOW ABOUT OUR THREE
SISTERS BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF
OUR SURVIVAL.
STAYING GROUNDED, VERY
IMPORTANT.
BUT WE HAVE A FRACTURE THERE
AMONGST OUR PEOPLE THAT WE WERE
NOT TAUGHT BECAUSE OUR
ANCESTORS -- I HAVE SIX
RELATIVES THAT WENT TO CARLYLE.
EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THESE
PICTURES I'M WONDERING IF I'M
LOOKING AT MY MOTHER, MY
AUNTIES, MY UNCLES.
AM I LOOKING AT MY RELATIVES
THERE?
I DON'T KNOW.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL
STABILITY AND EVEN TODAY A LOT
OF OUR PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THAT
FRACTURE, THE HURT WE SUFFER
WITH, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG
ADDICTIONS, IT'S A FRACTURE THAT
WE'RE STRUGGLING TO HEAL FROM.
IF WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE OR
CARE OR OURSELVES AND OUR
SIBLINGS AND CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN, THEN THAT
FRACTURE WILL REMAIN THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL IF WE COULD SOMEHOW
TEACH OUR CHILDREN, OUR
GRANDCHILDREN TO GO BACK TO
HUNTING AND GATHERING.
I HAD THE ABILITY WHEN I WAS
YOUNG HOW TO PICK BERRIES AND
HOW TO PICK A TURNIP AND THE
DELICIOUSNESS OF A TURNIP AND I
WAS RAISED ON THAT BUT OUR
PEOPLE ARE SO FRACTURED, YES, I
KNOW HOW TO LOVE MYSELF NOW.
I KNOW HOW TO LOVE MY CHILDREN
AND MY GRANDCHILDREN BUT THERE'S
STILL THAT GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
THERE.
SO HOW DO WE GET BACK TO WHERE
WE CAN CLEAN OUT THAT WOUND AND
START HEALING AS A PEOPLES
BECAUSE I WAS TALKING WITH A
YOUNG PERSON YESTERDAY AND EVEN
WITH OUR LANGUAGE THEY SAID
BRING IT BACK TO LEARN OUR
LANGUAGES AGAIN.
WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE MY
CHILDREN'S AGE THAT ARE ARGUING
WHAT IS RIGHT AND THE RIGHT
PRONUNCIA
PRONUNCIATION.
IN THE LANGUAGE WE ALL HAVE
DIFFERENT DIALECTS.
IT'S LIKE WHAT IS WRITE AND WHAT
IS WRONG?
THERE'S SO MUCH CONFUSION THERE.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
CAUSING THE CONFUSION AND START
FROM THERE.
I COULD BE WRONG BUT I JUST
WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
>> THERE'S MANY COMMUNITIES TAKE
IT AND SOME CLINICAL CAN
INTERVENTION IS TAKING THEM OUT
TO BE ON THE LAND AND WHAT TO
PICK AND EAT AND NOT BECAUSE
THEIR FAULT BY ANY MEANS BUT
BEING REMOVED AND GETTING
TOGETHER AS A GROUP I WOULD SAY
AND A GREAT THING COMMUNITIES
ARE DOING THIS.
I'M SO EXCITED TO HEAR IT'S
HAPPENING ALL OVER AND NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH ARE FUNDING
PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING
OUT ON THE EARTH AND TAKING
CHILDREN AND RECONNECTING
THROUGH THE LAND AND WATERS AND
RELEARNING HOW TO BE A
COMMUNITY.
>> ARE THEY GOING TO THE
RESERVATIONS?
>> YES.
WE HAVE ONE PROJECT GOING 15
HOURS FROM ANY COMMUNITY IN THE
ARCTIC AREA.
IT'S PRETTY WILD.
VERY WISE WORDS.
THANK YOU.
>> I HAD A QUESTION.
>> THIS WILL BE OUR LAST ONE.
>> I WORK IN AN URBAN DENSE
POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES,
MINNEAPOLIS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 134 DIFFERENT
TRIBES REPRESENTED AND 11 TRIBES
IN THE STATE.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
I'M SEEING AND TRYING TO DO SOME
OF THE WORK IS JUST STRUCTURAL
LEVEL THINGS THAT PREVENT US
FROM BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM
THESE THINGS.
SO IT'S LIKE YEARS AGO WHEN I
WAS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST WE
HAD PEOPLE COME AND VISIT A
TRIBE I WAS WORKING FOR
ENCOURAGING US TO USE WILDERNESS
THERAPY TO HELP OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE.
I SAW VALUE IN THAT BUT IT WAS
DEVOID OF ANY CULTURE, RIGHT.
SO IT LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR ME
TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO I
FIND A WAY TO INTEGRATE IN THE
WORK WE DO IN AN URBAN
ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S REALLY CHALLENGE IF YOU
DON'T HAVE LAND AND REALLY
CHALLENGING IF YOU WORK WITH A
COMMUNITY WITH DEEP POVERTY AND
HOUSELESS.
JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY
IDEAS OR HAVE YOU WORKED IN
URBAN POPULATIONS LIKE HOW YOU
SORT OF CREATED THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY THE
FOUNDATION FOR A CERTAIN KIND OF
BUILDING THE STRENGTH AND
RESILIENCE FOR THEM TO PUSH
AGAINST THE TOXIC STRESS OF
BOARDING SCHOOL AND OTHER ACTS
OF COLONIZATION BUT IT'S A
LIMITATION.
>> WELL, WE HAVE DONE A PROJECT
WITH YOUTH AND THEY DID A
ROOFTOP GARDEN AND GOT THE KIDS
UP WITH PLANTERS AND GROWING AND
INVOLVED THE WHOLE FAMILY WHICH
IS REALLY EFFECTIVE AGAIN
TOUCHING THE EARTH AND BEING
OUTSIDE AND CARE TAKING AND THEN
THEY RAISED THEIR TRADITIONAL
MEDICINES AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL
FOODS ON TOP OF THE ROOF AND WE
SAW GREAT HEALTH RESULTS FROM
THAT BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, LAND IS
REALLY CRITICAL.
THEN ENERGY WAS IN AN URBAN
SETTING WE DID A WRAP-AROUND
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM.
WE UTILIZED THE OUTDOORS TREES
BUT ALSO PARKS.
A LOT OF GOING TO THE PARKS AND
DIFFERENT AREAS.
I THINK URBAN AREAS HAVE
CHALLENGES, SAFETY AND TRANSPORT
AND HOW YOU GET KIDS THERE AND
BACK AND AS I TALKED TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DON'T HAVE
THE CONNECTION OR ABLE TO GO
BACK TO THEIR TRADITIONAL LANDS,
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT MOTHER EARTH
AS A WHOLE.
WE ALWAYS HAVE TERRITORIES THAT
CHANGED OVER TIME OR MOST
COMMUNITIES HAVE SOME TRIBES
THAT HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA MUCH
LONGER BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES
HAVE TERRITORIES THAT CHANGE
OVER TIME.
AS WE THINK OF MOTHER EARTH
BEING A WHOLE ANYTIME BEGO
OUTSIDE THE LAND DOESN'T CHANGE.
RECONNECTING ANY PLACE YOU CAN I
THINK IS CRITICAL.
AND ANYWAY YOU CAN.
BE INNOVATIVE.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION
AND COMMENT, BROTHER.
FOR US AT NABS I WOULD SAY BEING
IN THE TWIN CITIES IT WOULD BE
AWESOME FOR OUR WORK TO CONNECT
AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE
INFORMATION HAND OUT SOME SWAG
AND THINKING TO OUR 2025 WE'LL
BE UPDATING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
AS PART OF MANY PLANS TO UNRAVEL
AND UNLEASH OUR CURRICULUM AND
OTHER RESOURCE LOCALLY TO NEW
MEXICO WE COULD SHARE IS THROUGH
THE CULTURE CENTER THERE'S AN
INDIGENOUS WISDOM CURRICULUM AND
THERE'S A SECTIONAL MAP AND
MIDDLEAL AND -- MIDDLE SCHOOL
AND CONCERN OPPORTUNITIES FOR
KNOWLEDGE SHARING THAT MAY BRING
SOME IDEAS.
>> THANK YOU.
CAN WE GIVE ONE MORE ROUND OF
APPLAUSE?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE
BREAK, WATER BREAK, FOOD, QUICK,
EAT AND I SAY FIVE MINUTES BUT I
KNOW HOW Y'ALL ARE, RIGHT,
INDIAN TIME AND COME RIGHT BACK.
WE'LL KEEP GOING OUR HAWAI'I
SISTERS ARE NEXT.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
IT'S MY PLEASURE AND HONOR TO BE
ABLE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU
DR. MONICA BERTAGNOLLI WHO IS
OUR DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND HAS
BEEN A TRUE CHAMPION FOR
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN
NATIVE AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN
HEALTH AND WAS FORMERLY HEAD OF
THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
AND COMES WITH AN AMAZING
BACKGROUND AS PRACTITIONER AND
RESEARCHER AND NOW AS DIRECTOR.
WE'RE HONORED THAT SHE'S HERE
AND WILL SHARE WORDS WITH US AND
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE DR. BERTAGNOLLI.
THANK YOU.
>> WELL, LET ME START AND BE
VERY CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING, THE
HONOR IS ALL MINE.
BEFORE I EVEN START I WANT IT
EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF
YOU BEING HERE.
YOUR COMING HERE FIRST IS SO
MEANINGFUL FOR US.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND AND KNOW
THAT NIH IS OPEN TO YOU ALWAYS.
I'M SO GRATEFUL YOU'RE ALL HERE.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE
TO THE BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS
AND DESCENDANTS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO JOINED US TO
UNDERTAKE THIS TRULY IMPORTANT
WORK.
YOUR REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
AND STRENGTH CRITICAL AS WE TAKE
THIS ON.
THE SUBJECT OF INDIGENOUS
BOARDING SCHOOL REPRESENTS ONE
OF THE DARKEST CHAPTERS IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
THROUGH THE INDIAN CIVILIZATION
ACT OF 1819 AND BOARDING SCHOOL
POLICY AND THOSE REMOVED FROM
THEIR FAMILIES AND STRIPPED OF
THEIR LANGUAGES, CULTURES AND
IDENTITIES, I JUST WANT TO TAKE
A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THE
CHILDREN FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM
THEIR FAMILIES.
SO A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND
SADNESS AS FOR THOSE CHILDREN
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
>> THANK YOU.
THE TRAUMA CAUSED BY THESE
POLICIES REVERBERATES AFFECTING
THE SOCIAL AND WELL BEING OF
THOSE LIVING TODAY.
WE HAVE TO GO FORWARD WITH WHAT
WE HAVE TODAY IS THE TERRIBLE
LEGACY AND DARKNESS CAN HIDE
MUCH BUT ERASES NOTHING.
WE CANNOT LIVE IN DARKNESS.
WE HAVE TO DIRECTLY CONFRONT
WHAT HAS GONE ON BEFORE.
BY CONFRONTING THIS PAINFUL
HISTORY HEAD ON WE CREATE THE
FOUNDATION FOR HEALING,
UNDERSTANDING AND MEANINGFUL
CHANGE.
THIS SUMMIT REFLECTS OUR SHARED
COMMITMENT TO SHINING A LIGHT ON
THESE INJUSTICES AND TAKING
ACTION TO ADDRESS THEIR ENDURING
IMPACTS.
WE, THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY ARE
HERE TO LISTEN.
WE HONOR THE VOICES OF
SURVIVORS, THEIR FAMILIES AND
THEIR COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE
COURAGEOUSLY SHARED STORIES AND
YOUR ACCOUNT IS CENTRAL AND THEY
GUIDE US IN THE WORK TO
UNDERSTAND HOW TO HEAL THE
INTERGENERATIONAL WOUNDS CAUSED
BY OUR GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES.
WE ARE THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH.
OUR MISSION IS RESEARCH.
WHAT DOES RESEARCH MEAN?
IT CAN'T BE A STERILE SCIENTIFIC
THING.
RESEARCH HAS TO BE ABOUT HEALTH.
AND WHEN WE HAVE TRAUMA AND
ABSENCE OF EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL,
CULTURAL HEALTH THEN
UNDERSTANDING HAS TO BE GROUNDED
IN THE THINGS THAT UNDER LIE AND
BRING SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND
SPIRITUAL HEALTH.
IN THIS ONE WE NEED YOU.
WE WILL BE COMPLETELY
INEFFECTIVE IF WE DON'T START
YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST WITH YOU
AND SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOU.
THAT'S WHICH THE RESEARCH MEANS
TO US BRINGING THE UNDERSTANDING
AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO TAKE
OUR GUIDE FROM YOU.
WE'RE STEADFAST IN OUR
COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING ANOTHER
THING, THE DISPARITIES IN HEALTH
THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT
NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
POORER HEALTH IN EVERY WAY NOT
JUST THE INTERGENERATIONAL
TRAUMA FROM THE BOARDING SCHOOLS
BUT ALSO THE ACCESS TO CARE.
THE INTEGRATION MUCH CARE WITH
NATIVE CULTURAL PRACTICES.
I THINK WE'VE TRIED TO KEEP THEM
SEPARATE.
THAT DOESN'T HELP.
WE HAVE TO BRING THEM TOGETHER.
AND TO THINK OF THE SYSTEMIC
INJUSTICES INCLUDING HISTORIC
TRAUMA THAT LED TO THE FACT THAT
OUR FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES HAVE
POORER HEALTH.
WE AIM TO IDENTIFY RESEARCH TO
IDENTIFY THE DISPARITIES AND
WORK TO IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS THAT
ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND
PROVIDE WHAT YOUR COMMUNITIES
NEED NOT WHAT WE THINK YOUR
COMMUNITIES NEED.
WE MUST ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE
CHALLENGES OF NATIVE COMMUNITIES
BUT ALSO CELEBRATE AND LEARN AND
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PRIVILEGED
THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I
KNOW PERSONALLY HOW MANY GIFTS I
HAVE BEEN GIVEN WE MY
ASSOCIATION WITH THESE CULTURES.
I AM PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL.
I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE
THOSE GIFTS.
THIS RESILIENCE IS FORTIFIED BY
THE VALUES OF COMMUNITY AND
INTER DEDEPENDENCE AND REMINDER
OUR WELL BEING IS NOT JUST AN
INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT BUT
COLLECTIVE ONE.
WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN THE
COMMUNITY-CENTERED APPROACH.
IF MY COMMUNITY IS NOT WELL, I
AM NOT WELL.
THIS MUST GUIDE OUR EFFORTS AS
WE PRIORITIZE COLLABORATION WITH
OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
RESPECTING THEIR SOVEREIGNTY AND
ENSURING THAT ALL RESEARCH IS
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND INFORMED
BY YOUR WISDOM.
WHILE WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
PAST JUSTICES, ACTION IS
CRITICAL.
NIH IS COMMITTED TO CO-CREATING
A FUTURE WITH YOU WHERE NATIVE
CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES THRIVE.
THIS WEEK'S SUMMIT IS A VITAL
STEP IN THIS JOURNEY.
SURVIVORS, COMMUNITY
PRACTITIONERS AND SCIENTIFIC
LEADERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT
TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY GAPS IN
KNOWLEDGE, TO ALIGN PRIORITIES
FOR DEVELOPING A WHOLE OF
GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY
INFORMED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING
THE ONGOING TRAUMA FROM OUR
HISTORY.
BY SYNC ROW SYNCHRONIZING WE
MAKE SURE OUR WORK IS HOLISTIC
AND IMPACTFUL.
WE, THE REPRESENTS OF THE
U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST
APPROACH THIS WORK WITH GREAT
HUMILITY.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRIBAL
NATIONS, INDIGENOUS
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY
LEADERS WILL CONTINUE TO GUIDE
US SO OUR EFFORTS ARE
SUSTAINABLE AND MEANINGFUL
TOGETHER WITH OPEN HEARTS AND
WE'LL PROMOTE HEALING AND LEATH
THIS WILL FUTURE FOR NATIVE
COMMUNITIES YOUR DIGNITY, YOUR
COURAGE, YOUR LEGACIES AND YOUR
COMMITMENT TO MAKING THE WORLD
BETTER IS AN INSPIRATION FOR ALL
OF US.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REMAINDER
OF THE MEETING.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
DR. JANE SIMONI.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH WHO WILL SHARE SOME
WORDS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE
TODAY.
REALLY AN HONOR TO WELCOME
ESPECIALLY ALL OF YOU BUT MANY
OF YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO
THE NIH CAMPUS BEFORE AND I HAVE
TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW
IT BUT YOU'RE REALLY
RADICALIZING THE PLACE AND THE
DIRECTORS WERE SAYING LOOK AT
THE TEEPEE AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL
IN THE SUNSET LAST NIGHT AND
SUNS IN RISE THIS MORNING AND I
FINALLY BEGAN TO PUT MY FINGER
ON IT AT NIH ALL THE TIME WE
SPEAK TO THE MIND AND
INTELLECTUAL SCIENCE-BASED TALKS
BUT HERE IN THE TALK EVERY ONE
THERE'S INTELLECTUAL AND
METHODOLOGICALLY RIGOROUS AND
BEYOND THAT A SPEAKING TO THE
HEART AND TO THE SPIRIT.
SOW IT'S LIKE A MULTIMODAL
PRESENTATION I JUST CAN'T LOOK
AWAY FROM.
AND I FEEL SO APPRECIATIVE TO BE
ABLE TO HEAR AND WITNESS SO I
HOPE YOU APPRECIATE WHAT YOUR
DOING TO THE CAMPUS TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERS WHO
HAD THE IMAGINATION TO BRING
THIS EVENT AND DR. HOLLAND AND
THE NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN
BOARDING SCHOOL COALITION HERE
TO ADDRESS US AND OF COURSE ALL
THE STAFF, THE VOLUNTEERS, THE
VOLUNTOLDS.
YOU DRIVE EVERYTHING AT NIH AND
I THANK YOU.
FOR EVERY DETAIL THANK YOU IT'S
BEAUTIFUL AN I APPRECIATE YOUR
EFFORTS.
CERTAIN SPEAKERS MENTIONED
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S APOLOGY FOR
THE BOARDING SCHOOL AND ERASURE
OF THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
I WAS ATTENDING A SOCIAL WORK
CONFERENCE APPROPRIATELY AND
WITH A PANEL WITH AN AMERICAN
NATIVE TRIBAL MEMBER AND PULLED
UP THE LIVE STREAM ON OUR PHONE
AND KARINA WAS THERE IN PERSON
AND WE WERE MESMERIZED, AMAZED
AND IN AWE AND OVERCOME WITH
NEGATIVE SADNESS REALLY OF IT
ALL.
AND WE WENT THERE AT THE
CONFERENCE.
-- WE WEPT THERE AT THE
CONFERENCE.
WE WERE SO GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO
SEE THAT LIVE STREAM.
AS PART OF A NATIVE FAMILY AND
HAVING THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK
WITH NATIVE AMERICAN COLLEAGUES
I'VE LEARNED FIRST LAND FROM
PERSONAL SURVIVE OF BOARDING
SCHOOLS AND ONE COLLEAGUE SPOKE
OF THE TRAUMA HE EXPERIENCED AT
THE AGE OF 12.
HE RECALLED THE FEDERAL AGENTS
COMING TO HIS HOME AND RUNNING
AND HIDING IN THE BACK ROOM
TREMBLING HOPING TO BECOME IN.
VISUAL BUT WASN'T ABLE TO
ESCAPE.
TO THE BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVE
AND DESCENDANTS I WANT TO OFFER
A SPECIAL WELCOME AND YOUR
GENEROSITY OF SHARING YOUR
INSIGHTS.
YESTERDAY THERE WAS HOPE AND
SHARE AND OPTIMISM EVEN IN THE
SHARING OF A LOT OF DIFFICULT
EMOTIONS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PATH
FORWARD AND THE OFFICE ON
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN HELPING DISCOVER STRATEGIES
FOR HEALING.
AS IN OUR RECENTLY SUBMITTED
PLAN WE'RE COMMITTED TO VALUES
THAT HAVEN'T ALWAYS BEEN
REFLECTED IN RESEARCH BUT
IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON.
FIRST IS HEALTH EQUITY.
IT'S A CROSS-CUTTING THEME OF
OUR OFFICE.
THAT MEANS HEALTH FOR ALL.
EVERYONE HAS A FAIR AND JUST
COMMUNITY FOR COMPLETE HEALTH
AND WELL BEING.
WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO TRAINING
THE NEXT GENERATION OF
RESEARCHERS WHICH NEEDS FRANKLY
TO BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
COMMUNITIES WE SERVE AND THIS
INCLUDES NATIVE SCHOLARS, VERSED
IN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES WITH
TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VALUES
WE'LL LOOK UPON FOR THE HEALING
STRATEGIES.
WE ALSO VALUE COLLABORATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS LIKE YOU'RE SEEING
TODAY WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGED AND
BETTER, COMMUNITY-LED
INVESTIGATIONS.
THE RESEARCH WE SUPPORT HAS
MEANING AND RELEVANCE FOR
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
WE DON'T YET FULLY UNDERSTAND
THE DEPTH OF THE HEALTH IMPACTS
FROM BOARDING SCHOOL TRAUMA
WHICH WAS LONG-TERM, SEVERE AND
ENDURED AT A DEVELOPMENTALLY
SENSITIVE AGE AND NEED TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW, AS THE ELDERS
POINT THE OUT YESTERDAY, HOW TO
HAD HEAL THE INTERGENERATIONAL
S.
AND SOCIAL SCIENCE HAS FOCUSSED
ON THE INDIVIDUAL BUT WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, THE
COMMUNITY, TRIBE,
POPULATION-LEVEL HEALING THAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE.
OUR OFFICE IS DEDICATED TO
UNDERSTANDING LARGER SOCIAL AND
STRUCTURAL DETERMINATES OF
HEALTH AND THE POLICIES AND
SYSTEMS AFFECTING THE CONDITIONS
OF DAILY LIFE.
SO OFTEN WE'VE IMPEDED HEALTH
AND THERE'S THE INDIAN
CIVILIZATION ACT AND POSITIVE
SOCIAL DETERMINATES INCLUDING
THE STRENGTH OF THE NATIVE
COMMUNITIES, ACCESS TO
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL PRACTICES
AND KNOWLEDGE WHICH CAN LEAD TO
HEALING AND RESILIENCE AND AS
DR. TORRES MENTIONED THE
ANCESTRAL LOVE THE RECEIVING AND
GIVING IT AND THAT'S PART OF THE
HEALING.
FINALLY, OBSSR WE'RE EAGER TO
FUND IMPLEMENTATION AND
DISSEMINATION SCIENCE SO THAT
OUR RESEARCH ON RESILIENCE,
SUCCESSFUL COPING WITH TRAUMA
LEADS TO REAL WORLD
INTERVENTIONS AND EQUITABLE
HEALTH OUTCOMES.
OUR WORK'S NOT DONE IN THE LAB
UNTIL WE FEEL THE EFFECTS IN THE
CLINIC AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL END BY REINFORCING THAT OUR
WORK IN IDENTIFYING GAPS IN
KNOWLEDGE SURROUNDING
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND
HEALTH MUST BE CONDUCTED WITH
THE UTMOST HUMILITY AS DR
DR. BERTAGNOLLI EMPHASIZED.
WE'RE POISED TO LISTEN AND LEARN
FROM THE RESILIENCE AND WISDOM
NATIVE PEOPLE TODAY ARE
DEMONSTRATING AND ADDRESSING
PAST INJUSTICES.
I THANK YOU AND LACK LOOK
FORWARD -- LOOK FORWARD TO THE
REST OF THE SUMMIT.CK LOOK
FORWARD -- LOOK FORWARD TO THE
REST OF THE SUMMIT.CK LOOK
FORWARD -- LOOK FORWARD TO THE
REST OF THE SUMMIT.K LOOK
FORWARD -- LOOK FORWARD TO THE
REST OF THE SUMMIT. LOOK FORWAR-
LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE
SUMMIT.LOOK FORWARD --
LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE
SUMMIT.OOK FORWARD --
LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE
SUMMIT.K FORWARD --
LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE
SUMMIT.ARD -- LOOK
FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE
SUMMIT.- LOOK FORWARD
TO THE REST OF THE SUMMIT. LOOKO
THE REST OF THE SUMMIT.LOOK FOR
THE REST OF THE SUMMIT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO OUR
NATIVE HAWAIIAN RELATIVES COMING
UP AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET ON
TRACK.
DO YOU HAVE A CORE QUESTION,
STEVEN?
COUNCILMAN?
>> I'VE ALMOST GIVEN UP AND I
HAD BEEN DISTRACTED BY COVID.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET NIH AND
SAM AND OTHERS TO LISTEN,
LISTEN, WE'RE TIRED OF THE
GRANTS COMING DOWN FROM THE
STATES SAYING WE NEED TO UTILIZE
RESEARCH-BASED INTERVENTIONS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR
INTERVENTIONS WORK AND WE'VE
BEEN ASKING FOR GRANTS AND MONEY
SO WE COULD SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE
WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT OUR
CULTURAL-BASED PRACTICES ARE
ACTUALLY EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICES.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO TALK THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A PLUG IN YOU
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY OR NOT BUT
MAYBE YOU CAN EMBED IT IN YOUR
STAFF HERE THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A LONG
TIME TO HAVE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO
DO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
THANKS.
>> I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
COUNCIL FOR THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
OKAY.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE CLOSE
TO GETTING ON TIME.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE FIRST, I
WANT TO SAY ALOHA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR. JAIME
PLA MAHEALANI MILLER AND
DR. BISSEN AND THANK YOU FOR
SPEAKING TO THESE ISSUES AND
THRIVING AND MOVING FORWARD.
THE STAGE IS YOURS.
>>
[SINGING NON-ENGLISH]
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> WE CONTINUE TO BRING OUR
ANCESTORS IN EVERY DAY, EVERY
TIME, EVERY MOMENT.
THAT WAS JUST HONORING WHO WE
ARE, WHERE WE COME FROM AND TO
CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
AND STRENGTHEN THE WORK WE DO IN
HEALING AND THRIVING.
WE'RE GOING TO JUST SIT DOWN AND
TALK STORY AND WANT TO FIRST
INTRODUCE MYSELF.
JAIME MAHEALANI MILLER, FROM THE
LEFT HAND OF OAHU THE NORTH
SHORE SIDE BEFORE THE BIG WAVES
START TO HAPPEN.
I COME FROM A PLACE THAT IS
ABUNDANCE OF WATER.
THE WATER WHERE I COME FROM
PROVIDES WATER FOR MOST OF THE
ISLAND ON OAHU AND KNOWN AS A
PLACE OF VIBRANCY AND LOTS OF
LAND AND WAS USED TO FEED MOST
OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT SIDE OF
THE ISLAND TRADITIONALLY JUST
FROM A SMALL LITTLE AREA.
I'M MARRIED.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND I HAVE
SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND THE WORK
THAT I DO IS FOR THE FUTURE
GENERATIONS.
I'M A TRAINED SOCIAL WORKER AND
EDUCATOR.
I WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF
HAWAI'I PART-TIME AND I HAVE A
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS
A RESPONSE TO THE TRAUMA THAT
OUR FAMILY EXPERIENCED OF BEING
A JUSTICE INVOLVED FAMILY.
I'M -- WE HAVE SO MUCH SLIDES
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO
ALL THE SLIDES SO WE'LL JUST
KIND OF GO THROUGH ALL THE
THINGS THAT SPEAK TO THRIVING
AND WHERE WE ARE AND THE STATUS
OF HAWAI'I AND SO THIS IS OUR
ORGANIZATION AND THIS IS SOME OF
THE MISSION AND GOALS THAT WE
ASPIRE TO ON THE DAILY.
AIM JUST CAN GOING TO CLICK
THROUGH AND TONI WILL SPEAK AND
THESE LIZARDS ARE BEAUTIFUL
BEINGS THAT ARE BIGGER AND
GREATER THAN WE ARE AND THAT'S
HOW WE TRACK OUR GENEALOGY OR
ARE WE COME FROM AND WITH THAT.
>>
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
I'M FROM THE ISLAND OF MAUI.
MY MOTHER IS FROM THE LEFT HAND
OF OAHU.
I BRING THEM INTO THIS SPACE AS
OUR ANCESTORS AND IT'S WONDERFUL
TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT
SOME OF OUR OTHER ANCESTORS NEXT
TO US.
THESE ARE SOME WORK THAT WE DO
AT THE PUA FOUNDATION BUT THE
ONE FEMALE LEADER HERE PICTURED
AND SHE'S SITTING NEXT TO US IS
OUR FORMER QUEEN.
I AM AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED PUA
FOUNDATION AND IT'S CREATED OUT
OF RECONCILIATION ON THE PART OF
CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THERE WAS A
LARGE APOLOGY INITIATIVE AND
PART OF THE LARGER INITIATIVE
WAS TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION IN
THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S THE
ORGANIZATION THAT I WORK FOR.
IT IS CALLED PUA PUA A HAWAIIAN
WORD FOR FEEDING, NURSING AND
STRENGTHENS.
I POINT OUT OUR QUEEN HERE
BECAUSE THE FOCUS OF THE WORK
THAT WE DO IN THE FOUNDATION NOW
ABOUT HISTORICAL TRAUMA AND
THINGS LIKE THAT YOU FOCUS ON
WOMEN AND GIRLS AND THE JUSTICE
INVOLVEMENT AND OUR TAGLINE IS
TRAUMA TO TRANSFORMATION.
THE CIRCLE ASPECT OF HAWAI'I IS
OUR QUEEN WAS IMPRISONED IN HER
OWN PALACE.
ANOTHER OF THE CLASS TEACH AT
THE WOMEN CORRECTIONAL HEALING
CENTER IS A CULTURAL HEALING AND
WELL BEING CLASS AND WE USE
THESE RESOURCES TO UPLIFT OUR
HISTORY AND STORIES AND WE TELL
THE STORY ABOUT OUR QUEEN AND
OUR WOMEN.
WHEN THEY ARE LEAR ABOUT THE
QUEEN BEING IMPRISONED THEY'RE
JUST LIKE, THAT'S JUST LIKE ME
RAND THE THRIVING OF HER
LEADERSHIP RAND THEY ARE SAY WE
CAN BEING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US AND
THERE'S ANOTHER WONDERFUL
INITIATIVE WE HAVE CALLED THE
PUA IT INITIATIVE FOREST AND I
APPRECIATE DR. MICHELLE TALKING
ABOUT LAND CAN BE HEALING.
WE STORED 2,000 ACRES OF FOREST
LAND AND CONNECT AND TAKE CARE
OF OURSELVES AND THE LAND.
>> SO TO THE WORK WE DO TONI AND
I DO WITH THE INCARCERATION OR
JUSTICE IMPACTED FAMILIES AND
PEOPLES OF NATIVE ANCESTRY IN
HAWAI'I IS THE RESIDUALS OF THE
ASSIMILATION AND THE BOARDING
SCHOOL MOVEMENT IN HAWAI'I.
AND I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE TO THE STORIES THAT
HAVE BEEN TOLD AND CONTINUE TO
BE SPOKEN HERE AT THE CONFERENCE
AND AT HOME.
AT THE HOMES WHERE YOU FOLKS ALL
COME FROM AND THE PLACES YOU
COME FROM AND FOR BEING
INCLUSIVE TO US, HAWAI'I.
THOUGH OUR EXPERIENCE AND THE
HISTORY OF THIS IN HAWAI'I IS
SOMEWHAT SIMILAR BUT THERE'S ALL
THIS FEEDBACK -- SHOULD I MOVE?
>> MAYBE.
WE'RE CLOSE.
>> I THINK THIS IS ON AT THE
SAME TIME BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
WE'RE DOING OUR PRESENTATION.
NOT ONE AT A TIME.
I CAN GO OVER THERE.
ANYWAY OUR EXPERIENCES ARE
SIMILAR AND UNIQUE IN THAT WE
HAVE NOT HAD ANY STUDENT DEATHS
OCCUR IN THE HAWAIIAN EXPERIENCE
BUT DEFINITELY DAMAGE AND TRAUMA
SOCIALLY, PHYSICALLY,
EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY
AND SPIRITUALLY.
WE DO HAVE A SEVEN NAMED
SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS AND
IT'S BEGINNING IN HAWAI'I AND
WITHOUT US BEING INCLUDED IN THE
INITIATIVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
DMR
GLOSSED OVER AND MAHALO SO THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENTINTERIOR AND F
THE VISIT AND ALLOWING OUR
PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR HISTORY
AND MAHALO AND THE CURRENT WORK
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS OUR
GRANDPARENTS.
MY GA GRANDPARENTS BOARDED SCHOS
AND CAME TO OAHU AND I DID NOT
MEET THEM.
THEY DIED YOUNG.
THEY ARE CHOSE SOW THAT IS
ANOTHER DIFFERENCE FOR US IN
HAWAI'I.
WAS AN HONOR TO GO TO THE
SCHOOLS THE BOARDING SCHOOL.
TO IF YOU'RE CHILD GOT IN AND IT
WAS SELECTIVE IT GAVE YOUR
FAMILY MORE AND FAMILIES WANTED
THEIR CHILDREN TO GO TO THESE
BOARDING SCHOOLS.
IF YOU WERE SELECTED AND GOT TO
GO IN THAT WAS SOMETHING THOUGHT
TO HAVE BEEN GOOD.
MY GRANDPARENTS WENT TO BOARDING
SCHOOL AND WHAT WE SEE IN OUR IT
FRAM LIZ WAS BECAUSE OF TO THE
DISCONNECTION AND WHAT OCCURRED
SO THERE WERE SPEAKERS.
MY MOM WAS NOT A SPEAKER.
MY CHILDREN SPEAK, WE SPEAK.
WE HAD TO RELEARN IT.
WHAT WE BASE OUR HEALING
PRACTICES ON IS LAND BASED.
WE SEE OUR LAND STEWARDSHIP AND
YOU CAN LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT
HEALING AND HOW WE STRENGTHEN
RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND.
AND IT SPEAKS TO RESOURCES AND
HOW YOU CARE FOR THE RESEARCHERS
AND IN TURN THE RESEARCH WILL
CARE FOR YOU.
PART OF OUR GENEALOGY IN HAWAI'I
IS WE COME FROM THE LAND.
WE ARE BIRTHED FROM THE LAND.
OUR OLDER SIBLING, OUR
GENEALOGICAL CHANT AND STORIES
IS THE LAND CAME FIRST AND OUT
OF THE LAND BIRTHED OUR PLANT
WHICH IS WHAT SUSTAINS US.
IT'S OUR STAPLE, IT'S OUR POI,
OUR TARO AND IF WE CARE FOR THAT
AND THE LAND IT WILL CARE FOR
YOU AND SO IT'S RECIPROCAL.
OUR HEALING PRACTICES WITHIN OUR
ORGANIZATION IS BASED ON THAT.
IT'S LAND-BASED AND THIS IS A
STRUCTURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TO
REPLACE THE CURRENT STRUCTURE
AND TRANSFORM THE CURRENT
STRUCTURES BASED ON HOIWAI AND
AND WE DIVERTED TO FEED OUR
CROPS.
WHEN YOU DIVERT THE WATER IT HAS
CERTAIN MICROBES AND NUTRIENTS
AND THEN GOES THROUGH THE CROPS
AND TAKES ABOUT A YEAR FOR THE
TARO TO GROW THE BEGINNING TO
WHEN YOU CAN HARVEST IT.
SO WHILE THE WATER IS FLOWING
THROUGH IT IT PICKS UP OTHER
MICROBES AND NUTRIENTS AND
DIVERTED BATH TO THE MAINSTREAM.
AT THAT POINT THE WATER IS
DIFFERENT IT'S HEALTHIER AND
STRONGER THAN FROM THE WATER
WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY DIVERTED
FROM.
AND IT GOES INTO THE OCEAN AND
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
WATER IS CLEAN AND FRESH AND
MUCH MORE VIBRANT THAN WHEN IT
WAS DIVERT ED AND WHEN SOMEONE S
DIVERTED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND
GOES TO SCHOOL OR TO
INCARCERATION OR ANY SYSTEMS
THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE EXTRACTED
FROM, WE WANT TO ENSURE AS THEY
FLOW THROUGH THE STRUCTURE OR
SYSTEM THEY PICK UP SKILLS,
NUTRIENTS, PRACTICES WHATEVER IT
IS SO WHEN THEY ARE COME BACK TO
COMMUNITY THEY'RE BETTER AND
STRONGER.
AND CURRENTLY OUR SYSTEMS ARE
NOT LIKE THAT.
THAT'S THE TRANSFORMATION WE
WORK ON TOGETHER THROUGH OUR
COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING BASED ON
OUR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
WHERE HE HAVE EXPERIENCES AND
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE PEOPLE
THAT ARE COMING OUT OF AND
THERE'S RECORDS.
WE ENSURE PART OF THAT STRUCTURE
THEY ARE PICK UP THE SKILLS SO
THAT THEY CAN MAKE A LIVING FOR
THEIR FAMILY AND THRIVE.
>> WILL JUST TO SHED CONTEXT.
WE WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT
AND GIVE YOU THANKS FOR BEING
HERE AND I JUST WANT AGAIN TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE GENIUS IN THE
ROOM AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE
HERE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR
ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT WE DO AND
IT'S A PATHWAY AND TRYING TO SET
THE STAGE.
I WANT TO PIGGY BACK ON WHAT
JAIME SAID AND ONE NAMED IS ONE
I WENT TO AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE
TO GO BUT WHEN YOU LOOK CREATE
THIS HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE
THINGS WE HEARD OVER THE PAST
DAY AND TODAY THE RESIDUAL
ISSUES THE BOARDING SCHOOL IS
GOING THROUGH THERE'S
PERPETRATORS WHO IN FACT UNTIL
RECENTLY WHILE WE'RE NOT
NECESSARILY CONNECTING IT OVER
BUT IN A COLLECTIVE APPROACH
THESE KINDS OF THINGS CONTINUE
TO HAPPEN.
MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY ARE PART OF
THAT AND HOW DO YOU GET YOUR
HEAD AROUND THAT AND HOW DO YOU
FORGIVE AND THRIVE?
WE DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF TRAUMA
SIMILARLY TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT TRANSFORMATION FROM
TRAUMA.
SO SOME OF THE WORK WE DO AND I
WANT TO PROVIDE CONTEXT IS THAT
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CLEAN AND
THE HISTORICAL TRAUMA WAS WHEN
SHE WAS IMPRISONED IN HER OWN
PALACE.
THE TRAJECTORY OF THE
PRESENTATION OF FLAFT HAWAIIANS
INCARCERATED CONTINUES AND WE
CONNECT BACK TO THAT AND HAVE
FOCUSSED RESEARCH OF RESOURCES
AND EXPERTISE IN TRANSFORMING
FROM TRAUMA.
AND WE ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THE
CENTER.
AND WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER THAN
SEPARATE.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
PICTURES HERE AND WE BELIEVE IN
PEER SUPPORT.
SHOUT OUT TO OUR CAPTAIN HERE
AGAIN AND WE RELY ON PEER
SUPPORT AND THE CRITERIA THAT
TEACHES US ABOUT BEING TRAUMA
INFORMED.
THESE GIRLS ARE THOSE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY WITH THE
RECOVERY BUT IN THE
INCARCERATION SYSTEM AND
GRADUATING THEMES APPEAR
SUPPORTS TO BE LEADERS AND TO BE
ABLE TO WALK ALONG THOSE BECAUSE
WE KNOW IT'S A BEST PRACTICE AND
THEY HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME AND
WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE
PATHWAYS TO THRIVING IS TO WALK
COLLECTIVELY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE DARKNESS AND WE
PUT LIGHTING RESOURCES ON THE
GENIUS OF LIVED EXPERIENCE AND
THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT HOW
DID WE OPERATIONALIZE OUR
COMMUNITY PATHWAYS TO THRIVING
HAVE TO DO WITH UNDERSTANDING
AND UPLIFTING THE STORIES AND
EDUCATING NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY
ABOUT THE TRAUMA, OUR STORIES,
BUT WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT
TRANSFORMATION?
WE WERE SELECTED LAST YEAR TO
HAVE RESOURCE TO CONVENE OUR
COMMUNITIES AND THOSE WITH
CERTAIN GIFTS TO BE ABLE TO
LEARN AND SERVE AND COLLECTIVELY
WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE
DO AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO
SHARE.
IN THIS ROOM FULL OF GENIUSES
AND I'M SITTING THERE LISTENING
TO EVERYONE AND ALMOST FEELING
THAT, YEAH, YEAH, JUST LIKE AT
HOME.
JUST LIKE US.
IT JUST FEELS THE KINSHIP AND
LOVE AND OHANA AND THE NATIVE
AMERICAN FAMILIES AND FAMILY
MEMBERS FEELS LIKE HOME BUT
GIVES ME STRENGTH AND
CONFIDENCE.
I THINK WHAT GIVES US STRENGTH
AND CONFIDENCE AND WHAT IS THIS
TALK SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT?
PATHWAY TO THRIVING.
WE TALK WITH ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE
AND CULTURAL PRACTICES AND IN
FACT INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND
DID YOU KNOW SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE --
AND OF COURSE EVERYONE KNOWS
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
DID YOU KNOW IT'S A POWER AND
POTENTIAL TO HEAL TRAUMA AND
APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF
CULTURAL CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES.
MY DISSERTATION HAD TO DO WITH
UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL PRACTICES
AND TYING THAT INTO HOW YOU
TRANSFORM IN TRAUMA THROUGH
CULTURE PRACTICES AND HOW THAT'S
CON E
CONECTED TO HAWAIIAN WOMEN
INCARCERATED.
THIS IS THE DROP THE MIKE TOO,
YOU GUYS.
BECAUSE I'M SEEING IN THE
AUDIENCE AND SEEING SO MANY
PRESENTING WAHINE IS FEMALE AND
MAMA IS POWER.
SO MY DISSERTATION I LOOKED AT
WERE NATIVE HAWAIIAN FEMALE
LEADERSHIP AND THE SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTS THAT WENT TO
DRAWING OUT INFORMATION AND THE
MODEL AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
ANONYMOUS IN YOUR DISSERTATION
WORK BUT IN HAWAI'I I PROCLAIM
BECAUSE OUR HULA FAMILY AND THE
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WERE OUR
HULA SISTERS WHO OBTAIN THE RANK
WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND
EDUCATION AND CONTINUE TO LEAD
THROUGH CULTURAL PRACTICE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THIS IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR WORK
AT THE FOUNDATION WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THESE SIX --
NO, I HAVE NEOPLASTICITY.
WE TALK ABOUT THE TRAUMA AND
TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION,
THE SIX GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND
THE CULTURAL CONCEPTS AND
POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH LOOKING AT
STRENGTH BASED PRACTICES AND
HERE'S THE THING ABOUT
NEOPLASTICITY AND THIS IS THE
NIH.
OH, MY GOSH, RIGHT?
OH GOSH.
I BETTER NAVIGATE WELL BECAUSE
WE HAVE SMO EXPERTS IN HERE BUT
WHEN WE LEARN ABOUT IN TERMS OF
NEOPLASTICITY AND THE PREVAILING
THOUGHT IS THE BRAIN DOESN'T
CHANGE.
YOU'RE BORN WITH YOUR BORN WITH.
YOUR BRAIN CAN CHANGE AND IN THE
CONTEXT WE WORK WITH BECAUSE AT
THE PRISON SUBSTANCE IS ABUSE IS
A BILL BIG DEAL AND WE HAVE
MAJOR EXPERTS IN THE ROOM BUT I
THINK WHEN WE TIE IN CULTURAL
PRACTICES BECAUSE WHAT KIND OF
ACTIVITIES CAN REALLY HAVE THE
BRAIN WORK IN THE NEOPLASTICITY
AND THE ACTIVITIES WHEN YOU
CHANT, WHEN YOU SING, WHEN YOU
PLAY MUSIC.
LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE.
OUR BRAIN, OUR NUANCE CAN START
CONNECTING AGAIN.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRAUMA AND WE
KNOW WHAT THE STORIES ARE
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WORK AT THE
PRISON AND HAVE A CULTURAL
HEALING CLASS AND HAVE MANY
OTHER KINDS OF CLASSES WE WORK
WITH.
WEN OUR GIRLS TALK ABOUT AND WE
DID A STUDY ACTUALLY AT THE
CORRECTIONAL CENTER AND IT WAS A
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE INITIATIVE.
AT THE TIME THE CORRECTION
CENTER UNDER PAST LEADERSHIP
THOUGHT CAN PRISON BE A PLACE OF
HEALING.
AN ANCIENT WORD FOR A PLACE OF
SAFETY, A SANCTUARY.
SO PART OF THE STUDY AND THE
WORK WE DID WAS TO SEE WHAT THE
PREVAILING AMOUNT OF TRAUMA
SURVIVORS WERE.
IN OUR STUDY THERE WERE ABOUT
200, 250 AT THE CORRECTIONAL
CENTER.
OUR STUDY HAD ABOUT 25.
THE MAJORITY OF HAWAIIANS, 100%
TRAUMA SURVIVE FROM AGE 10 TO
BELOW AND 18 AND BELOW.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE DATA AND ARE
TALKING ABOUT IT AND SEE IT AND
YOU'RE LIKE, JESUS, SO
NEOPLASTICITY AND YOU KNOW AT AN
EARLY TAKE AGE THE TRAUMA IN THE
HOUSEHOLD AND YOU'RE YOUNG AND
YOUR NEURONS IT'S SO MUCH
PRESSURE AND FIGHT OR FLIGHT.
SOMETIMES BECAUSE DOING THE WORK
WE DO AT THE FACILITY AND THE
DECISION MAKING AND SOMETIMES
IT'S NOT OKAY ALL THE TIME BUT
IT MAKES SENSE PHYSIOLOGICALLY.
NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE SUBSTANCE
ABUSE BUT PHYSIOLOGICALLY WE
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND PERHAPS THERE
CAN BE THE CONNECTIONS OF OUR
NEURO
NEURONS AND CHANGE THE OUTLOOK
AND DECISIONS AND BACK TO THE
CULTURAL PRACTICE WHEN YOU SING,
WHEN YOU CHANT, WHEN YOU DANCE.
AND HAWAIIANS ARE GOOD AT THAT.
THE THING IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
NATIVE HAWAIIAN WOMEN, IT'S LIKE
WE CAN TRANSFER FROM TRAUMA AND
CULTURAL PRACTICES CAN BE VERY
MUCH THE TOOL AND A PATHWAY TO
THRIVE.
WE TALK ABOUT CONNECTING SOME OF
THE DOTS.
WE HAVE A CONFERENCE AND IT'S
OUR FIFTH YEAR BUT THOSE ARE
SOME OF THE THINGS WE LEARN AND
TEACH ABOUT.
THIS IS RAY PICTURE OF OUR
GOVERNOR AND THESE PROMOTING
HAWAI'I AS A TRAUMA-INFORMED
PLACE.
THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE WITH THE
TATTOOS.
THESE THE LEADERSHIP AROUND PEER
SUPPORT IN HAWAI'I.
>> I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THIS
MORNING ABOUT YOUTH INVOLVEMENT.
MY SON WAS INCARCERATED AT 21
AND HE'S 35 SO HE WAS
INCARCERATED NINE AND A HALF
YEARS.
NEXT MARCH WILL BE THREE YEARS
HE'S BEEN OUT AND HE'S DOING
WELL.
THIS WAS THE DATA AND HE WAS
SINGLE BACK THEN AND THE DATA IS
HIS CHILDREN WILL HAVE A 75%
INCREASED RISK OF BEING
INCARCERATED AS ADULTS AND THAT
SHOOK ME BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE
CHILDREN YET OR A PARTNER YET.
AND IN AN IN THE OHANA SYSTEM
AND WE DON'T HAVE NAMES FOR IT
AUNTIE AND UNCLE.
THAT GENERATION TAKES CARE OF
THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO THAT EVEN MEANT THAT PERHAPS
MY GRANDCHILDREN FROM MY
DAUGHTER WOULD READ TO THEM.
AS THEY GOT OLDER THEY STARTED
TO HEAR AND LISTEN LIKE WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH THE INCARCERATED
POPULATION AND THEY'RE TEENAGERS
NOW AND THEY'RE INVOLVED AND
THEY ARE WANT TO END.
THEY HAVE THEY PUT A PACKAGE
TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT SESSION
AND THEY WANT TO END
INCARCERATION FOR YOUTH.
AND HOW THAT TIES BACK TO A
COUPLE IN THE REPORT THAT'S A
BOYS AND GIRLS HOME.
THE REFORM SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE STILL IN OPERATION.
AND NO YOUTH SHOULD BE
INCARCERATED.
THERE'S HOMES FOR OUR YOUTH
ESPECIALLY NATIVE YOUTH WITHIN
THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE A YOUTH-LED COUNCIL
THEY MADE THEIR OWN MISSION
STATEMENT AND THAT'S THEIR OWN
VISION.
I LISTEN AND THEY TELL ME WHAT
TO DO.
AND THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN
CLIMATE JUSTICE AS WELL.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING STUFF.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WEAVING
THE TRADITIONAL SEAWEED AND
PUTTING IT BACK IN THE OCEAN
WHERE IT WAS ONCE A THRIVING
OCEAN BUT BECAUSE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE THERE'S HARDLY ANY THERE.
THAT'S THE EXERCISE THEY'RE
DOING HERE.
THESE ARE THEIR FOCUS AREAS
AROUND LEATH AND WELL BEING AND
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND THE
CLIMATE JUSTICE AND THIS IS THE
PATH TO THRIVING FOR THE NEXT
GENERATIONS.
WE WORK ON A TRY-COUNTRY
SCHOOL-PRISON PIPELINE
ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT.
THEY ARE ARE IMPACTING
AUSTRALIAN TO GET YOUTH-LED
COUNCILS IN THIS AREA.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THEY'VE EXPERIENCED.
THEY WERE PART OF AN INTERNSHIP
AND SPOKE TO THE CONGRESS
LEGISLATORS HERE IN D.C. ABOUT
ENDING YOUTH INCARCERATION FOR
NATIVE AND ALL YOUTH.
THEY'RE WORKING TO GO TO THE
WORLD INDIGENOUS CONFERENCE ON
EDUCATION IN NOVEMBER.
WE HAVE A VIDEO FOR YOU BUT
FIRST I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
SECRETARY HOLLAND HERE YESTERDAY
AND IN HER LISTENING SESSION SHE
CAME TO HAWAI'I AND THAT'S MY
ELDEST GRANDDAUGHTER WHO MADE
THE MOVEMENT AND I GOT TO
FACILITATE THE LISTENING
SESSIONS HELD ON THE GROUND OF
THE INSTITUTIONS NAMED IN THE
REPORT AND IT WAS AT THE TIME IT
WAS THE GIRLS REFORM SCHOOL THEN
IT BECAME BOYS AND GIRLS REFORM
SCHOOL AND NOW IT'S HAWAI'I
YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
THERE IS OUR COLLEAGUE TONI AND
I COLLEAGUES AS ADMINISTRATOR OF
THE SPACE.
AND TRYING TO TRANSFORM IT
THERE'S HICCUPS HERE AND THERE
BUT THE INTENTION OF TRYING TO
NOT HAVE YOUTH THERE LIKE WE LAD
NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND WHO WHERE IS
YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE SYSTEMS
AND STRUCTURES.
HE IS OF THE SAME MIND SET TO
NOT HAVE YOUTH INCARCERATION.
HE DOESN'T BELIEVE CHILDREN
SHOULD BE IN PRISON AND I WANT
TO VISIT THERE A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO AND HE HAD 20 KIDS, SIX
GIRLS AND 14 BOYS AND NONE OF
THEM NEEDED TO BE THERE THEY
JUST DID NOT HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
THEY IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY -- THEY
WEREN'T ADJUDICATED THERE, THEY
JUST HAVE NO PLACE TO GO.
SO HE HAD THEM.
THEY'RE IN CELLS.
AND OF COURSE HONORING THE TEAM
THAT CAME TO LISTEN TO OUR
STORIES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU, DR. TORRES FOR
BEING THERE.
OKAY.
WE WANT TO SHOW YOU GUYS THIS IS
THE STATUS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN HAWAI'I RIGHT NOW.
>> A COMMUNITY NOW BUZZING OVER
A COMMENT AT DURING PUBLIC
TESTIMONY ASKED ABOUT BILL 61
AND 62 AND THE TESTIMONY WAS
DONE IN NATIVE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE
AND FACING BACKLASH ON COMMENTS
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND
COMMUNITY AND ONLINE.
>> THEY ORIGINALLY WERE SPEAKING
IN A LANGUAGE THAT WAS NOT
ENGLISH AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO
THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE MEETING
TO NOT KNOW WHAT'S BEING SAID.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT LANGUAGE IT
WAS.
I'M ASSUMING IT WAS HAWAIIAN AND
THAT SAY DEAD LANGUAGE SO IT
WOULD NOT WORK ON TRANSLATOR.
>> HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT.
IT IS NOT A DEAD LANGUAGE.
IT'S VERY MUCH ALIVE.
AND IT WASN'T FOR THE IT FACT
THAT THOSE WHO HELP TO OVERTHROW
THE KINGDOM OF HAWAI'I BANNED
OUR LANGUAGE WE WOULD BE
SPEAKING ONLY HAWAI'I NOW AND
LEARN BEFORE YOU COME TO CITY
COUNCIL.
>> HAWAI'I IS ONE OF THE
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE
STRAIGHT AND THE CROWD AND
COUNCIL APPLAUDED IN SUPPORT OF
THE LANGUAGE AND COMING UP IN
OUR LATER NEWSCAST WE'LL LEAR
FROM THE TESTIFIER HERSELF ON
THE REASON FOR HER COMMENT.
>> YOU CAN TALK TO US AFTER AND
THAT WAS LAST WEEK AND HAD
LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION AND YOU
COME TO THE AIRPORT AND HEAR THE
HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE GOING.
THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT NEED
TO BE DONE THOUGH WE'VE COME A
HAR OF FAR WAY AND GROUNDED IN
WHAT WE SHARED ALONG CULTURAL
PRACTICES WE ARE STILL IT THOSE
WE'RE STILL RESISTANT TO SOME OF
THESE THINGS THAT OCCURRED BUT
ALSO RESILIENT AND STILL FORGING
FORWARD.
>> ONE, THE WOMEN SPEAKING
COUNCIL WOMAN IS ONE YEAR AHEAD
OF ME.
THE CHAIRPERSON IS TOMMY WEIGHT
WATERS AND ONE YEAR BELOW ME
RAND THAT'S THE LEADERSHIP WE
HAVE AT THE.
THE LEADERSHIP YOU TALKED ABOUT
BUT WHAT SHE TALKED ABOUT IN
TERMS OF THE RESILIENCE IS AGAIN
CONNECTIONS TO HOW WE THRIVE
ABOUT KNOWING OUR HISTORY RAT
THE FOUNDATION.
WE WANTED TO JUST KIND OF AGAIN
ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONNECT SOME OF
THE DOTS HERE.
PRESIDENT CLINTON DID IN FACT
APOLOGIZE TO HAWAI'I IN 1993 AND
THE CHURCH ALSO APOLOGIZED.
THE KIND OF THINGS WE DO AT THE
FOUNDATION TO HAVE OUR PATHWAY
IS TO CREATE AND SHARE OUR
STORIES ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND
CONNECT AND HONOR WHAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN HAS DONE WITH THE BOARD
SCHBOARDING
SCHOOL INITIATIVES AND AS THE
HERITAGE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS AND
IT'S VERY EXCITING WHAT
DR. MICHELLE WAS DOING.
AND WITH RESPECT TO EXPERIENTIAL
OPPORTUNITIES AND TO COMMUNION
WITH OUR HEALERS AND ELDERS AND
EXPERTS AND BEING ABLE TO PICK
UP THOSE AND CREATE WHAT WE DID
WAS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF IT.
I THINK WHEN WE FEEL IT AND KNOW
IT AND ENGAGE IN CULTURAL
PRACTICES YOU FEEL EMPOWERED.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS AND
JUST THE GENIUS OF STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING AND WHEN WERE TOLD
ABOUT THE ELEMENTS AND
ULTIMATELY WHAT THE TEEPEE
REPRESENTS IN A HEALING WAY AND
THEN GOES UP TO THE ANCESTORS.
YEAH.
WHERE HE WERE HONORED AND IS THE
ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND
PRACTICES AND BEING ABOUT IT AND
DOING IT IS HEALING.
ITS EMPOWERING AND WHAT WE THINK
THE PATHWAYS ARE.
HOW'S THESE GUYS?
>> I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST
SLIDE.
OH.
>> AGAIN, MAHALO.
SO THE CREATOR DOESN'T WANT ME
TO WEAR THIS?
>> OKAY.
WE HAVE ADJUSTED THE SCHEDULE A
LITTLE BIT.
IT'S TO STAY ON CALL IS GOING TO
BE THE PANEL WITH DR. PONKA-WE
COZAD IN A MINUTE AND WE'LL HAVE
DR. TARA SCHWETZ.
LET ME INTRODUCE THIS RIGHT.
DR. SCHWETZ IS WITH THE
STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVES
KNOWN AS DPCPSI AT NIH AND ALSO
MY BOSS AND INTIMATELY CONNECTED
THROUGH THE TRIBAL RESEARCH
OFFICE AND ANOTHER CHAMPION FOR
INDIAN COUNTRY.
SHE REGRETS NOT BEING ABLE TO BE
HERE IN PERSON AND RECORDED THIS
AND WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH
THE CONFERENCE THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR POWERFUL
REMARKS AND SETTING THE STABLE
NOR COVERINGS.
MY NAME IS TARA SCHWETZ THE
DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
PROGRAM COORDINATION, PLANNING
AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES OR
DPCPSI FOR SHORT.
IT'S 14 OFFICES AND COORDINATE
RESEARCH RELATED ACTIVITIES ON A
BROAD RANGE OF BIO MEDICAL AND
BEHAVIORAL TOPIC AND THE HEALTH
RESEARCH OFFICE KNOWN AS THRO.
I WAS HOPING TO BE WITH YOU ALL
IN PERSON TODAY TO CONTINUE THE
DIALOGUE AS WE FOCUS ON THE
INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE AND
INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING,
UNFORTUNATELY AS YOU CAN TELL BY
MY VOICE I'M NOT FEELING WELL
AND FOCUSSED ON THE SPIRIT OF
SHARING TODAY I THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE BAD FORM TO SHARE THING WITH
ALL OF YOU.
THAT SAID I'M DELIGHTED TO BE
ABLE TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY.
FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
HARM BY THE INDIAN SCHOOL
POLICIES FORCIBLY REMOVING
CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND
CULTURES WITH SCARS ACROSS
GENERATION.
THE TRAUMA THEY INFLECTED IS
WOVEN THAT THE HEALTH CHALLENGES
MANY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES FACE
TODAY.
BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARM IS
ONLY THE FIRST STEP.
HEALING DEMANDS ACTION AND THIS
IS WHERE RESEARCH IS ONE ELEMENT
OF HEALING CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE.
RESEARCH CAN PROMOTE
ACCOUNTABILITY BY DOCUMENTING
HISTORICAL AND ONGOING
INJUSTICES ENSURING THEY'RE NOT
FORGOTTEN.
IT CAN INFORM POLICIES AND
INTERVENTIONS THAT PROMOTE
HEALING AND RESILIENCE AND
ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF
COMMUNITIES.
IT CAN SECURE RESOURCES FROM
MENSTR
MENSTRUAL HEALTH SERVICES
ADVANCING THE WEALTH AND WELL
BEING OF FAMILIES.
BUT WE KNOW RESEARCH MUST BE
DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
IT MUST BE COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND
CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE.
THE RESEARCH MUST HONOR AND
INCORPORATE HEALING PRACTICES
AND REVITALIZATION.
NOT AS SUPPLEMENTAL FOUNDATIONAL
TO THE WORK AND MUST RECOGNIZE
TRIBAL CERTAINTY AND TRIBAL
NATIONS AND THERE'S NOT A ONE
SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH AND
RESEARCH SHOULD NOT JUST
DOCUMENT HARM --
>> AND IT TRADITIONS TO HEALTH
AND HEALING.
AS WE CELEBRATE THE NEEDS OF
NATIVE COMMUNITIES WE KNOW
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES SHAPES
LEATH AND WELL BEING IN CRITICAL
WAYS AND EMPOWER INDIGENOUS
SCHOLARS TO THEIR VOICES AND
PERSPECTIVES CAN HELP SLAP THE
SCIENCE THAT IMPACTS THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS
AT NIH THAT ARE DESIGN TO BUILD
PATHWAYS FOR INDIGENOUS
SCIENTISTS AND SCHOLARS.
THE TRIBAL UNDERGRADUATE TO
GRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING AND
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES OR TURTLE
PROGRAM IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT
FUNDS ELIGIBLE TRIBAL ENTITIES
TO SUPPORT SCHOLARS TO COMPLETE
THEIR DEGREES IN THE BIOMEDICAL
FIELD AND TRANSITION TO CAREERS
IN THE BIOMEDICAL WORKFORCE.
WE HAVE PROGRAMS WILL FOCUSSING
ON NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT
ACTIVITIES.
AND ENHANCE WELLNESS SUPPORTING
TRIBES AND FLATIVE AMERICAN
SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDUCT
LOCALLY PRIORITIZED RESEARCH TO
ADDRESS OVERDOSE, SUBSTANCE USE
AND PAIN INCLUDING FACTORS SUCH
AS MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK
THE TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH
OFFICE FOR THEIR TIRELESS
DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP.
THEIR WORK IS INSTRUMENTAL IN
FOSTERING MEANINGFUL
PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVANCE VRCH
INITIATIVES AND INDIGENOUS
PERSPECTIVES GUIDE THE HEALTH
RESEARCH LANDSCAPE.
THIS YEAR THERE'S TWO
TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVES AMONG
OTHER THINGS.
FIRST THEY'VE GALVANIZED TRIBAL
SUPPORT FOR A DATA SOVEREIGNTY
POLICY AND THE SUMMIT TO BUILD A
UNIFIED RESPONSE TO TRAUMA AND
CREATE CULTURALLY RELEVANT
SOLUTIONS AND I'VE HEARD
POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THIS
EVENT AND ALL THE CREDIT THAT
GOES TO THE TEAM AT THRO FOR
THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION
TO MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
NOW, COLLECTIVELY THESE EFFORTS
EXEMPLIFY THE COMMITMENT NEEDED
TO ADDRESS HISTORICAL INJUSTICES
AND BUILD A HEALTHIER MORE
EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF YOUR TIME AND
APPRECIATE YOUR STRENGTH AND
STORIES AND WILLINGNESS TO
THEY'RE SHARE THEM WITH US AND
NOW TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
>> YOU CAN TELL SHE'S GOT THE
FLU BUT WANTED TO ADDRESS YOU
AND IS LIVE STREAMING AND I'M
COMB
GETTING TEXTS FROM HER SO I KNOW
SHE'S VIEWING AND I'D LIKE TO
SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
OUR COMMITMENT IS.
NEXT TO A PANEL WE FLIPPED A
LITTLE BIT OUR SCRIPTS HERE.
WE HAVE OUR SURVIVORS PANEL WILL
BE AFTER LUNCH SO WE CAN HAVE
MORE RELAXING LONGER
CONVERSATION SO IT DOESN'T FEEL
TO CRUNCHED UP FOR OUR
SURVIVORS.
SO WELCOME DR. BELTRAN AND HIS
AMAZING PANEL.
THANK YOU.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT PARENTING AND
CONNECTIONS, IS THAT RIGHT?
NO?
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
PATHWAYS BUILD ON INDIGENOUS
LOVE, PROMOTING LEATHFUL
CONNECTIONS AND PARENTING.
SOUND RIGHT.
I WAS IN THE BALLPARK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
AND TAKE IT AWAY.
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
MAY THE CREATOR BLESS YOU ALL.
MY MOTHER IS ORIGINALLY FROM
NORTHERN MEXICO FROM SONORA AND
CAME THROUGH ARIZONA BEFORE
COMING WEST TO CALIFORNIA AND
DESCENDANTS OF AN NAKI NATION.
I LEARNED THE ASSENCESTRAL LINE
IS ORIGINALLY FROM NORTHERN
IRELAND.
SO I'M GETTING USED TO
ACKNOWLEDGING THOSE ANCESTORS
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE ANCESTORS AS
I'VE BEEN TAUGHT.
THAT'S THE WHOLE OF US EVEN THE
OBSCURE AND PAINFUL AND ONES
WITH WHOM WE'RE RECONNECTING ARE
ALL PART OF WHAT IS IN OUR
BODIES AND MOMENTS WHERE WE'RE
CONNECTING HEART TO HEART SO
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME
ACKNOWLEDGE MY ANCESTRAL
LINEAGES.
I PRACTICE MY CULTURAL
TRADITIONS IN DANCE AND AM A
LEARNER AND MOTHER OF THREE VERY
ENERGETIC CHILDREN AND GIVE ME
LIFE, HEAL AND CHALLENGE ME
EVERY DAY.
I'M ALSO THE INTERIM DEAN OF
RESEARCH AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
MY RESEARCH FOCUSES ON HEALING
HISTORICAL TRAUMA WHILE
CENTERING STORY TELLING AND
NARRATIVE AS HEALING METHOD AND
INTERVENTION.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
THANK YOU TO DESCENDANTS IT'S
BEEN AN HONOR TO HOLD YOUR
WITNESS AND HOLD YOUR TEARS AND
SHARE IN YOUR LAUGHTER.
I THANK NABS AND THRO AND I FEEL
LIKE A KID MYSELF.
I NEVER IMAGINED I'D BE AT NIH
AND IT'S SUCH A JOY.
I WANT ACKNOWLEDGE MY PATHWAY
THAT BROUGHT ME HERE.
SPECIFICALLY I NEED TO TELL YOU
A TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENT THAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED WITH
DR. KARINA WALTERS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
GETTING MY MSW AT PORTLAND STATE
AND LAND TO ATTEND THE
PRESENTATION SHE GAVE ON
HISTORICAL TRAUMA AND WHEN THE
DESCRIBED THE THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK IT WAS LIKE MAGIC.
FOR ME IT WAS GIVING WORDS TO
SOMETHING I LAD EXPERIENCED AND
FELT AND KNEW AND IT WAS THAT
MOMENT THAT SHIFTED THE WAY I
WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT MY OWN
TRAUMA AND FAMILY TRAUMA AND MY
COMMUNITY'S TRAUMAS IN A WAY
THAT GAVE ME SOME FREEDOM.
I COULD GLOVE THEM DIFFERENTLY
BECAUSE I HAD DIFFERENT WORDS
AND WHAT HAPPENED THAT LED TO
SOME THINGS WE WERE STRUGGLING
WITH AND WHAT GAVE US OUR HUMOR
AND CREATIVITY.
SO PATHWAYS ARE FORMED THROUGH
EXPERIENCES.
WE WERE TALKING YESTERDAY ABOUT
GETTING READY FOR TODAY AND I
WAS LISTENING AND THINKING ABOUT
PATHWAYS ARE LIKE RIVERS.
AND THE RIVERS SHAPE THE
LANDSCAPES AROUND IT SLOWLY
SOMETIMES DRAMATICALLY BUT
FLOWING OVER TIME CARVING AND
BUILDING AND CREATING.
SO LIKE THESE WATER WAYS TODAY
WE'RE SHARING OUR STORIES OF
INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING AND
SHARING HOPE STORIES.
I'M HONORED TO HOLD SPACE FOR
THESE INCREDIBLE SCHOLARS.
I FAN GIRLED OVER THEM FOR A
LODGE TIME AND IT'S COOL TO BE
ABLE TO HOLD THE SPACE.
BEFORE I PASS IT TO THEM I WANT
TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF
LOVING FRAMING.
AND THERE'S SOME TRANSFORMATIVE
MECHANISMS OF STORY TELLING
METHODS WE'VE SEEN ACROSS OUR
PROJECTS I'VE BEEN A PART OF
OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS AND ALL
OF OUR PROJECTS WHETHER IT BE
LOOKING AT HIV PREVENTION WITH
INDIGENOUS YOUTH OR THE ROLE OF
STORY TELLING IN TRANSMITTING
TRADITIONAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE.
WHETHER IT BE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
OR COMMUNITIES WE'RE SEEING THE
SAME THEMES COME UP
CONSISTENTLY.
I WANT TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU
BECAUSE I THINK THEY ECHO WHAT
WE HEARD OVER THE LAST DAY AND A
HALF.
THE FIRST IS IT FINDING LANGUAGE
TO NAME THE PAIN.
SOMETHING SO POWERFUL ABOUT
HAVING WORDS.
WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO NAME
SOMETHING WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE IT
OUT OF OUR BODIES.
TAKE IT OUT OF OUR FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES.
IT'S NO LONGER ATTRIBUTABLE TO
OUR CHARACTER.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF US AND WE HAVE A
DIFFERENT POWER TO RESPOND.
THE SECOND IS THE POWER OF
SEEING ONE'S STORY IN ANOTHER
STORY AND LIKEWISE HAVING YOUR
STORY BE SEEN.
THIS REDUCES THE SENSE OF
ISOLATION AND HELPS US FIND
COMMUNITY.
THIS ALSO HELPS US HEAL IN OUR
FAMILIES AND ACROSS COMMUNITIES
AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
IT'S AN ANTIDOTE TO THE STRATEGY
OF ISOLATION FROM SETTLER
COLONIALISM AND I'VE SEEN THIS
WHEREVER I'VE GONE.
ONE TIME I WAS SHOWING SOME
STORIES FROM MY CHOCTAW RELATIVE
AND THE COMMUNITY SAID OH, MY
GOSH, THAT'S HALFWAY ACROSS THE
WORLD AND SEE SOMETHING SO
FAMILIAR AND THE RELIEF WAS SO
POWERFUL.
THE LAST I WANT TO SHARE IS THE
POWER OF COUNTER NARRATIVES.
THE POWER OF TELLING OUR OWN
STORIES IN OUR OWN WAY THIS IS
NOT ONLY TRUTH TELLING BUT THE
STORIES ABOUT US WITHOUT US.
WE ARE MORE THAN OUR TRAUMA.
WE ARE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
SCIENTIST, INNOVA INNOVATORS, FS
AND THOSE ANCESTORS ARE ALWAYS
THINKING ABOUT US HERE TODAY.
WE ARE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
BUILT BY AND FOR LOVE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS I
WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AND IN
THE FRAMING MY INVITATION TO
THESE ESTEEMED PANELISTS IS FOR
THEM TO SHARE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE
ARE AND WHAT THEY DO AND ASKED
THEM TO PUT TOGETHER SNAP SHOTS
OF THEIR RESEARCH AND FINDING
AND PRACTICES THAT SPEAKS TO
HOPE AND HEALING ACROSS
GENERATIONS.
WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT OVER TO
DR. DEMIENTIEFF.
IT MEANS SPRINGTIME.
MY FAMILY IS ORIGINALLY FROM
SOUTHW
SOUTHWEST ALASKA.
I GREW UP IN ANCHORAGE MY
PARENTS BOTH WENT TO THE HOLY
CROSS CATHOLIC MISSION IN HOLY
CROSS.
THAT WAS ALL MY AUNTS AND UNC
WI
WILL -- UNCLES DID AND HOLY
CROSS WAS A MISSION WHERE A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS
ALASKA WENT AND GOT TO KNOW
PEOPLE ACROSS ALASKA.
I ACTUALLY STARTED MY PARENTS
BOTH LOST THEIR LANGUAGE WHEN
THEY WERE LITTLE AND I
INTERESTINGLY 234U6 STARTED
LEARNING MY LANGUAGE IN MY EARLY
20s AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
FAIRBANKS.
MY MENTOR NOW BROUGHT TOGETHER
SOME ELDERS AND STARTED TEACHING
THE LANGUAGE AT THE UNIVERSITY
AT THAT TIME.
THIS WAS 20 PLUS YEARS AGO AND I
ATTENDED THAT CLASS AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT HOOKED ME WAS
THE HELDERS RAND THE WAY THEY
ARE EMBRACED ME AND THEY TOLD ME
SO GOOD TO HEAR YOU.
IT'S IN YOUR BLOOD.
DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR GRANTS
PARENTS ARE AND THE ELDERS KNEW
ABOUT MY HISTORY AND FAMILY AND
HELPED ME TO CONNECT TO WHO I
WAS IN THE EARLY DAYS.
SINCE THOSE DAYS I'VE BEEN DOING
LANGUAGE WORK AND HOLD WEEKLY
CLASSES AND I'M A LEARNER AND
TEACHER OF THE LANGUAGE.
AND SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LANG
BATH I HAVE.
MY LANGUAGE MENTORS I THINK A
LOT ABOUT JIM AND HIS ABILITY TO
KEEP THE LANGUAGE SAFE FOR SO
MANY YEARS DURING ASSIMILATION
AND COLONIZATION IN BOARDING
SCHOOL ERA AND KEPT THE LANGUAGE
SAFE AND JUST TAUGHT IT THE REST
OF HIS LIFE UNTIL HE PASSED.
LITERALLY UNTIL THE DAYS HE
PASSED.
I FOUND MY HEALING AND WELLNESS
IN THE LANGUAGE AND NOW I TRY TO
HELP OTHERS FIND THEIR HEALING
AND IDENTITY IN THE LANGUAGE A
HUNDRED, A THOUSAND YEARS FROM
NOW.
I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE
THINGS.
I'M EXCITED AND HONORED AND I'VE
LEARNED SO MUCH AND I'VE BEEN IN
SPIRED
NO WORRIES.
I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE WORK I'M DOING.
I'M HONORED TO WORK WITH ELDERS
IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND CO-TEACH
WITH ELDERS IN A SHORT COHORT
PROGRAM AND DO WORK CURRENTLY
WITH AS THE ELDERS PROGRAM AND
THE VOICE OF THE ELDERS IN THE
INTERIOR OF ALASKA AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT MAYBE SIX OR
SEVEN YEARS AGO NOW WE ACTUALLY
GOT AN NIH CTRP GRANT A CLINICAL
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH GRANT
THROUGH IT THE CENTER FOR
ALASKAN HEALTH RESEARCH,
DR. JESSICA BLACK AND I STARTED
HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH ELDERS
ASKING THEM WHAT THE PRIORITIES
ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY SHARED A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THEMES WITH US AND ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT EMERGED TO
THE TOP WAS THEY'RE CONCERN AND
WANTING TO SUPPORT ELDERS TO
STEP INTO THEIR ROLES.
EMERGING ELDERS TO STEP INTO
THEIR ROLES.
WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE MANY
ELDERS THAT ARE OFTEN ASKED TO
PARTICIPATE IN CEREMONY AND TO
GIVE BACK AND THESE ELDERS ARE
LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
WANTED TO HONOR THEIR VOICE AND
ENDED UP GETTING FUNDING THROUGH
THE OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH TO
BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS
WHICH ULTIMATELY TURNED OUT TO
BE AN ELDERS MENTORING ELDERS
CAMP.
I HAVE SOME PICTURES.
I HAVE A VIDEO.
YOU CAN AND I'LL SHARE IT AND
THEY CAN PUT THE VIDEO AND MAYBE
THE SLIDES TOO.
IT'S AN HONOR BECAUSE AS THE
ELDERS WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PRIORITY
THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THERE'S
SO MUCH GRIEF AND ANXIETY AND
LOSS WITHIN INDIVIDUALS THAT
HAVE GONE THROUGH BOARDING
SCHOOL.
SO SOMEONE MAYBE GOING FOR FIVE
YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS WAS
NOT IN THEIR COMMUNITY LEARNING
SPECIFIC SKILLS LIKE HOW TO CUT
FISH OR PROCESS MOOSE OR LEARN
THE MEDICINES AND DIFFERENT
THINGS AND THE INDIVIDUALS MAYBE
HAVE SOME OF THAT GRIEF AND
ANXIETY THAT HOLD THEM BACK FROM
SHARING OUT AND PART OF OUR
CULTURE GOING INTO THE FUTURE IS
THE SHARING OUT.
SO THE ELDERS AND THEIR WISDOM
SAYS WE WANT TO CREATE SPACE AND
SUPPORT FOR THESE EMERGING
ELDERS TO BE ABLE TO STEP INTO
THEIR ROLES.
WE REALLY WANT TO CREATE THIS
SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN IN A
NON-JUDGMENTAL SPACE WHERE THEY
HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN
SKILLS, SHARE WHAT THEY KNOW AND
JUST BEYOND THE LAND AND HEAL
TOGETHER AROUND THIS AND SO
WE'VE LAD THREE CAMPS SO FAR.
IT'S BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL.
THE CAMPS HAVE BEEN ON THE LAND
AT A PLACE CALLED HOWARD LUKE'S
SPIRIT CAMP AND THE PAST CAMP IN
AUGUST WAS OUR MOOSE CAMP.
I THINK IT'S JUST BEEN AN HONOR
FOR JESSICA AND I TO BE ABLE TO
LEAD OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT
BECAUSE WE GREW UP IN THIS AREA
WITH THESE ELDERS AND TO BE ABLE
TO JUST UPLIFT THEIR VOICES AND
THEIR WISHES AND PRIORITIES HAS
BEEN REALLY BEAUTIFUL FOR US AND
SO PART OF BEING PART OF THE
THIS THE DIRECTOR JERNIGAN AND
THE PROCESS HAS BEEN DIFFERENT.
WE'RE ABLE TO PIVOT AND HONOR
THE WAYS IN WHICH WE NEED TO DO
THINGS IN A GOOD WAY WITH
ELDERS.
IT'S BEEN EXCITING.
I WANTED TO SHARE THAT BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S A UNIQUE JOURNEY, A
UNIQUE PROJECT THAT IS
ULTIMATELY HAS MADE HUGE IMPACT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE
TO DO WAS GET A PERMIT FOR A
CEREMONIAL MOOSE AND ORIGINALLY
PUSH AND GAME SHARED WE COULD
ONLY GET A CERTAIN TYPE OF MOOSE
FOR THIS CAMP.
AND WITH SOME EDUCATION AND
PUSHBACK SHARING WITH THEM THE
SPIRITUAL WAYS IN WHICH MOOSE
GIVE THEMSELVES.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN JUST SAY IF
A MOOSE IS GIVING THE EAR IT'S
NOT RIGHT ONE AND WE'LL PASS AND
GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO HONOR THAT
REQUEST AND IT'S SOMETHING
CHANGING.
WE ENDED UP GET THE MOOSE WHICH
WAS DONE IN A GOOD WAY AND
STARTING WITH JUST GRATITUDE FOR
THE MOOSE GIVING ITSELF.
MANY OF THE ELDERS SOME FOR THE
FIRST TIME WERE CUTTING UP THESE
MOOSE AND LEARNING ABOUT IT AND
FOR EXAMPLE THERE WAS A WOMAN
ABLE TO MAKE RATTLES OUT OF THE
HOOVES AND LEARNING HOW TO PUT
IT AWAY AND CAN IT.
WE DRIED IT AND WENT THROUGH THE
WHOLE PROCESS.
IN THAT TIME FRAME IT WAS JUST
FOUR DAYS BUT IN THAT TIME FRAME
WOE WERE ABLE TO HARVEST AND PUT
AWAY THAT WHOLE MOOSE.
AT THE VERY END DID WHAT WE
TRADITIONALLY DO WHICH IS GIVE
AWAY AND WE HAD CEREMONY AND
DANCED AND SING AND GIVING
GRATITUDE.
IN THAT PROCESS THERE WAS A LOT
OF THINGS THAT CAME UP.
GRIEF.
WE HAD ONE ELDER AND CUT FISH
AND DID OTHER THINGS WITHIN OUR
TIME THERE BUT WE HAD ONE ELDER
WHO WAS 86 THAT SHARED HE HAD
NOT FISH SINCE THE WAS 9 AND IT
BROUGHT BACK SO MANY MEMORIES
AND SHE WAS ABLE TO LEARN THE
PROCESS AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED
AND IT WAS VERY LAELG FOR ALL OF
US.
ANOTHER ELDER IN HER EIGHT 80s
WAS NERVOUS ABOUT COMING TO CAMP
AND HER ABILITY TO WALK ON THE
LAND AND CLIMB ON THE BANK AND
ALL THE NEEDS SHE FELT SHE WOULD
HAVE.
WHEN SHE GOT THERE SHE REALIZED
SHE WAS HAVING SO MUCH FUN.
SHE SAID IT REMINDED HER SO MUCH
OF BEING A YOUNG CHILD AND GAVE
HER STRENGTH AND SHE CAME BACK
EVERY DAY AND FELT LIKE SHE GOT
STRONGER AND THESE ARE HER
WORDS.
I GOT STRONGER IN THE PROCESS.
SO MANY BENEFITS AND PEOPLE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
PLAY AND NOW WE GET TO TELL
STORIES AND BE GIDDY AND BE
HONORED WAS JUST ONE OF THE BEST
FEELINGS.
I WAS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF
IT.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT
BECAUSE HE WILLERS MENTORING
ELDERS IS NOT SOMETHING WE SEE
AT ELDERS CAMP WE SEE IT WITH
YOUTH BUT NOT OFTEN SEE MANY
WITH ELDERS SUPPORTING OTHER
ELDERS IN THEIR HEALING AROUND
SOME OF THE LOSSES.
THE LAST THING I'M SAY IS THE
EMPOWERMENT PIECE.
THEY ARE MIGHT STEP TO A TASK OR
CUTTING FISH OR SOMETHING SAYING
GOSH I HAVEN'T DONE THIS IN
YEARS OR NEVER HAVE DONE IT OR I
DIDN'T LEARN THIS AND DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO BEGIN AND THEN WOULD
START PARTICIPATING WITH THE
OTHER ELDERS.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN THE GRANDMA
TOLD ME THIS I REMEMBER WHEN
THIS HAPPENED IN MY COMMUNITY
AND THIS IS HOW WE DID IT AND
THERE WAS A REALIZATION WITH ALL
THE LOSSES THERE WAS SO MUCH WE
REMEMBERED AND SO MUCH WE STILL
CARRY WITH US THAT CAN BE SHARED
AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WAS
BEAUTIFUL AND EMPOWERING
RECOGNIZING HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE
AND VALUES AND LOVE AND WISDOM
IS THAT WE STILL CARRY.
I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL.
WE DID CREATE A VIDEO THAT KIND
OF TALKS ABOUT IT AND WE'RE
LOOKING TO CREATE ANOTHER VIDEO
FOCUSSED ON THE MOOSE CAMP THAT
WILL BE OUT IN MARCH.
I'LL TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION
TO YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LECT ME
SHARE.
-- LETTING ME SHARE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOW WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO
DR. SANIGAQ ULLRICH.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL IN ABLE TO GET
THE SLIDES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
>>
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
MY ENGLISH NAME IS JESSICA.
AND I'M GOING BY SANIGAQ MORE AS
THERE'S MULTIPLE JESSICA
RESEARCHERS.
I'M A TRIBAL CITIZEN AND
CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY STRONG
LINEAGE.
MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND MY
GRANDMOTHER WHO I WAS NAMED
AFTER AND MY MOTHER AND THAT'S
ME AT 6 YEARS OLD AND MY SISTER.
I LOOK AT MY SISTER AND DRAW
STRENGTHS FROM IT EVERY TIME.
BOTH MY GRANDPARENTS WERE IN THE
INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC AND DECIMATED
60% OF OUR POPULATION AND MY MOM
EXPERIENCED EVERY ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE AND I AM
ALSO A RECOVERING SURVIVOR OF
INTERGENERATION
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA.
BUT I'M STANDING HERE TODAY WITH
THAT LOVE AND WITH THAT ENERGY
AND WITH MY ANCESTORS AND WITH
SO MANY PEOPLE WHO THERE'S NO
WAY I'D BE STANDING HERE BEFORE
YOU WITHOUT THEIR MENTORSHIP AND
LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT AND
GUIDANCE.
I THINK OF PEOPLE LIKE CINDY
BLACKSTOCK WHO PLANTED THE SEED
16 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS
ATTENDING A CONFERENCE TO GO TO
SCHOOL AND THINKING ABOUT A
DOCTORAL DEGREE.
I'M THINKING OF SUSAN LEBELL AS
A MENTOR TO ME WHEN I WAS
GETTING MY MASTER'S IN SOCIAL
WORK.
I'M THANKFUL TO KARINA WALTERS
AND SO MANY IN THE ROOM SO MANY
SCHOLARS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME
TO BE HERE AND I THRIVE OFF THE
COMMUNITY AND SENSE OF
CONNECTEDNESS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT.
I WENT BACK IT SCHOOL BECAUSE I
KEPT SEEING WE'RE FALL SHORT AND
WEREN'T HELPING FAMILIES TO LAEL
WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND
WORKING WITHIN A SYSTEM THAT
SOMETIMES COMPOUNDED THE TRAUMA
RATHER THAN ALLEVIATED IT
THROUGH THE REMOVAL PROCESS.
THAT WAS PROBAT -- PROBLEMATIC
AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING IN TO
FOCUS MORE ON TRAUMA AND THE
HISTORICAL TRAUMA COMPLEX AND I
AM LEARNING THAT BUT THEY ARE
TOLD ME DON'T ONLY LEARN ABOUT
THAT.
I LAD FEEDBACK FROM TRIBAL
LEADERS FROM BACK HOME THAT SAID
WE'RE GRATEFUL THOR THE
SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH
SHEDDING LIGHT ON THAT BUT NOW
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO AND
HOW TO BE HEALTHY AND WELL AND
WHAT WELL BEING MEANS ON OUR
TERMS.
THAT'S WHERE I CAME ACROSS THE
TERM CONNECTEDNESS AS I WAS
DOING THE LITERATURE REVIEW.
IT WAS DEFINED BY THE PEOPLE'S
AWAKENING TEAM OF SOUTHWEST
ALASKA AND THE INTERRELATED
WELFARE OF A PERSON, COMMUNITY
IN THE EARTH.
WHEN I SAW THE TERM I KNEW THIS
WAS IT AND WHAT I WANTED TO
STUDY AND EXPAND UPON AND WHAT I
WANT TO PROMOTE AND PUT OUT
THERE AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE
SHIFTS WITHIN OUR FAMILIES,
COMMUNITIES AND THE SYSTEMS THAT
SERVE THEM.
INDIGENOUS CONNECTEDNESS AND ALL
PEOPLE NEED THE CONNECTEDNESS TO
FAMILY COMMUNITY AND ADDED IN A
COUPLE THINGS.
I ADDED IN SPIRIT AND THE
INTERGENERATIONAL PIECE.
KNOWING YOUR HISTORY AND WHO
YOUR ANCESTORS ARE HELPS YOU
FEEL GROUNDED IN KNOWING WHO YOU
ARE.
THAT'S AN ADDED COMPONENT.
I LEARNED ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF
CULTURE WHEN I WENT TO MY
GRANDMOTHER AND ASKED HOW TO SAY
IT IN OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND
SPOKE IT TO HER DYING DAY AND
SAID WHAT IN THE WORLD IS
CULTURE?
I SAID IT'S OUR WAY OF LIFE.
THE FOOD WE EAT, THE CLOTHING WE
WEAR AND THE ART WE LOVE AND THE
WAY WE DEFINE BEAUTY IT'S ALL
THESE THINGS AND SHE LISTENED TO
ME AND SHE SAID, OKAY, SHE SAID
SPIRIT IN HER LANGUAGE.
I SAID OH, MY GOSH, THAT'S OUR
SPIRITUALITY.
I PUT SLASH
SPIRITUAL/CONNECTEDNESS.
I HOPE TO BRING MORE ON BOARD TO
WHAT WE CALL CULTURE IS OUR
SPIRITUALITY.
THESE RELATIONSHIPS IS WHAT
HELPS US DEVELOP A HEALTHIER
RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES.
WHEN I KNOW WHO MY FAMILY AND
WHO MY COMMUNITY IS AND KNOW MY
ANCESTORS AND KNOW I'M AN
IMPORTANT PART OF HISTORY I'LL
BE A FUTURE ANCESTORS AND HAVE
FUTURE GENERATIONS DEPENDING ON
ME I'M CONNECTED TO THIS
BEAUTIFUL EARTH THAT HELPS ME BE
IN THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH
MYSELF.
THESE ARE ERRED BY OUR
TRADITIONAL VALUES OUR CULTURE
AND SPIRITUAL AND RELATIONAL
VALUES AND PRODUCE THE MEDICINE
THAT HELPS BUILD AND MAINTAIN
THE CONNECTEDNESS RELATIONSHIPS
AND HELPS US BEING GROUNDED IN
OUR INDIGENOUS SPIRITUALITY.
IT'S THROUGH THE ENERGY OF LOVE.
THIS WAS HANGING UP IN A HALLWAY
IN A RURAL COMMUNITY LAST YEAR
AND I TOOK A PICTURE WE JUST
LOVED AND FEEL LIKE MISS IS WHAT
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS TRYING TO
TEACH ME ABOUT LOVE.
THIS SNIPPET BY A FIRST OR
SECOND GRADER SAID LOVE IS WHEN
I HELP MY LITTLE SISTER OR
HELPING MY MOM CLEAN UP OR WHEN
MY DAD LET ME RIDE WITH HIM,
LOVE IS WHEN I DO MATH.
LOVE IS WHEN I PLAY.
LOVE IS AN ACTION TERM.
IT'S A VERB.
IT'S A WAY OF BEING AND WAY OF
LIVING AT THE SAME TIME.
I FEEL LIKE LOVE AND TO THE
RELATIONSHIP HELP HAVE AN INNER
ECOLOGY AND OUTER ECOLOGY.
THIS WAS A SCHOLAR WHO I LOVE
AND ADMIRE AND WISH I COULD HAVE
HAD A CHANCE TO MEET BUT HE
WROTE A BECOME ON THE WORLD VIEW
AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BOOK.
HE PRACTICED MINDFULNESS AND
TALKED ABOUT THE INNER ECOLOGY
AND PART OF THE HEALING WORK
WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE NURTURING THAT PART AND
DEVELOPING THAT HEALTHY INNER
ECOLOGY.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YES WE'RE
A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING THAT IS
CONNECTED TO A COLLECTIVE AT THE
SAME TIME.
SO WHO I AM I'M STANDING BEFORE
YOU AS OUR FAMILY NAME WOMAN.
I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU AS A
DESCENDANT.
I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU AS SO
MUCH MORE THAN JUST MYSELF.
WE HAVE A RELATIONAL IDENTITY.
IT'S A LOT OF WORDS.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE
INDIGENOUS CONNECTEDNESS
FRAMEWORK AS RESULT OF ALL THE
RESEARCH.
I INTERVIEWED PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE OF THE ALASKA CHILD
WELFARE SYSTEM AND THEY HELPED
ME UNDERSTAND THIS MORE.
THIS IS A SYMBOL I SAW IN A LOT
OF ARTWORK IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
HAVE COME TO LEARN IT MEANS THE
EYE OF AWARENESS FROM MY
COLLEAGUE AND THE OUTER SPOKES
REPRESENT THE IMPORTANT
RELATIONSHIP.
THE RED WORDS IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF THE TRAUMA AND CHALLENGES AND
STRUGGLED WE WANT TO PREVENT
FROM BECOMING SOURCES OF
DISCONNECT OR SEPARATION OR
FURTHER LIKE DISTANCE FROM WHO
WERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE COME
FROM.
THE OUTER BLUE CIRCLES REPRESENT
THE PRACTICES THOSE RELATIONAL
PRACTICES THAT SUSTAIN US AND IS
THAT RELATIONAL MEDICINE THAT
HELPS AND BUILD MAINTAIN
INTERCONNECTEDNESS AND THE INNER
CIRCLE IS THE RESULT OF ALL
THESE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WE
WANT TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN WITH
GOOD BOUNDARIES.
IT REPRESENTS LIKE WHAT THAT
PROVIDES US INTERNALLY A SENSE
OF SELF-WORTH.
WE KNOW WHO WE ARE.
WE KNOW WE'RE RELATIONSHIP HUMAN
BEING.
I WAS INVITED BY MY OWN TRIBE TO
SAY OKAY, HOW ABOUT YOU BUILD A
CURRICULUM ON THE INDIGENOUS
CONNECTEDNESS FRAMEWORK AND I'M
LIKE OH, MY GOSH, YES.
I WANT TO DO THAT.
I WORKED WITH THEM OVER A SUMMER
AND DRAFTED UP A CURRICULUM AND
THANK GOODNESS I SAID LET'S GO
BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK AND SHOW
THEM A PREVIEW OF THE CURRICULUM
AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT
TRACK AND THANK GOODNESS WE DID
THAT BECAUSE ONE THING WE
LEARNED FROM HOLDING THE FOCUS
GROUPS IS IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SIT
IN A CLASSROOM AND JUST HEAR
ABOUT THIS.
THE FEEDBACK IS WE NEED THEM TO
LIVE THIS.
THEY HAVE TO LIVE OUR VALUES AND
SUGGESTED THAT WE DO THAT BY
GETTING OUT ON THE LAND AND
ENGAGING IN THE SUBSISTENCE
PRACTICES.
BY DOING THE THINGS INSTEAD OF
JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND THEY SAID DO IT.
DO THE DANCING AND THE SINGING
AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF
ACTIVITIES.
WE UPDATED THE FRAMEWORK.
THE OTHER FEEDBACK I GOT FROM
COMMUNITY WHEN I SHOWED THE LAST
FRAMEWORK THEY WERE LIKE TOO
MANY WORDS.
WE REVISED AND ADAPTED THE FRAME
WORK TO FIT WHAT COMMUNITY AND
ELDERS WERE ADVISING US TO
IMPLEMENT AS INTERVENTION.
IF IT WON'T WORK, THAT'S FINE.
I CAN DESCRIBE WHAT WE WOUND UP
IMPLEMENTING.
SO WE IMPLEMENTED A WELLNESS
WORKSHOP THAT IS DESIGN TO BRING
WHOLE FAMILIES TOGETHER.
WE INVITED ELDERS TO CO-LEAD AND
CO-FACILITATE AND ELDER
GRANDPARENTS WHO MAYBE ARE
TAKING CARE OF THEIR
GRANDCHILDREN AND BROUGHT IN
FOSTER PARENTS AND BIOLOGICAL
PARENTS, WE'RE TALKING WITH
PARENTS AND BRINGING PARENT
CAREGIVERS IN AS WELL AS THEIR
CHILDREN.
YOU FEEL LIKE A LOT OF CAMPS ARE
JUST FOR YOUTH OR ELDERS IN
YOUTH.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MISSING THE
CAREGIVERS, THE PARENTS.
WE WERE LIKE LET'S BRING WHOLE
FAMILIES TOGETHER.
SO WE RENTED OUT A COUPLE TRIBAL
BMBs AND STAYED FOR A WHOLE
WEEKEND AND HAD AN AMAZING
EXPERIENCE.
WE STARTED OUT WITH WELCOMING
ATTENDEES WITH SONG AND DANCE
AND HAD A WHOLE LIST OF
ACTIVITIES WE WERE PLANNING TO
ENGAGE IN DEPENDING ON TE
WEATHER AND SELECTED THE AIRBNBs
TO ACCESS THE ACTIVITIES IT WAS
A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE AND THIS
IS FEEDBACK IN THE CLOSING FOCUS
GROUP.
ONE PARENT EXPRESSED GRATITUDE
FOR HOW MUCH EVERYONE POURED
LOVE INTO HER AND WITNESSED
ELDERS HEAL AND OPEN UP TO
SHARING KNOWLEDGES AND GUESTS.
WE HAD PARENTS SPEAK ABOUT
EFFECTIVENESS AND THEY GOT MORE
OUT OF IT THAN TREATMENT.
WE HAD AN 18-YEAR-OLD SAY I FEEL
LIKE I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ONE
WEEKEND AND GAVE A SENSE OF
COMMUNITY AND WENT TO NOT
KNOWING ANYONE TO FEELING LIKE A
FAMILY AND THE YOUNG ONES
STARTED CALLING EACH OTHER
COUSINS AND HAD CHILDREN BEING
SHY AND RESERVED TO BEING
OUTGOING AND PLAYING WITH EACH
OTHER.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
AND ONE OF OUR MEASURES OF
SUCCESS WAS WE SAW PEOPLE
EXCHANGE PHONE NUMBERS AND
MAINTAINING CONTACT AFTERWARDS.
ON ANOTHER PROJECT WE DID
DIGITAL STORIES AND INTERVIEWS
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND THREE
RURAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE
NEED MULTIPLE LEVELS OF
INTERVENTION HERE.
THE COMMUNITY CAN INTERVENE BY
BEING THERE AND SHOWING UP AND
GOING TO THE GAMES.
LISTENING TO YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE
BY HOSTING THOSE GATHERS AND
ATTENDING THOSE CEREMONIES.
ENCOURAGING OUR YOUNG ONES WITH
CONNECTION TO CULTURE AND
SPIRITUALITY AND LAND AND
ANIMALS.
AS A COMMUNITY IT'S A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY.
ON ONE OTHER PROJECT WE'RE IN
THE EARLY STAGES ASKING
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT
SUPPORTS INTERGENERATIONAL WELL
BEING AND THIS IS A COMMUNITY
EFFORT FOR KINSHIP CARE.
I HELD FOCUS GROUPS IN A COUPLE
COMMUNITIES IN PETERSBURG.
HAD A PHENOMENAL GATHERING.
SO MANY ELDERS CAME AND SPOKE
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES BEING A
GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER AND TALKED
QUITE A BIT ABOUT THEIR BOARDING
SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AS WELL.
42 OVER ARCHING MESSAGE WAS OF
HOPE.
AND MANY OF THEM HAD THE
DETERMINATION AND THE
PERSEVERANCE AND THEY'RE LIKE
WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO IT AND
GOING TO SEW THIS BECAUSE MY
GRANDDAUGHTER NEEDS THAT.
PEOPLE ARE LEARNING AND TEACHING
AT THE SAME TIME AND I'M EXCITED
TO SEE WHAT WE BUILD FROM THAT.
THE MAIN MESSAGE IS FOCUSSING ON
WELL BEING HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE
AND WITHIN OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES IT'S ABOUT A THEORY
OF CONNECTION.
WHAT IS IT THAT WILL HELP US RE
CONN
CONNECT.
WHAT IS IT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT
THE FORMING OF THE CIRCLE ONCE
AGAIN AND ABOUT THE SYSTEMS IT'S
A THEORY OF CHANGE.
IT'S ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE IN THE
WORK AND RESEARCH IN A GOOD WAY
COMING FROM THAT PLACE OF LOVE.
COMING FROM THAT WELL BEING
FOCUS AND PREVENTION MEASURES.
COMING FROM RELATIONALITY AND
HONORING OUR ELDERS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THE EXPERTS
AND THEN IT'S THE SYSTEM'S JOB
TO BE RESPONSIVE.
SO I'LL END WITH THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL PASS IT OVER TO
DR. MICHELLE SARCHE AND I WE'RE
CLOSE TO LUNCH BUT TRY TO KEEP
IT TO 10 MINUTES PAST 1:00 IF WE
CAN.
I'LL GIVE THE SIGN.
>> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SHOUT.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE SARCHE
PROFESSOR AT THE BUFFET EARLY
INSTITUTE AND BEFORE THAT I WAS
A PROFESSOR AT THE MEDICAL
CAMPUS AND CENTERS FOR AMERICAN
INDIAN AND NATIVE ALASKAN
HEALTH.
I'VE BEEN A RESEARCHER.
OVER THREE DECADES IT'S BEEN MY
HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO PARTNER
WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY IN RESEARCH TO
SUPPORT CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH
AND WELL BEING.
BEFORE SHARING MORE ABOUT SOME
OF THIS RESEARCH AS IT RELATE TO
PATHWAYS IN THRIVING AND
CENTERING LOVE AND THIS PANEL'S
FOCUS ON BUILDING HEALTHFUL
CONNECTIONS AND PARENTING, LIKE
THE OTHER PRESENTERS I WANTED TO
SHARE MORE ABOUT WHO IS ENTERING
THE SPACE WITH ME TODAY.
MY GRANDMOTHER AND SORRY IT'S
GRAINY, WAS ROSE HUFF.
SHE WAS BORN IN 1907 ON A
RESERVATION IN WISCONSIN AND
ATTENDED A MISSION SCHOOL AND
THOUGH IT WAS NOT TO MY
KNOWLEDGE A BOARDING SCHOOL I
SERVED A SIMILAR PURPOSE TO
DISCONNECT HER FROM HER
LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
AND SENSE OF HERSELF.
I WAS CLOSE TO MY GRANDMOTHER.
SHE RAISED ME THE FIRST YEAR AND
A HALF OF MY LIFE AND SHE WAS MY
BIGGEST CHAMPION IN HER QUIET
AND LOVED WITHOUT CONDITION AND
AS A CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF A SINGLE
STABLE SUPPORTIVE AND CARING
ADULT IN ONE'S LIFE IS AMONG THE
MOST PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT CAN
PROMOTE RESILIENCE IN THE FACE
OF LIFE HARDSHIP ED S AND HER
PRESENCE REMAINS AND IN SPIDERS
ME IN THE WORK I
INSPIRES THE IN THE WORK I DO.
IN MY TIME IN ACADEMIA 20 YEARS
HAVE BEEN IN CHILD RESEARCH AND
RESEARCH FOCUSSED ON HOME
VISITING AND MENTORING THE NEXT
GENERATION OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH SCHOLARS.
AND BUILDING A NATIONAL
INDIGENOUS CHILD DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH NETWORK.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK FOR
CREATING PATHWAYS TO THRIVING
AND CENTERING LOVE.
AGAIN ESPECIALLY THROUGH HEDGE
OF HEALTHFUL CONNECTIONS AND WAY
IN THE TO HIGHLIGHT THE SURVEY
OR AIAN PHRASES.
THE FIRST NATIONALLY
REPRESENTATIVE HEAD START
THROUGH GRANTS OF TRIBES OR
CONSORTIA OF TRIBES AND SERVE
ROUGHLY HALF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
AND ALASKAN NATIVE RESERVATIONS
AND STARTED IN 2016, 2019 AND
2020 AND THERE WERE OVER 20
REGION 11 PROGRAMS SITUATED IN
20 TRIBAL COMMUNITIES EACH TIME.
THROUGH DIRECT ASSESSMENTS OF
CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT ACROSS TO
THE HEAD START YEAR.
THERE'S A TROVE OF INFORMATION
POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND A
PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE AMERICAN
JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY
IN 2021 THAT DETAILS THE ENGAGED
APPROACH FOR PLANNING FOR THE
STUDY AND ENSURING THE NEEDS AND
PRIORITIES OF REGIONAL 11 HEAD
START PROGRAMS WERE AT THE
FOREFRONT.
AS WE CONSIDER PANEL W-- PATHWAS
TO THIS AND CULTURE IS CRITICAL
FOR THE ROAD TO HEALING.
ACCORDING TO DATA MORE THAN 90%
OF PARENTS SAID IT WAS SOMEWHAT
OR VERY IMPORTANT THEIR TRIALED
LEARN THEIR TRIBAL LANGUAGE.
RAT THE SAME TIME MORE THAN 90%
ALSO SAID ENGLISH WAS THE
PRIMARY LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE
HOME AND MORE THAN 50% SAID
ENGLISH WAS THE ONLY LANGUAGE
SPOKEN IN THE HOME.
THESE DATA INDICATE THE CRITICAL
LEAD FOR TRIBAL REVITALIZATION
AND LIKE HEAD START CAN PLAY FOR
BOTH CHILDREN FLAFT LANGUAGE
LEARNING AS WELL AS THEIR
PARENTS.
AN DITION TO PRIORITIZE NATIVE
LANGUAGE PARENTS PRIORITIZED
THEIR CHILDREN'S ENGAGEMENT IN
CULTURE AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
WITH OVER 80% INDICATED THEIR
CHILD PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST
ONE OR CULTURAL COMMUNITY EVENT
IN THE LAST MONTH.
HEAD START PLAYS AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN SUPPORTING CULTURAL
ENGAGEMENT AS WELL WITH OVER 70%
OF CHILDREN BEING IN CENTERED
AND PROGRAMS THAT HAVE A
CULTURAL SPECIALIST OR ELDER
AVAILABLE AND NEARLY A QUARTER
ATTENDING USING CULTURALLY BASED
CURRICULUM.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS TITLED A
FIRCHLING THE USE OF INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGES TO MEET CURRICULA AND
ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT INS
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKAN
NATIVE HEAD START.
AS THOSE KNOW IMPLEMENTING
PROGRAMS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OR
WHATEVER SPACE YOU'RE IN, CHILD
DEVELOP SACRAMENTO, WHATEVER,
YOU'RE OFTEN COMPELLED TO USE,
QUOTE, UNQUOTE, EVIDENCE-BASED
PROGRAMS OR CURRICULA AND HIS
GUIDANCE AFFIRMS BY APPLYING
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE TO
DEVELOPING, ADAPTING AND
IMPLEMENTING CURRICULA, TRIBAL
HEAD START GRANT RECIPIENTS DO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT
CURRICULA ARE RESEARCH BASED AND
SCIENTIFICALLY VALID BASED ON
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE.
THIS IS A HUGE LEAP FORWARD.
UNDER SCORING THE IMPORTANCE OF
NURTURING CHILD-PARENT
RELATIONSHIPS IN THE EARLIEST
YEAR THIS IS PART OF THE
BUFFERING TOXIC STRESS
CONSORTIUM FUNDED BY THE
ADMINISTRATION OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES.
IT CONSISTED OF SIX EARLY HEAD
START PARTNERSHIP SITES
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF
PARENT-CHILD REPS RELATIONSHIPS
AND BUFFERING THE IMPACT OF
STRESS ON CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT
AND IN THE STUDY WE SURVEYED
PARENTS, CONDUCTED OBSERVATIONS
OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS
AND USED HAIR SAMPLE TO MEASURE
CORTISOL LEVELS.
A MARKER OF STRESS IN BOTH
PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
WE FOUND A CORRELATION BETWEEN
PARENTS REPORT OF THEIR OWN
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES SO
AGAIN THOSE ARE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED BEFORE AGE 18 AND THEIR
CHILDREN'S CORTISOL LEVELS AND
CURRENT TIME AND THIS
ASSOCIATION WAS BUFFERED OR
DIMINISHED WHEN THE PARENT-CHILD
RELATIONSHIP WAS MARK WITH
HIGHER LEVELS OF EMOTIONAL
AVAILABILITY.
THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT
INTERVENTIONS THAT NURTURE THE
PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP IN THE
EARLIEST YEARS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
DISRUPTING THE INTERGENERATIONAL
TRANSMISSION AND STRESS.
THE OTHER PROJECT I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT IS THE TRIBAL EARLY
CHILDHOOD RESEARCH CENTER.
TRAEDZ AL
IT'S MISSION IS TO GROW THE
FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
RESEARCH IN PARTNERSHIP THROUGH
LEADERSHIP AND RESEARCH AND
DISSEMINA
DISSEMINATION.
YOU CAN READ ABOUT THESE IN OUR
WEBSITE AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT A
FEW.
THIS MAY LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU.
WE WERE EXCITED TO ADAPT THE
INDIGENOUS CONNECTEDNESS
FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING A
MEASURE THAT'S GROUNDED IN
INDIGENOUS BELIEFS, PRACTICES OF
EARLY RELATIONAL WELL BEING.
WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY OF
LEARNING OF RESEARCHERS AND
PRACTITI
PRACTITIONERS WE WORKED TO
DEVELOP THIS MODEL THAT'S
DESCRIBED IN THE LINK AND IT
PLACES CHILDREN'S EARLY
RELATIONAL WELL BEING AT THE
CENTER AND SHOWS IT'S GROUNDED
IN CEREMONY AND CULTURE AND
PRACTICED THROUGH FAMILIAL AND
PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE
CONNECTEDNESS.
THIS IS OUR CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND
DEVELOP A MACHINE, A TOOL THAT
CAN BE USED IN RESEARCH OR
PRACTICE PARENTS CAN REPORT ON
THE KINDS OF PRACTICES THEY ARE
ENGAGE IN TO SUPPORT EARLY
RELATIONSHIP WELL BEING.
THE OTHER THING WE DO AND WE IT
HOST VIRTUAL LEARNING SERIES
WHERE OVER THE COURSE OF THREE
WEBINARS IN THE SPRING OF EACH
YEAR THESE ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ELEVATE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS
GROUNDING THEIR PRACTICES IN
INDIGENOUS BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES.
SO WE'VE HAD A FOCUS ON
INDIGENOUS LAND BASED LEARNING,
INDIGENOUS FOOD CERTAINTY AND
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND
CULTURE REVITALIZATION AND THOSE
RECORDINGS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON
OUR WEBSITE.
I KNOW WE'LL HAVE TIME OVER
LUNCH TO CONNECT AND TALK MORE
IF YOU HAVE INTEREST AND WANT TO
SEE THESE LINKS UP CLOSE.
AND THERE'S THE NATIVE
CHILDREN'S RESEARCH EXCHANGE
AND PART OF OUR LEADERSHIP
ACTIVITIES BUT ED SUPPORT FROM
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG
ABUSE.
AND THERE'S THE NATIONAL NETWORK
THAT CONVENES BIANNUALLY AND
EARLY CAREER INDIGENOUS SCHOLARS
AND ARE ESSENTIAL FOR KEEPING
THE INDIGENOUS WAYS OF KNOWING
AND BEING AND ENSURING
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE AT THE
HELM OF THAT RESEARCH.
WE'VE HAD 15 CONFERENCES SINCE
2008 AND THE NEXT ONE IS IN
SEPTEMBER 18 AND 19 IN DENVER
AND INVITE YOU TO JOIN US.
WE SUPPORTED ABOUT 35 EARLY
CAREER INDIGENOUS SCHOLARS STINS
OF SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED IN
2012 AND WILL BE RECRUITING FOR
OF THE NEXT COHORT.
YOU CAN JOIN OUR LIST SERVE AND
FIND OUT ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS
AND IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THE LIST
SERVE, TALK TO ME.
THE OTHER PROJECT IS HOME
VISITING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU
ALL ARE WITH HOME VISITING BUT
PROVIDES SUPPORT TO PARENTS
PRENATALLY AND SUPPORTS PARENT
AND CHILD HEALTH WELL BEING AND
THERE'S BEEN INVESTMENT SINCE
2012.
THE CENTER FOR INDIGENOUS
RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS AND
LEARNING ARE CIRCLE HP SEEKDZ
SEEKS TO SERVE INDIGENOUS
FAMILIES AND FUNDING THREE
INDIGENOUS HOME PROGRAM
PARTNERSHIPS EACH CARRYING OUT
THEIR OWN LOCALLY DESIGN PROJECT
AND ONE SITE PROJECT INCLUDING
EIGHT HOME VISITING PURSUING THE
SAME RESEARCH AND GROUNDED IN
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW INDIGENOUS
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES CAN BE
USEFUL IN HOME VISITING RESEARCH
SPECIFICALLY.
AND THIS WORK IS JUST GETTING
UNDERWAY AND EXCITED TO SHARE
ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT
INDIGENOUS RESEARCH
METHODOLOGIES AND WHAT THEY MEAN
FOR NOT ONLY WHAT WE DO IN
RESEARCH BUT HOW WE DO OUR
RESEARCH HOW IT'S GROUNDED IN
CONNECTION AND RELATIONSHIP.
AND WITH THAT I'M WRAPPING IN
ONE MINUTE.
I WANTED TO SHARE THIS QUOTE
FROM A SONG BY JULE IT SAYS I'M
THE ACCOUPUMULATION OF DREAMS O
GENERATIONS AND THEIR DREAMED IN
HOLY WATER AND WE'RE HOLDING THE
DREAMS OF GENERATIONS BOTH
BEHIND US AND BEFORE US AND I'M
HONORED TO JOIN YOU AS WE PUT
OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TOGETHER TO
RECOUNT THOSE STORIES AND
RESHAPE THE NARRATIVE ON THE
HEALING FROM BOARDING SCHOOL AND
OTHER STRUCTURES OF COLONIALISM
DESIGN TO DISCONNECT US FROM OUR
ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION FROM ONE
ANOTHER AND FROM OURSELVES.
AS WE CONSIDER OUR PLACE ON THIS
ROAD TO HEALING I CLOSE BY
SHARING WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE
WORD FROM A LANGUAGE TEACHER WHO
SPOKE AT A TRIBAL HOME VISITING
MEETING AND IT'S THE WORD FOR
GREAT GRANDPARENT AND BOTH GREAT
GRANDCHILD.
WITH THREE GENERATIONS BEHIND US
AND THREE GENERATIONS BEFORE US
WE ARE AT THE CENTER OF THE
SEVEN GENERATION SPAN.
WE'RE THE ACCESS AROUND WHICH
THESE GENERATIONS TURN AND I
BELIEVE THIS IS CULTURAL WISDOM
THAT TEACHES US WE HAVE THE
POWER TO NOT ONLY HEAL THE
GENERATIONS BEFORE US AND BEHIND
US THROUGH OUR WORDS, WORK AND
ACTION.
THANK YOU.
>> DR. MICHELLE CAN YOU FORWARD
TO THE LAST SLIDE.
I WANT TO HONOR WE ARE PAST OUR
DESIGNATED LUNCH TIME AND GIVE
GRATITUDE TO OUR PRESENTERS.
WE CAN TAKE SOME Q&A DURING THE
LUNCH TIME.
WE'LL MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE
HERE BUT WANTED TO CLOSE WITH
THE FINAL IMAGE THAT CARRIES THE
SPIRIT OF WHAT WE PLANTED IN THE
BEGINNING AND WHAT'S BEEN SHARED
THROUGHOUT BY THIS BEAUTIFUL
RESEARCH.
YOU ARE WHO YOUR ANCESTORS SING
ABOUT IN THE CEREMONIES AND THE
PRAYER AND SACRED GIFT TO THE
WORLD.
BOTH OF THESE IMAGES ARE FROM
INSTAGRAM.
YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING
OUR PRESTIGIOUS SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE MODERATION
OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PANEL.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO ASK YOU --
FIRST YOU'LL GET TO STAND UP AND
STRETCH.
WE ARE GOING TO GO TAKE A GROUP
PHOTO BY THE TEEPEE AND THEN
COME DOWN FOR LUNCH.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT OUT
THESE DOORS AND THEN RIGHT UP
THE STAIRS AND THEN THE TEEPEE'S
RIGHT THERE.
SO IF FOLKS CAN START MAKING OUR
WAY THERE WE CAN GET A GOOD
PHOTO IN AND COME RIGHT BACK
DOWN.
LUNCH IS FROM JESSICA SWAN FROM
THE LAND WE'RE ON.
SHE'LL TALK ABOUT THE LUNCH THERE.
>> HEALING WORK EVER SINCE I
KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING I FIRST
STUDIED EUROPEANS BECAUSE I
COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THEY DID
WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEY GOT HERE
SO I LEARNED THAT THEY BURNED
THEIR MEDICINE WOMEN AND CALLED
THEM WITCHS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE
PATRIARCHY TOOK OVER.
SO WE HAVE THAT MEMORY OF WHAT
HAPPENED HERE, THE HOLLOW KAWOF
THE THAT HAPPENED HERE, THE
GENOCIDE THAT HAPPENED HERE BUT
IT HAPPENED TO EUROPE EVEN
LONGER AGO BUT WE ALL HAD
ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS TO CARE
FOR THIS EARTH TO BE A GOOD
RELATIVE.
I'M SO GLAD THAT'S A THING NOW
BECAUSE OUR FAMILY USED TO SAY
THAT ALL THE TIME NOW BUT
EVERYONE'S SAYING IT NOW SO
THAT'S GOOD.
ALL THE THINGS WE HOPE TO SEE IS
COMING AND THIS CONFERENCE HAS
BEEN AMAZING AND I WISH
EVERYBODY HAD ACCESS TO THESE
REALIZATIONS AND WHAT'S
HAPPENING.
I WISH WE COULD GET ALL OF OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE INTO LONG-TERM
TREATMENT.
IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR
PEOPLES BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I
GRABBED THE MIC RIGHT NOW.
WHAT I WANTED TO SAY HERE TO YOU
RIGHT NOW IS THAT
CONFIDENTIALITY IS THE BIGGEST
THING.
I DID A WORKSHOP BACK IN
MINNESOTA AT AN ENVIRONMENTAL
WOMEN'S NETWORK CONFERENCE AND I
ASKED THE WOMEN THERE WHAT'S THE
MOST PAINFUL THING YOU
EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A
HEALING WORKSHOP, RIGHT?
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE
ABUSE OR ABOUT THIS OR THAT, THE
MOST PAINFUL THING WAS WHEN
THEIR BEST FRIEND BETRAYED THEM
AND TOLD THEIR SECRET, OR THEIR
BEST FRIEND TURNED ON THEM AND
THAT LATERAL VIOLENCE IS THE
MOST PAINFUL, RIGHT?
SO PART OF CONFIDENTIALITY IS
THAT WARRIOR WAY OF BEING IN THE
WORLD AND THE THING ABOUT MY
MOTHER, EVERYONE ADMIRED HER
BECAUSE SHE NEVER TALKED BAD
ABOUT ANYONE AND THAT'S HARD TO
DO.
WE DON'T GET THAT IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND IT HURTS WHEN
SOMEONE TALKS BAD ABOUT YOU OR
YOU HEARD SOMEBODY SHARE
SOMETHING YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE
SAYING IN CONFIDENCE MUCH SO
CONFIDENTIALITY IS PART OF THAT
MEDICINE AND IT'S NOT JUST, WE
ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, NOT TO
SHARE WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID BUT
THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN
TIMES LIKE THIS, TODAY, HERE.
SO IF TONY AND I WERE TALKING
AND HE TOLD ME SOMETHING OR
SOMEBODY ON THIS PANEL TOLD
SOMETHING, WE'RE DIGGING DEEP
INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR
WOUNDS TO TELL YOU THESE THINGS.
WE DON'T WALK AROUND HOLDING
THEM OUT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE ALL
THE TIME.
WE'VE TRUSTED YOU WHILE WE'RE
HERE AND WE WENT DEEP.
SO WHEN WE'RE DONE, WE PUT IT
BACK, RIGHT?
IT'S NOT YOURS.
IT'S STILL OURS.
SO I NEED YOU AND WHAT I'VE TOLD
ME, AND WHAT I DO IN MY
PRACTICES, CAN I TALK TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID ON THE
PANEL?
YOU ASK PERMISSION BEFORE YOU
BRING ANYTHING UP AND HE CAN
TURN TO ME AND SAY, I CAN'T
RIGHT NOW OR HE COULD SAY, YEAH,
I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
ASK PERMISSION ALWAYS WITH
YOUR CHILDREN, WITH ANYBODY, CAN
I BRING THIS UP?
ASK THAT FIRST BECAUSE WE DON'T
LIVE THERE.
IT'S ALWAYS IN US BUT WE HAVE TO
DO A LOT OF WORK TO COME OUT OF
THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO BE, SO
WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING UP TO ME
AND SAYING THINGS, I DON'T NEED
YOU TO DO THAT, IT MAKES ME FEEL
AFRAID.
IT MAKES MY FEAR COME UP WHEN
YOU START REFERRING TO
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW AND I KNOW
THIS IS BEING RECORDED AND I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECORD
THESE STORIES.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN IT,
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO
EVERYBODY, CAN YOU RAISE MY HAND
IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
ASK PERMISSION BEFORE YOU
SHARE ANY -- BEFORE YOU BRING IT
UP TO SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW BECAUSE
IT MAKES US WANT TO RUN AWAY
BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK
ABOUT US ABOUT WHAT THEY HEARD.
ASK PERMISSION BEFORE YOU
BRING IT UP AND I THINK IT'S A
GOOD WAY TO BE ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE MY KIDS TAUGHT ME THAT.
THEY HATED IT WHEN I USE THEIR
STORIES TO TALK ABOUT MY
PARENTING OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE
IT WAS STILL THEIR STORY NOT
MINE.
OKAY.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> GO AHEAD GENTLEMEN,
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
STEP UP
HERE.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> SO MUCH POWER THERE AND AS WE
SEE WORDS OR EPISTEMOLOGYS OR
WAYS OF KNOWLEDGE COMING INTO
THE SECTION, THE WESTERN STYLE
OF RESEARCH WITH INDIGENOUS
PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES, I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT
THE NOTION OF INFORMED CONSENT
AND PERMISSION, THOUGH THEY
MIGHT SOUND THE SAME.
THERE IS A LOT OF DISTINCTION.
THE INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL
NOTIONS OF WHAT PERMISSION
IS IS A LIVING AGREEMENT AND
THAT MEANS THAT THAT AGREEMENT
CAN BE CHANGED, TOO, SO IF THOSE
STORIES, IF SOMEONE SAYS I WAS
OKAY WITH THIS SHARING RIGHT IN
THIS MOMENT.
I AM NO LONGER OKAY WITH THAT
SHARING, IT NEEDS TO BE HONORED
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN
ONGOING PRACTICE SOMETHING WE
ARE HAVING TO REMIND OURSELVES
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND SO AS WE GATHER HERE THE
FIRST AND FOREMOST IMPORTANT
THING IS HOW DO WE BE GOOD
RELATIVES TO EACH OTHER, RIGHT?
HOW CAN WE BECOME BETTER
RELATIVES TO EACH OTHER?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO INDIGINIZE
RESEARCH?
WE KNOW IT IS, RIGHT, BUT
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF
THREATS TO THAT AS WELL AND WE
HAVE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER AND
FOR WALKING IN THAT WAY, BECAUSE
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE WORDS,
IT'S HOW WE WALK IN THAT WAY.
I'M REALLY IN GREAT HUMILITY,
STANDING ON HERE ON THIS STAGE
WITH YOU ALL, I FEEL LIKE I
DON'T DESERVE TO STABBED HERE
NEXT TO YOU ALL.
SO THERE'S DISTANCE, I KNOW I
FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF THE -- I
LOVE WHAT OUR -- WHAT
DR. BRISSETTE SAID EARLIER, THE
LIVING GENIUS THAT IS IN THIS
ROOM, THAT'S RIGHT HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT LIVING
GENIUS FOR INSPIRING US, FOR
SHARING THE STORIES AND FOR
WALKING IN THAT WAY SO THAT WE
CAN BE BEST INFORMED, WE CAN DO
GOOD WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS
IS WHY WE ARE DOING THIS WORK
TOGETHER, FOR YOU, FOR THE
FUTURE GENERATIONS BUT WE HOPE
TO HONOR YOU IN THAT, SO IN THIS
MOMENT, WE ARE SEEKING TO
RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE
CONTRIBUTIONS, THE STORIES, THE
LIVED EXPERIENCES ON THE STAGE
BUT ALSO NOT ON THE STAGE.
I'VE HAD SO MANY AMAZING
INTERSECTIONS AND MOMENTS AND
DIALOGUES WITH MANY OF YOU OVER
THE PAST DAY AND A HALF AND I
KNOW THAT THAT'S ALSO A
CONTINUATION OF CONVERSATIONS
WE'VE STARTED MANY MONTHS AND
YEARS AGO AND HOPE TO CONTINUE
THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THE
FUTURE BUT WE HOPE TO RECOGNIZE
YOU AND HONOR YOU IN A WAY THAT
WE PRAY YOU FEEL HELD AND LOVED
AND CARED FOR, AND SO, WE WANT
TO HONOR YOU CAN SOME GIFTS AND
TO WRAP YOU IN BLANKETS AND IN
PRAYER AND WE'VE ALSO INVITED
ATONE AND HIS SON TO COME UP AND
HONOR US WITH A SONG AS WE DO
THAT.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> [INAUDIBLE RESPONSE FROM
AUDIENCE ]
>> YES OF COURSE.
LET'S DO A QUICK PHOTO AND THEN
WE CAN TRANSITION INTO THE
BLANKETING.
[ROOM CHATTER ]
WE GET THE PHOTOS DONE.
OKAY AT THIS TIME I WANT TO
INVITE OUR RELATIVES -- 1 MORE
PHOTO.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE
WORDS.
I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF
YESTERDAY AND I DIDN'T SHARE.
MY NAME IS DENNIS DAKOTA AND I
AM AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF THE
CHIPP A WAs FROM NORTH DAKOTA
AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED YESTERDAY
WITH ALL THE LANGUAGES, SO I
WEPT BACK TO MY ROOM AND
PRACTICED ON A FEW WORDS THAT I
WANTED TO SAY TO YOU:
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
THAT MEANS HOW ARE
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
YOU MY
FRIENDS?
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
THAT MEANS THAT I'M A
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND THAT MEANS I
AM FROM THE LIWA-TU CLAN.
I WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOLS IN
THE 60S AND 70S, INDIAN SCHOOL,
WHILE IN INDIAN SCHOOL MY
GRANDFATHER WENT TO THE FORT,
FORT TODD AND I REFER IT TO AS
THE FORT.
I MY GRANDMOTHER WENT TO
CARLISLE IN THE EARLY, I GUESS
IT WAS THE 1900S, SO, I WANTED
TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
I DIDN'T SAY MUCH YESTERDAY.
I WAS JUST VERY HONORED TO BE
HERE AND APPRECIATE THE INVITE.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON TO EACH AND
EVERYONE.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
MEANS GREETING TO EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS JASPER P A BLO, FROM
THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
AND I WENT TO THE BOARDING
SCHOOL, TOO, IN 1970 IN THAT
TIME OF YEAR.
I DIDN'T KNOW -- I WAS RAISED IN
AN ISOLATED AREA.
I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS SCHOOL
UNTIL 1 DAY 1 OF THE GI VEHICLE
WAS COMING DOWN, I WAS OUT
HERDING SHEEP, NOT KNOWING THEY
WERE GOING TO TAKE ME TO THE
BOARDING SCHOOL, SO I WAS ABOUT
12 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME, I WAS
YOUNG AND HANDSOME, YEAH, VERY
HANDSOME.
ANYWAY AND THEN I WAS TALL AND
SLIM, AT THAT TIME, I GUESS THE
BEGINNING THEY USED TO CALL IT
KINDERGARTEN THEY USED TO CALL
IT, I WAS THE TALLEST PERSON.
I STARTED GOING TO SCHOOL OVER
THERE, KIDS MAKING FUN OF ME
CALLS ME BEGINNING SNAZ, IT
MEANS LIKE A TALL BEGINNER.
BUT THEY WERE JUST MAKING FUN OF
ME BUT YET, I STOOD THERE, THE
FOOD -- THE SCHOOL FOOD DIDN'T
SET WITH ME, TOO, SO I HAD TO
KEEP THROWING UP ALL THE FOOD
THAT I USED TO EAT.
AT HOME EVERY MORNING MY DAILY
CHORES ARE TAKING CARE OF THE
LIVESTOCK.
MORNING BREAKFAST WAS COFFEE,
WHITE BREAD.
BUT IT WAS DIFFERENT BUT WHEN
YOU GET IN TROUBLE YOU HAD TO
STAND IN THE HALLWAY OR GET ON
YOUR KNEES WITH YOUR HANDS LIKE
THIS FOR SOMETIME, YOU GET
TIRED, THEY KICK YOUR HAND UP.
GET YOUR HAND UP STRAIGHT.
I WENT THROUGH THAT, SO FINALLY
I JUST TOOK OFF, KIND OF WENT
BACK INTO -- RAN BACK TO MY
GRAND PARENTS, STARTED HERDING
SHEEP AGAIN FOR SO MUCH SO, MY
GRAND PARENTS WERE REALLY POOR.
NEVER REALLY WENT TO SCHOOL BUT
YET FOR SOME REASON WITH THE
CULTURE THAT, I STUCK WITH IT,
THAT KEPT ME GOING.
SO I'M JUST VERY HONORED AND
MEET EACH AND EVERY 1 OF YOU
WITH A GOOD BLESSING.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I'LL JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT MY STORY.
I WENT TO A BOARDING SCHOOL,
IT'S CALLED HUNTER'S POINT
BOARDING SCHOOL, IT'S 3-MILES
WEST OF ST. MICHAELS ARIZONA,
AND AND I WENT THERE, I THINK
BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST A LACK OF
FOOD IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, THERE
WERE 20 PEOPLE THAT LIVE INDEED
NIGH GRANDMA'S HOUSE THAT HAD 2
BEDROOMS, NO RUNNING WATER AND
NO ELECTRICITY.
SO A LOT OF MY SIBLINGS AND MY
COUSINNINGS WE ALL WENT TO
BOARDING SCHOOL AND I WAS
PROBABLY 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD AT THE
TIME SO, I THINK THAT WAS PART
OF THE REASON AND THE OTHER
REASON IS MY MOM SHE ALSO WENT
TO INTERMOUNTAIN SCHOOL, I THINK
THAT'S SOMEWHERE IN UTAH, YOU
KNOW WHEN I ASKED MOM ABOUT, YOU
KNOW HER EXPERIENCE, SHE'LL JUST
SAY, [SPEAKING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE ] MEANING OH THOSE
THINGS HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO,
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK SHE HAD HER OWN
TRAUMA AND IT WAS REALLY HARD
FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME
BECAUSE I WAS JUST REALLY YOUNG,
SO I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH MY
MOM.
AND IT'S STILL LIKE THAT TO THIS
DAY, I DON'T HAVE THAT EMOTIONAL
CONNECTION WITH MY MOM.
SHE'S 82 YEARS OLD AND I THINK
SHE STILL HAS A LOT OF TRAUMA
AND SHE HAS DEMENTIA NOW SO THAT
-- THAT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE
TO DEAL WITH EVERY DAY.
SO 1 STORY I ALSO LAKE TO SHARE
IS THAT, SO WHEN WE COME HOME
FOR THE HOLIDAYS, YOU KNOW, AND
GRANDMA WOULD TRY TO SAY
[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
MEANING GO TO SCHOOL AND
MR. GOOL, MR. GOOL USED TO HAVE
THE GREEN SUBURBAN, WE USED TO
CALL IT THE GREEN LIZARD, WE
WOULD TAKE OFF, WE WOULD GO
ACROSS THE RIVER AND THEN GO
INTO THE MOUNTAINS AND HIDE AND
JUST CLIMB THE HIGHEST TREE AND
WE WOULD SEE MR. GOOL DRIVING
AROUND AND THEN IN THE EVENING
WE COME HOME AND GUESS WHAT?
MR. GOOL IS THERE WAITING FOR US
AND HAD TO TAKE US BACK TO THE
BOARDING SCHOOL.
SO ANYWAYS, WE HAD FOWN WITH
THAT BUT IT WAS ALSO HEART
BREAKING BECAUSE IT WAS MOST
LIKELY YOU HAVE TO ARE FORCED TO
GO BACK.
SO THAT'S -- YOU KNOW PART OF MY
EXPERIENCE AND I THINK, THE
IMPORTANT PART IS THAT EVEN
THOUGH MY OLD CHILDHOOD HAD A
LOT OF TRAUMA, THRIVE XG THAT
LOVE THAT WE'RE SHARING TODAY, I
GIVE THAT TO MY CHILDREN.
I HAVE 3 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN,
THEY'RE THRIVING AND THEY GET
THE LOVE ALL THE TIME FROM ME.
AND TO ME THAT'S HEALING AND YOU
KNOW KNOWING THAT I HAVE MY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUR
TRADITIONAL HEALERRINGS HERE
MR. ABRY DENNY AND JASPER'S
MAKES MY HEART HAPPY AND
EVERYONE IN HERE, TOO, TO KNOW
THESE 2 INDIVIDUALS INSTILLED A
LOT OF CULTURAL VALUES FOR ME,
AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THAT
BECAUSE THIS' WHAT GROUNDS ME.
THANK YOU.
YEAH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER TRIBES
ARE BUT IN MY TRIBE YOU DON'T
SAY GOODBYE.
THERE'S NO WORD FOR GOODBYE.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM
HERE ON EARTH OR WHEN WE PASS
OVER AND I JUST WANT TO TELL
YOU, YOU SAY [SPEAKING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE ] I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU 1
OTHER THING AND THEN I WILL GIVE
THE MIC TO HIM, THERE'S A SONG
WE SING, I'M NOT GOING TO SING
IT BUT IT SAYS EMPLOY.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
THAT
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
MEANS THE END
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
AND THAT MEANS I DON'T KNOW WHEN
THE END'S COMING.
SO EVERY TIME WHEN I TALK TO YOU
AND THEY SAY YOU BE GOOD TO 1
ANOTHER, YOU LOVE 1 ANOTHER AND
YOU TAKE CARE OF 1 ANOTHER, I
TRY TO DO THAT.
I KNOW I LIKE TO LAUGH AND PLAY
WITH THE PEOPLE, BUT, AT THE
SAME TIME, I TAKE A LITTLE PIECE
OF Y'ALL BACK TO WHEREVER I'M
GOING TO SO I KNOW, TOO, THAT I
JUST LOVE EVERYBODY AND I CARE
ABOUT EVERYBODY AND I WAS THERE
AT THE BOARDING SCHOOL FROM THE
TIME I WAS 6 YEARS OLD TILL I
GRADUATED.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I
LOVE Y'ALL AND THANK Y'ALL FOR
THIS TIME.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> [SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE
]
SORRY?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE?
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, RELATIVES,
I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND MY NAME
IS DR. ABE DENNY, BUT I HAVE A
NAVAJO NAME THAT I DON'T REALLY
USE AND I WAS RAISED ON THE
RESERVATION AS I LITTLE BOY I
GREW UP WITH MY PARENTS.
THEY RAISED ME.
AND SO 1 DAY THEY TOOK ME TO
SCHOOL ON A -- IN A WAGON AND
THEY DROPPED ME OFF OVER THERE.
THE REASON WHY I WENT OVER THERE
WAS TO GET CLOTHES BECAUSE I HAD
NO CLOTHES TO WEAR.
ELDERS THEY USED TO GO TO
SALVATION ARMY AND GET THOSE
TUXEDO SUIT LIKE DRESS UP SUIT
AND THEY WOULD ALL BE LIKE
NAVAJOS WALKING AROUND DRESSED
UP LIKE BUSINESS MEN.
CEREMONIAL, ALL BE DRESSED UP
LIKE BUSINESS MEN AND THEY ALL
WEAR THEIR BEADS AROUND THEIR
BIG OLD HAT BUT I WENT TO SCHOOL
AT PENNION BOARDING SCHOOL FROM
-- NO AT 6 YEARS OLD AND I WENT
IN THERE AND I GRADUATED AND
SOMETHING THAT I -- THE FIRST
THING I SAW AT THE BOARDING
SCHOOL WAS -- I THOUGHT IT WAS
MAGIC.
THEY WOULD GO LIKE THIS AND THE
LIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND GO LIKE
THAT, THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF.
I DIDN'T SEE THE SWITCH ON THE
WALL.
SO I TRY TO GO LIKE THIS AND IT
DIDN'T WORK FOR ME.
YOU KNOW?
I GUESS HAVE TO GO TO THE SWITCH
AND GO LIKE THAT AND GO LIKE
THAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS MAGIC TO GO
LIKE THIS AND GO LIKE THAT.
AND I WENT THROUGH A HARDSHIP, I
MISSED HOME, I GOT LONELY, I GOT
DEPRESSED AND GRADUATED AT THIRD
GRADE, WENT ON TO JUNIOR HIGH
AND THEN ON INTO HIGH SCHOOL, SO
HARDSHIP, ABUSE, EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING THAT WAS REALLY
BAD ABOUT THAT WAS FOR ME, WAS
IT WAS MY OWN RELATIVE THAT DID
THAT TO ME.
IT WASN'T A WHITE MAN.
IT WAS MY OWN UNCLE THAT WAS A
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND HE CAME BACK
FROM MARINE CORPS WAR ARMY AND
THEY GOT AFTER US, THEY KICKED
US AROUND AND THEY HIT US AND
THEY, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND JUST BECAUSE OF THAT, TOO, I
BECAME RADICAL, I BECAME LIKE
AGAINST THEM OR I GOT ON THEIR
NERVE, I GOT NAUGHTY, YOU SEE.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY PUNCH ME,
EVEN THOUGH THEY HURT ME, I
WOULD GET OUT OF THE DORM AND
RUN AROUND OUTSIDE AND BREAK ALL
THE RULES, YOU KNOW.
HAVE THEM BEAT ME UP SOME MORE,
LIKE I WAS ENJOYING IT.
SO THEY DIDN'T BREAK ME.
AT 12th GRADE, THEY COULDN'T
STAND ME ANYMORE, SO THEY HAD TO
GRADUATE ME EVEN THOUGH A FAILED
MATH, THEY SAID ISSUES GET THIS
KID OUT OF HERE, YOU KNOW?
WE DON'T WANT HIM TO BE AROUND
HERE FOR ANOTHER YEAR, JUST
GRADUATE HIM.
I HAD AN F AND THEY CHANGED MY
GRADE AND THEY GOT RID OF ME SO
I JUST WENT HOME.
AND THEN I WILL BE HONEST WITH
YOU, TOO, I HAD THE BEST IN
BOARDING SCHOOL, TOO, AND SAD
TIMES BUT I CELEBRATED, I WENT
AWAY FROM THAT.
ALL MY KIDS, THEY NEVER WENT TO
THE DORM.
THAT'S WHO I AM.
I SURVIVED BOARDING SCHOOL.
[INDISCERNIBLE], I CRIED, I
MISSED HOME, I MISS THE FOOD AND
ALL OF THAT.
SO I DIDN'T GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
I JUST STOP AT HIGH SCHOOL AND
TO GO TO COLLEGE, EH, YOU KNOW,
SO I STAY HOME AND I RAISED MY
LIVESTOCK AND AT HOME.
I LEARNED TRADITIONAL CEREMONY,
TRADITIONAL EDUCATION AT HOME,
MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE MY
TEACHERS AND MENTORS.
SO THAT A MY EXPERIENCE IN
BOARDING SCHOOL, YES IT HURTS,
YES, BUT IF YOU SEE MY SCARS,
YOU KNOW MY PATCHES AND MY
BANDAGE AND ALL OF IT ALL OVER
ME BUT THAT DIDN'T TOP ME.
I WAS ALL RIGHT, I WAS HEALED.
I BECAME A VICTIM AND A SURVIVOR
OF BOARDING SCHOOL AND I KNOW
HOW IT IS.
AND FOR ALL OF THAT, THAT REASON
FOR ALL OF THAT, I BECAME A
TRADITIONAL HEALER, FOR ALL THE
ABUSE THAT I WENT THROUGH, THE
HURT, THE ANIMOSITY, THE
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY THAT I HAD.
I THINK I'M IMMUNE TO THAT WHEN
I CAME OUT OF THAT.
SO USING THAT IN TRADITIONAL
COUNSELING, USING THE
TRADITIONAL CEREMONY AND WHEN
SOMEBODY TALKS ABOUT, LIKE ALL
OF YOU, YOU EXPRESS THAT YOU'RE
EMOTION AND HOW YOU EXPRESS
YOURSELF YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
I WAS SITTING THERE AND I WAS
LISTENING, YOU KNOW, I FELT THAT
SO I'M IMMUNE TO THAT.
I KNOW HOW IT FEELS AND I KNOW
WHERE YOU STAND AND YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU ARE AND I KNOW WHERE
YOU ARE AND I KNOW WHERE YOU'VE
BEEN AND EVEN MY LAST NAME IS
SUPPOSED TO BE DENE-YAJ, BUT BIA
STOLE THAT FROM ME, AND SAID NO
MORE.
JUST DENNY.
SO THE SECOND PART OF -- THE
LAST PART OF MY LAST NAME GOT
SHORTENED SO I DON'T HAVE MY
FULL ANCESTRAL NAME.
SO IT'S JUST DENNY.
I'M NOT NAMED AFTER THE DENNY
RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER, TOO
IS THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL GIRL
THAT BROKE MY HEART -- THANK
YOU.
[LAUGHTER]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, I WANT TO JUST 1
MORE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION,
THERE IS A BOOK THAT'S WRITTEN
BY DR. DINESH [INDISCERNIBLE],
GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, 1 OF THE
CHAPTERS IS MY INTERVIEW, IT'S
TITLED ROOM 19.
THERE'S ANOTHER BOOK ON AMAZON
THAT WAS WRITTEN BY MY AUNT, THE
TITLE OF THAT 1 IS TOMORROW.
TOMORROW SHE SAID NEVER CAME
EMPLOY SO IF YOU WANT TO CHECK
THOSE OUT, YOU CAN CHECK THEM
OUT ON AMAZON.
THANK YOU.
>> IN GRATITUDE FOR THE WORDS
SHARED AND THE ENERGY THAT
YOU'RE SHARING WITH US RIGHT
NOW, WE WANT TO CENTER THAT
ANCESTRAL LOVE AND HONOR YOU IN
THIS BLANKETING AND THE GIFTS WE
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU
NOW.
SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR TEAM
MEMBERS RIGHT HERE, WE WOULD
LIKE TO OFFER THAT TO YOU.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
[♪ MUSIC ♪]
[♪ SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪
]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE WITH US AND
SHARING YOUR STORIES.
YEAH.
>> HOLD ON.
WAIT.
DON'T MOVE.
STAY THERE.
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A
BLESSING FOR THIS STAFF.
I ACTUALLY MADE THIS STAFF AND
I'M SO PROUD.
A GROUP OF VETERANS HERE IN THE
D. C. AREA, GREGORIA IS 1 OF
THEM AND HE'S THE 1 LEADING THE
HONOR GUARDS SO ANYWAYS THEY
ASKED ME TO DO A STAFF STORY
THEM AND I PUT THIS TOGETHER AND
PROFESSOR DENNY AND HE'S ALSO
OUR HA-TAH-LEE, HE'S ALSO OUR
MEDICINE PERSON, HE WILL BLESS
IT FOR US NOW.
HE'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SING
HIS SONG.
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
[♪ SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪
]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[♪ SINGING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ♪ ]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 10 MINUTE
BREAK TO ALLOW SOME TRANSITION
TIME HERE AND THEN WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE OUR ELDERS WHO ARE UP
FOR THE INTERGENERATIONAL
HEALING PANEL TO INVITE THEM TO
COME UP ON THE STAGE OR STAY ON
THE STAGE.
IF YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK,
IT'S OKAY, GO,A HEAD.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
JUST ANOTHER THING TO ADD ABOUT
THE BLANKETING AND JUST ANOTHER
WAY OF IN OUR CULTURES AND OUR
BEING, JUST IN AS MUCH AS IT IS
THE BLANKET THAT ENCASES US IN
WARMTH, IT ALSO RESEMBLES THE
PRAYERS AND FLOWERS WE SHARE
WITH OUR RELATIVES REMINDING
THEM ALWAYS THAT WE LOVE THEM.
SO WE WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH
THAT.
THANK YOU AUNTIE.
WE LOVE YOU.
WE ARE GETTING READY NOW FOR TE
NEXT PANEL, THE
INTERGENERATIONAL PANEL AND OUR
MODERATOR IS JOANY SWENA, AND
YOU'RE ON.
>> WELCOME BACK EMPLOY I'M.
-- ALSO THEIR FAMILY THAT IS
HERE ALONGSIDE OF THEM AND
HOLDING THEM UP THROUGH THIS
WORK AS WELL AND TODAY WE HAVE
CHA DAD, RON SENIOR AND MY
COLLEAGUE MEGAN SENIOR WHO
OVERSEES IMPACT AT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN INDIAN NATIVE SCHOOL
BOARDING COALITION AND ALSO MOST
IMPORTANTLY SHE'S RON'S DAUGHTER
AND THEN FURTHER TO MY LEFT WE
HAVE AUNTIE JEAN, AND OUR SISTER
WITH NAVs, OVERSEES O HP AND
-- GRANDDAUGHTER, FALCON.
YES, SO I THINK THE DIRECTION
THAT WE'RE GONNA GO IN IS
CONTINUOUS LOW FOCUSING ON WHAT
DOES HEALING LOOK LIKE, WHAT
DOES THRIVING LOOK LIKE AND I
REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM RON
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE
HEARD YOUR VOICE THROUGHOUT THIS
PAST DAY AND A HALF AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO YOU KICK US OFF AND
SHARE SOME WORDS, WHAT'S ON YOUR
HEART TODAY.
>> MY NAME TAGS.
BADGES.
[LAUGHTER]
>> ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO,
EARLIER WHEN WE HAD THESE
PEOPLE, MY DAUGHTER WITH THE
CAMERAS OR YOUR PHONES, THAT
REMINDED ME OF A DAY WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, WE USED TO HAVE THE
TOURISTS COME THROUGH TO GO SEE
THE GRAND CANYON AND THEY WOULD
TAKE OUR PICTURES AND IT WAS
50-CENTS AND IT WAS A MOVIE
CAMERA BUT DAD SAID CHARGE THEM
A DOLLAR.
SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES,
SOMEBODY HAS A COLLECTION OF
WHATEVER AND I'M ON IT.
BECAUSE WE LIVED BY THE GRAND
CANYON AND WE HAD A LOT OF
TOURISTS GO THROUGH THERE AND SO
FROM THAT, WHEN I GOT TO
BOARDING SCHOOL, THE FIRST DAY
OF CLASS THE TEACHER
MRS. RUCKER, NICE GAL, ANYWAY,
SHE INSTRUCTED US IN ENGLISH AND
NOT TO BRAG BUT THE TOURISTS
REALLY HELPED BECAUSE I WAS THE
ONLY 1 THAT SPOKE ENGLISH AND I
INTERPRETED FOR THE KIDS.
AND YOU KNOW THEY PICKED IT UP
AND THEN WE TEASE EACH OTHER AS
WE WERE LEARNING ENGLISH.
I WAS HELPING THEM AND THEN ALSO
THAT BROUGHT BACK SOME TRAUMA,
TOO BECAUSE THEY ALL -- THE
TEACHER'S LINED US UP AND SAID,
OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN
HERE, AND I SMELLED ALCOHOL AND
EVERY TIME I SMELL ALCOHOL MY
STOMACH TURNS BECAUSE WE GOT
IMMUNIZATION AND IT WAS LIKE A
SLAUGHTER HOUSE, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE NEXT, YOU'RE NEXT, YOU
KNOW.
SO I TRY TO AVOID DOCTORS BUT
UNFORTUNATELY GETTING OLDER, SO
FROM THERE, AFTER WE GOT ALL OF
OUR IMMUNIZATION SHOTS AND
EVERYTHING, WE GO BACK TO THE
DORM AND I WENT TO THE CITY
BOARDING SCHOOL.
I CALLED IT FEDERAL PRISON.
AND AS MR. DENNY SAID IT,
MILITARY, IT WAS LIKE MILITARY
DISCIPLINE.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE DORM AIDES,
DORM FATHERS, MOTHERS, WHATEVER,
THEY WERE VERY STRICT.
I JUST REMEMBER, THEY WERE
ALWAYS COUNTING THE BOYS, OR THE
GIRLS I GUESS, BUT THEY WERE
ALWAYS COUNTING US AND THEY HAD
TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS 40
STUDENTS.
THEY WERE ALWAYS WAITING FOR
SOMEONE TO GO AWOL.
I NEVER DID BUT I PLANNED A
COUPLE OF THEM AND THEY WERE
AWOL.
I ALSO HAD TRAUMA INDUCED FOOD
LAST NIGHT.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE MENU AND IT
SAID ASPARAGUS ON THERE AND I
WENT UH OH, AND THEN MY DAUGHTER
SAID, YOU CAN PROBABLY ASK FOR
SOMETHING ELSE TO SUBSTITUTE
THAT, I SAID ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE WHEN WE GOT TO THE
CAFETERIA TO EAT, THERE WAS ROOM
FOR 8 STUDENTS, 4 BOYS, 4 GIRLS.
AND THE IMIRL YOU WERE BEHIND,
YOU PULL THE CHAIR OUT FOR THEM,
THEY WERE TEACHING US TO BE
COURTEOUS, I GUESS AND WE SAT
DOWN AND THE 1 DAY I SAT DOWN
THERE WERE PORK CHOPS WITH I
CALL IT SPARE GRASS NOW,
ASPARAGUS, AND TO THIS DAY,
WELL, I THINK 66, I THINK -- THE
LAST TIME I TRIED IT AND THE
DORM FATHER STOOD RIGHT THERE
AND SAID YOU HAVE TO EAT
ASPARAGUS OR YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
GO AND EVERYBODY ELSE ATE THEIR
ASPARAGUS AND I PUT IT IN MY
MOUTH AND I STARTED CHEWING IT
AND IT WASN'T DOING IT.
SO THE DORM FATHER WENT TO THE
NEXT TABLE, AND YOU HAD TO BE
INNOVATIVE AND IT APPEARS I WAS
THAT DAY BECAUSE I OPENED MY
MILK CARTON AND STUFFED
ASPARAGUS IN THERE AND EVERYBODY
ELSE WAS LIKE, I GUESS THEY WERE
HAPPY BECAUSE THEY COULD GO,
BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SIT WITH ME
ALSO IF I DIDN'T EAT IT.
SO CAME OVER AND THE DORM FATHER
SAID, YOU FINISHED.
I SAID YES AND NOBODY ELSE SAID
A WORD BECAUSE THEY COULD BE
NEXT, SOMETHING ELSE THEY DIDN'T
LIKE AND SO THEN, WE WERE ABLE
TO LEAVE THE CAFETERIA AND GO
BACK TO THE DORM AND THE DORM I
WENT TO, THERE WERE 4 WINGS, A,
B, C, D, I WAS FIRST IN THE A.
AND REMEMBER THAT FIRST NIGHT
THAT WE SPENT THERE, A KID WAS
WITH US AND HE -- ALL RIGHT,
PICTURE THIS, YOU'RE 6 YEARS
OLD, 7 YEARS OLD, 8 YEARS OLD
SOME AS YOUNG AS 5 I GUESS AND
THEY TAKE YOU AWARE -- WELL,
SOMETIMES THEY DID TAKE YOU
AWAY, BUT YOU WERE BROUGHT TO
THE TRADING POST -- NOT TRADING
POST, BOARDING SCHOOL AND IT'S
AN ENVIRONMENT I KNOW THAT
PEOPLE WOULD NOT DO THAT THESE
DAYS, JUST LEAVE THEM THERE AND
SOMETIMES IN THE EARLY DAYS OF
BOARD BEING SCHOOL, THEY STAYED
LONG LIKE 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS,
LONG.
AND THEY LEFT ME THERE AND I WAS
1 OF 40 STUDENTS IN THAT SWING
AND IT WAS HARSH BECAUSE THEY
WERE MEAN TO US AND WE HAD TO
KIND OF FEND FOR OURSELVES AND
DEFEND OURSELVES BECAUSE
SOMETIMES WE GOT BULLIES IN
THERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING LIKE A
PRISON ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE
THAT'S I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY
IT -- I WASN'T IN PRISON.
AND SO I FROM THAT POINT WHEN I
GOT TO BOARDING SCHOOL, IT SEEMS
LIKE IT WAS A PLACE THERE WAS NO
LOVE, WHEN THE KIDS AND I WAS
INCLUDED AND I CRIED WHEN WE GOT
THE IMMUNIZATION THE NURSE SAID,
OKAY, JOHNNY YOU'RE NEXT, JOWNY
OVER HERE, BOOM.
YOU KNOW.
AND IT WASN'T JUST 1, IT WAS
LIKE 3 AND WE LEFT, MOST OF US
CRYING.
WHERE WAS MOM?
WHERE WAS DAD?
NOBODY WAS THERE TO -- OKAY,
THOSE OF YOU THAT WENT TO
BOARDING SCHOOL, I KNOW YOU CAN
IDENTIFY WITH THAT AND PEOPLE
THAT WAS TRAUMA.
ONE OF MANY TRAUMA.
AND THE NEXT 1 I WILL TELL YOU
ABOUT MAYBE MR. DENNY KNOWS
WHERE TUPA CITY, TUPA CITY
BOARDING SCHOOL EMPLOY I WAS
BEING TAKEN BACK THE 1 TIME I
REMEMBER, AND THERE'S A VALLEY
RIGHT THERE, YOU GO UP, UP ON
THE MESA, ANYWAY, EVERY TIME I
WENT THERE TO TUPA CITY, IT WAS
FOR 2 THINGS, THE HOSPITAL OR
THE BOARDING SCHOOL.
NEITHER 1 WAS NOT GOOD.
BOARDING SCHOOL WAS WORSE.
SO, WE WENT TO THE LAUND ROUGH
ATOM MAT AND DO THE LAWBDRY AND
WOULD TAKE US BACK TO THE
BOARDING SCHOOL, MY SISTER AND I
AND THERE'S ONLY MAYBE A FEW
TIMES, 1 OR 23 TIMES IN MY LIFE
THAT I NEVER ATE WHAT WAS GIVEN
TO ME, AND THAT WAS THAT 1 TIME,
MY MOTHER GAVE ME HOT DOGS AND
FRIES AND DRINK FROM THE DAIRY
QUEEN IT TUPA CITY, ANYWAY, MY
STOMACH TURNED AND LOST MY
APPETITE BECAUSE I WAS GOING
BACK TO BOARDING SCHOOL.
OR MAYBE PRISON, LIKE I TERMED
IT.
ANYWAY, IT WAS PURE HELL, AND
THAT BY THE WAY, WAS A QUOTE
THAT THEY TOOK OUT OF MY
INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW YORK
TIMES IN OCTOBER, THESE GOOD
FOLKS THEY WERE THERE IN SALT
LAKE DOING THE ORAL HISTORY
PROGRAM INTERVIEWS AND I WAS 1
OF THE INTERVIEWEES.
THANKFULLY THEY DEPARTMENT BRENG
OUT ANY ASPARAGUS IN THE FOOD
THEY WERE EATING, THAT WAS GOOD.
ANYWAY, THEY FED US GOOD, BUT
ANYWAY, WHEN I WOULD GET THE
TERM GOING UP THE HILL TO THE
CITY, I TO THIS DAY, EVEN TO
THIS DAY, I STILL HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF MEMORY WITH THAT AND I
GUESS YOU CALL IT TRAUMA AND
PART OF THE INTERRACIAL -- NOT
INTERRACIAL -- INTERGENERATIONAL
TRAUMA YOU HAD TO REALLY DEVELOP
ON THAT, THE LAST PART OF THE
HEALING.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY SCARS FROM
BOARDING SCHOOL, I DON'T HAVE
ANY OF THIS.
INSIDE ARE THE SCARS.
INSIDE THEY'RE HOLY LIKE THIS,
AND I'VE BEEN WITH A COUPLE
COUNSELORS AND THERE'S A LADY IN
SALT LAKE FROM BACK HOME, NAVAJO
LAND, SHE SAT ME DOWN AND WE
TALKED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE
COULD IDENTIFY OR I COULD
IDENTIFY WITH HER.
I ACTUALLY GOT TO TALK AND
RATHER THAN SOMEBODY WHO WASN'T
NAVAJO, YOU HAD TO TEACH THEM.
THIS IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN
BOARDING SCHOOL, YOU KNOW AND
THEN THEY COULD GO AND TRY TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND HELP ME.
SO, PEOPLE, WE ARE LITERALLY
SURVIVORS.
AND I'M GLAD I'M HERE TO TELL
YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IN DIDN'T
MAKE IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> SO BEFORE WE JUMP OVER TO
AUNTIE JEAN, I WANTED TO ASK
MEGAN, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
WORKING ON HEALING FOR YEARS
WITH YOUR FATHER AND YOU LIVE
AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER
TOGETHER, WHAT HAS THAT BEEN
LIKE AND THEN MAYBE CAN YOU GIVE
US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HEALING
WORK YOU'VE DONE TOGETHER.
>> YEAH, THANKS DAD FOR SHARING.
I GREW UP ONLY HEARING ABOUT
CERTAIN THINGS, ABOUT FEDERAL
PRISON, WHICH HE WAS AT WHICH
WAS THE BOARDING SCHOOL.
I KNEW HE WENT TO FEDERAL
PRISON, I KNEW HE WENT TO TUBA
CITY, AND I WOULD ASK HIM CITY
LIKE HEY, DAD DID YOU EVER GET
IF TROUBLE FOR SPEAKING NAVAJO,
AS YOU INJURED HEARD HIM, HE
ALREADY KNEW ENGLISH WHEN HE WAS
IN THERE SO HE WOULD JUST SAY
NO.
I THOUGHT OH, OKAY, IT WASN'T
THAT BAD.
WELL, DAD DID THEY CUT YOUR
HAIR?
AND IT WAS LIKE, WELL, NO, MY
HAIR WAS ALREADY CUT.
OH, OKAY, SO IT MUST HAVE NOT
BEEN LIKE THE BOARDING SCHOOLS
THAT I HEAR ABOUT, THAT NATIVES
WENT TO BUT IT'S JUST BECAUSE
THIS MAN WHO IS MY DAD REPRESSED
EVERYTHING.
HE JUST DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
HE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT.
HE DID THAT FOR DECADES AND SO
WHEN I WAS AN ADULT, EVERYTHING
STARTED TO COME OUT IN ANGER AND
MY MOM AND DAD WHO THEY JUST
CELEBRATED 43 YEARS BEING
MARRIED YESTERDAY, AND IT WAS
THE FIRST TIME IN 43 YEARS THAT
THEY WEREN'T TOGETHER.
BUT MY MOM SAID, YOU NEED TO GET
HELP OR ELSE I'M GONE.
AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, MOM, THAT
SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT AND MY DAD
STARTED GOING TO THERAPY AND IN
THERAPY HE HAD TO EDUCATE THE
THERAPISTS AND WHEN I WAS IN
COLLEGE, I WAS ABLE TO INTERVIEW
MY DAD AND I WAS THE FIRST
PERSON THAT HE TOLD EVERYTHING
TO, REALLY AND THEN I WAS ABLE
TO -- SORRY -- I DON'T KNOW WHY
I'M SO CRYING TODAY, BUT UGH-- I
WAS ABLE TO SHARE WITH MY
SIBLINGS WHAT OUR DAD WENT
THROUGH.
AND SINGS THAT DAY, SINCE THE
DAY THAT MY DAD HAS OPENED UP
ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN BOARDING
SCHOOL, WE AS A FAMILY HAVE
DETERMINED THAT WE'RE GOING TO
BE THERE FOR MY DAD NO MATTER
WHAT.
LUCKILY BECAUSE MY DAD REPRESSED
EVERYTHING FOR SO LONG, THE
THINGS THAT HE THINKS WERE BAD
PARENTING AND THINGS, WE ARE
ABLE TO FORGIVE.
HE NEVER HURT MY MOM, HE NEVER
HURT US, HE WORKED FOR DECADES
AT A JOB WHERE HE EXPERIENCED
RACISM, AND HE HAD TO STAND ALL
DAY AND WORK HARD AND HE NEVER
WAS HOME.
HE CAN'T HUG US TO THIS DAY, IF
I GAVE HIM A HUG RIGHT HOW HE
WOULD BE LIKE ... HE COULDN'T
SAY HE LOVED US BUT BECAUSE WE
WERE ABLE TO AS A FAMILY COME
TOGETHER AND SAY THAT STUFF
DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH AS DOES
BECAUSE MY DAD NEVER DID
ANYTHING OUT OF HIS WAY TO HURT
US AT ALL AND HE WAS ALWAYS
THERE, EVEN -- MY SIBLINGS AND I
ARE MUSICIANS AND YOU KNOW WE
HAVE CONCERTS CONSTANTLY OR WE
WERE IN PLAYS AND MY DAD WAS
ALWAYS THE FIRST 1 RIGHT AT THE
END OF THE STAGE TO COME AND
GIVE US A HUG AND HE WAS -- HE
WAS SO PROUD OF US, YOU KNOW?
AND SO, WHEN HE SAYS YOU KNOW
THE THINGS HE THINKS ABOUT AS A
PARENT, YOU KNOW NOT BEING ABLE
TO HUG US OR SAY I LOVE YOU,
JUST GO DAD, BUT YOU KEPT ME
SAFE.
EVEN TO THIS DAY AND THE WORK I
DO NOW AS WE WERE -- SORRY -- AS
WE WERE GETTING READY FOR SOME
ORGANIZING IN SALT LAKE, WE WERE
HAVING A HEALING CIRCLE WITH
ELDERS IN SALT LAKE SERIES EVERY
MONTH WE WOULD MEET AND HAVE A
HEALING CIRCLE AND SOMETIMES HE
WOULD COME AND SOMETIMES HE
COULDN'T BUT THE TIMES HE
COULDN'T COME I WOULD GO TO HIM
AND SAY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AT
THE HEALING CIRCLE, THIS IS
WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THEN WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT
AND TALK THROUGH IT AND GO
HERE'S THE INFORMATION AND THE
CONTIARAS DENSE THAT THESE
ELDERS NEED TO SHARE THEIR
STORIES SO WHILE I WORK WITH
NABS AND I GET TO WORK WITH
COMMUNITIES I ALSO GET TO DO
THIS WITH MY DAD.
WE'VE GONE EVERYWHERE TOGETHER,
WE'VE BEEN TO MONTANA, WE'VE
BEEN TO YOU KNOW ALL THESE
DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE HE'S ABLE
TO TELL HIS STORY AND I'M ABLE
TO SAY, YEAH, I SURVIVED A
BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVOR AND I
LOVE HIM.
AND EVEN THOUGH HE WENT THROUGH
WHAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH HE
MADE IT, HE IS A SURVIVOR AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF OUR
SURVIVORS HERE THAT SOMETIMES
YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR KIDS
BECAUSE OF THE TRAUMA THAT
HAPPENED AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW OR
YOU DEPARTMENT HAVE THE HELP
THAT YOU NEED AND SO, I'M HERE
AS A DAUGHTER OF A BOARDING
SCHOOL SURVIVOR TO TELL YOU YEP,
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT IS RIGHT.
YOU SHOULD BE ANGRY, YOU SHOULD
HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT WE
HAVE TO HEAL FROM IT BECAUSE IT
WASN'T THEIR FAULT.
THEY HAD NO CHOICE.
THEY WERE JUST LITTLE KIDS.
DAD, I LOVE YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE
BEAUTIFUL WORDS THAT YOU SHARED
AND FOR ALL THE REALNESS, THE
RAWNESS OF WHAT IT'S LIKE AND
MOVING ALONG TO AUNTIE JEAN AND
LACY AND FALCON.
TELL US ABOUT HEALING IN YOUR
FAMILY AS WELL.
>> I THINK WE'RE STILL GOING
THROUGH THE HEALING BUT I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK, YOU KNOW MY
ANCESTORS AND THE PEOPLE THAT
PLACED THE SURVIVAL BLANKET ON
MY SHOULDER.
I FELT SUCH PRIDE IN ACCEPTING
THIS BECAUSE IT SHOWED THAT I'M
STILL HERE AND I'M STILL GOING
BUT I WILL LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO
MY NIECE LACY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER
FALCON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO
PASS ON OUR WHOLE CULTURE, OUR
LANGUAGE, AND OUR TRADITIONS TO
THEM.
I ONLY HAVE TIDBITS OF YOU KNOW
WHAT I HAD WHEN I WAS A CHILD
BEFORE I WENT TO HARBOR SPRINGS
AND I ONLY HAVE BITS AND PIECES
OF WHEN MY GRANT MOTHER OR MY
MOTHER OR, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY
TOLD ME WHAT WAS GOING ON OR
WHAT THE TRADITIONS WERE AND
AFTER MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY IN
72, ALL I HAD WAS MY AUNT DONNA
THAT WOULD BE LACY'S GRANDMOTHER
AND I WOULD ALWAYS GO TO HER AND
ASK HER, WHAT DID WE DO?
AND IF SHE KNEW, SHE WOULD TELL
ME BUT SOMETIMES IT WAS VERY
LITTLE AND AFTER I WOULD GET
FINISHED WITH THE TALK, I WOULD
GET VERY ANGRY BECAUSE I WOULD
SAY, WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE
PASSED SOMETHING DOWN TO ME SO I
WOULD KNOW, I WAS MAD AT THEM
BUT THEN I REALIZED, LATER ON,
AFTER LACY STARTED ME WITH
COMING TO NABS THAT IT WASN'T
THEIR FAULT, THEY COULDN'T TEACH
ME WHAT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO
DO BUT THEY PASSED ON LOVE,
SILENT LOVE I CALL IT BECAUSE
EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T SAY IT
OR SHOWED IT, YOU KNEW THAT THEY
WERE TRYING TO SAY IT IN
GUESTURE OR IN MOTION AND AFTER
LIKE I SAID WHEN MY MOTHER
PASSED AWAY IN 72, I WENT TO
AUNT DONNA FOR ALL THE HELP.
SHE WAS LIKE MY MATRIARCH.
SHE WAS LIKE THE HEAD 1 AND
ALMOST LIKE THE ONLY 1 LEFT IN
HER FAMILY AND THE FAMILY TO
TELL ME ANYTHING WHAT TO DO AND
WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2014, IT
WAS LIKE I WAS DEVASTATED.
I DIDN'T HAVE A ROLE MODEL, I
DIDN'T HAVE A PERSON TO GO TO.
I DIDN'T HAVE SOMEONE TO TELL
ME, HEY, BE QUIET, LISTEN AND
LEARN.
AND LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T PASS
TOO MUCH ON TO LACY OR MY
GRANDDAUGHTER OR MY CHILDREN OR
THEIR CHILDREN OR THEIR CHILDREN
AFTER THAT.
I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF
INFORMATION BUT WHAT I HAD FROM
WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND WHEN I
HEARD FROM MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY
MOTHER AND MY AUNT, I PASSED
THAT ON TO THEM.
I ALSO AFTER I GOT OUT OF
BOARDING SCHOOL AND OUR FAMILY
WAS NOT REALLY THAT CLOSE BUT
AFTERWARDS WE BECAME CLOSE AND
TO ME, IT'S MY FAMILY I HAVE TO
KEEP THEM TOGETHER, THEY CAN'T
BE FAR BECAUSE IN THE BOARDING
SCHOOL WE WERE SEPARATED, THEY
WERE ALWAYS PUT APART.
WE WERE, YOU KNOW, PUNISHED IF
WE GOT TOGETHER OR WANTED TO SAY
SOMETHING TO EACH OTHER.
SO MY FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT
AND FOR PASSING THAT ON TO THEM,
YOU KNOW I JUST HAVE THAT TO
PASS ON TO THEM, BUT I -- I WANT
THEM TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I
MIGHT HAVE SILENT LOVE IN ME TOO
SO I HOPE I PASS THAT ON AND
COMING UP HERE AND I'M SO
GRATEFUL FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER
FOR BEING WITH ME BECAUSE I WANT
HER TO SEE, YOU KNOW THE
[INDISCERNIBLE] IN ME AND I WANT
HER TO SEE THAT I WAS A
[INDISCERNIBLE] WOMAN OR CHILD,
VERY RAMBUNCTIOUS, VERY OUTGOING
AND OUTLANDISH AND TO DO
ANYTHING ON THE SPUR OF THE
MOMENT AND ENJOY MYSELF.
I WANTED TO LET HER KNOW THAT
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL AND YOU MAKE
IT WHAT, YOU KNOW YOU CAN.
IT'S YOU THAT ARE DOING IT AND I
HOPE LACY SEES THAT, TOO.
THANK YOU.
>> SILENT LOVE.
OH MY GOODNESS.
BEAUTIFUL, THANK YOU. .
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU AUNTIE.
SO, MY AUNTIE JEANNIE, LOOKS
JUST LIKE MY GRAM AND THEY WERE
ONLY 7 YEARS APART, AND THEY
WERE LIKE BESTYS.
AND BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN THERE
WAS NO CALL WAITING, YOU KNOW,
WHEN IT WAS A HOUSE PHONE,
WHENEVER I WOULD CALL MY GRAM
AND IT WAS BUSY FOR HOURS AND
HOURS AND HOURS, I KNEW SHE WAS
ON THE PHONE WITH AUNTIE
JEANNIE, WE ALL KNEW IT, THE
WHOLE FAMILY KNEW IT.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS HAD
EACH OTHER SO MY GRANDMA, ME AND
MY GRANDMA WERE -- WE WERE
BESTYS, I WAS HER FAVORITE AND
NOBODY COULD EVER CHALLENGE OR
DENY THAT AND SHE'S REALLY WHY I
AM HERE TODAY, NOT ONLY WHERE I
AM IN THIS WORLD BUT DOING THIS
WORK FOR NABS.
ONCE I REALIZED HOW INDIAN
BOARDING SCHOOLS IMPACTED MY
FAMILY, LIKE I KNEW IT IMPACTED
OUR PEOPLE BUT ONCE I PUT ALL
THE PIECES TOGETHER AND REALIZED
HOW IT IMPACTED MY FAMILY, I
WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
AND PUT IT UP TO SPIRIT AND HERE
I AM BUT NOW 10 YEARS AFTER MY
GRAM PASSED, I'M HAVING A REALLY
HARD TIME WISHING SHE WERE HERE
AND THINKING ABOUT ALL THE 1S
THAT DON'T HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY
AND WHERE THEY TOOK THOSE
STORIES WITH THEM, OR WERE NOT
ABLE TO RELEASE THAT BEFORE THEY
PASSED OF COURSE WE KNOW THEY'RE
IN A BETTER PLACE.
MY GRANDMA ALWAYS SAID THAT, SHE
ALWAYS SAID SHE RAN AWAY FROM
BOARDING SCHOOL AND NOW, I'M
LEARNING THAT -- WHICH REALLY
DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE IT WAS
LOWER PENINSULA AND UPPER PENS
INSURE MARKET LA, THERE WAS A
FERRY, PHYSICALLY IT DIDN'T MAKE
SENSE BUT THAT WAS HER WAY OF
NOT TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND I REMEMBER HER SHARING WITH
ME WHEN SHE SHARED 3 THINGS WITH
ME, THAT'S WHERE SHE LEARNED HOW
TO SEW.
THAT IF HE EVER STARTED TALKING
ABOUT WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH, SHE
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STOP CRYING
AND SHE WILL NEVER FORGET THE
SMELL OF A BURNING BODY BASED
OFF ALL THE BABIES THEY THROUGH
IN THE FURNACE AND THIS WAS A
CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL AND
WHEN SHE SAID THAT TO ME, SHE
SAID IT SO NONCHALANT LIKE, I
WAS LIKE WHAT?
SHE JUST SAID IT, LIKE IT WAS A
THING, THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
SO I CARRIED ALL THOSE WITH ME
AND LEARNING EVERYTHING I DO NOW
WITH THE NAVs, I SEE SHE DID
NOT RUN AWAY.
NOW THAT I HAVE ACCESS, FINALLY
WE JUST GOT ACCESS IN SEPTEMBER
TO A LIST AND SHE WAS THERE FOR
4 SCHOOL YEARS.
SO LIKE LIFE IS A CONITANT
LEARNING JOURNEY.
WE'RE NEVER STOPPING LEARNING.
WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING ABOUT
OURSELVES, OUR FAMILY, OUR
ANCESTORS AND HOPEFULLY, USING
THAT AS A GOOD PATH TO BECOME
BETTER AND HELP THOSE IN OUR
FAMILY AS WELL.
BUT NOW LOOKING BACK AND SEEING
HER MANNERISMS, HER HABITS,
REALIZING HOW MUCH BOARDING
SCHOOL DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON HER
LIFE AND IT WAS A CATHOLIC
BOARDING SCHOOL.
SHE BECAME CATHOLIC.
I USED TO ASK HER, SHE CALLED IT
SPEAKING INDIAN, I DIDN'T TALK
INDIAN, OR I DIDN'T SPEAK INDIAN
BUT SHE SAID SHE COULD
UNDERSTAND IT AND I'M LUCKY
ENOUGH TO HAVE MY AUNTIE HERE
WHO'S BESTY SO I CAN ASK HER
QUESTIONS LIKE DID MY GRAM DO
THIS, DID MY GRAM SAY THAT, DID
YOU TALK ABOUT THIS?
SO IT'S HELPING ME ON THIS
HEALING JOURNEY WHICH MY MOM AS
WELL AND LEARNING LIKE, THAT
YOUR GRANDMA, GRANDMA HARDWICK,
THEY DIDN'T TEACH THE KIDS
[INDISCERNIBLE], THEY
SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITYEC IT WITH
EACH OTHER BUT SHE DIDN'T TEACH
IT.
MY GRAM SAID SHE KNEW THE SWEAR
WORDS BUT WOULD NEVER TEACH ME
THE SWEAR WORDS BECAUSE THAT
FEAR, SHE NEVER SPOKE IT, IT'S
THAT FEAR SAID, I'M REALIZING
HOW MUCH FEAR SHE CARRIED IN HER
AND NOW REALIZING HOW THAT FEAR
AS BEEN PASSED DOWN, I FORGET
WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT IT, I
THINK YESTERDAY.
LIKE, FEAR IS DEEPLY ENGRAINED
IN US AND THERE'S A REASON
BEHIND THAT.
LIKE BEING AFRAID TO SAY I LOVE
YOU, LOOKING BACK, MY GRAM WOULD
NEVER SAY I LOVE YOU AND I
DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT AS A KID,
I WAS LIKE LOVE YOU, I WOULD SAY
IT UNTIL SHE WOULD SAY IT BACK
AND NOW IT'S LIKE, WELL I'M
REALLY TBLAD I DID THAT BECAUSE
SHE WOULDN'T, SHE WOULDN'T.
BUT I WAS HER FAVORITE SO I GOT
AWAY WITH A LOT OF STUFF WITH
HER WHICH I THINK ENDED UP
HELPING HER, TOO, BRING OUT THAT
NURTURING SIDE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE AS
WELL THAT I FEEL REALLY LUCK
EXPE BLESSED TO BE HERE, WHERE
I'M AT TODAY.
I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ALL THE
TRAUMAS MY GRANDMA DID IN
BOARDING SCHOOL AND AS A RESULT
OF BOARDING SCHOOL AND MY
GRANDMA BECAME A SINGLE MOTHER
IN RAISING MY MOTHER, YOU KNOW
THERE WAS A LOT OF ISSUES THERE,
AND MY GRANDMA DIDN'T KNOW HOW
TO RAISE MY MOM OR THE KIDS SO
THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACTED ME BUT
I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE MY MOM
WHERE MEDICINE MAN, I GREW UP IN
THE U. P. OF MICHIGAN, A
MEDICINE MAN CAME TO TOWN TO
WORK WITH THE FAMILIES AND HE
ENDED UP HELPING ME MOM A LOT
WITH HER HEALING JOURNEY AND
WORKING THROUGH THEM TRAUMAS AND
MY MOM BROKE THE CYCLES WITH ME.
SO I'M A RESULT OF INTENTIONAL
WORK OF BREAKING CYCLES.
MY MOM WAS RAISED CATHOLIC,
BAPTIZED, WHAT'S THE OTHER WORD
-- I SAY COMMUNICATION --
>> CONFIRMATION.
I WAS NOT BAPTIZED, I DID NOT GO
TO CCD BECAUSE MY MOM KNEW OF
THE DAMAGES FROM THAT CATHOLIC
BOARDING SCHOOL AND HOW IT
IMPACTED OUR FAMILY THAT SHE
DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ME THROUGH
THAT AND I'M SO GRATEFUL.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THEM CYCLES
BEING BROKEN WITHIN INDIAN
COUNTRY IS KIND OF RARE, LIKE WE
ALWAYS HEAR OF BEING, YOU KNOW
THINGS PASSED DOWN AND WHEN YOU
HEAR OF CYCLES BEING BROKEN,
IT'S LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S LIKE
RESILIENCE, IT'S AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT AND I'M JUST SO
BLESSED TO BE PART OF THAT, THAT
NOW WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO
THIS WORK, TO WORK FOR THE
SURVIVORS, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT
ATTENDED THAT ARE STILL HERE AND
ARE NOT HERE, EVEN THOUGH MY
GRANDMA'S NOT HERE ANYMORE, LIKE
I CAN'T HELP BUT WISH THAT THIS
WORK IS HELPING HER.
I KNOW SHE DOESN'T CARRY
ANYTHING ON THE OTHER SIDE BUT
LIKE FOR THE LITTLE CHILD INSIDE
OF HER, THAT EVEN IF OUR FAMILY
ISN'T HERE ANYMORE, THAT THE
WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY CAN
STILL HELP THAT LITTLE CHILD
THAT WENT THROUGH HORRIFIC
EXPERIENCE OR NOT HORRIFIC.
NOT EVERYBODY HAD A HORRIFIC
EXPERIENCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HEAR AS
MANY OF THOSE STORIES AS WE DID
THE HORRIFIC 1S, AND WE -- OKAY,
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ALL
NAVs, LIKE WE HONOR ALL THE
STORIES, BUT EVERYBODY'S
EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT IN THE
WORK THAT WE DO TODAY REALLY
MATTERS AND IT IMPACTS ALL OF
THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THOSE
PRISONS, RIGHT?
LIKE THEY REALLY ARE PRISONS,
BUT HAVING OUR AUNTIE HERE AND
DOING THE WORK WHILE YOU CAN AND
IT STILL MATTERS AND IT'S NOT
YOUR FAULT THAT YOU CANNOT TEACH
US, IT'S A WHOLE SYSTEM THAT WAS
PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT
NONE OF US HAVE THAT AND IF WE
TAKE THE BLAME AS NATIVE PEOPLE
AND PUT IT WHERE IT BELONGS, I
THINK THAT WOULD HELP ALL OF US.
THE SAME THAT SURVIVORS CARRY IS
NOT THEIRS OR YOURS TO CARRY.
IT WASN'T YOURS TO BEGIN WITH
AND IT WAS THEIRS THAT THEY MADE
SURE THAT YOU FELT THAT WAY.
OUT OF ALL TYPE OF AGENDAS AND
REASONS, NONE OF THEM TO MAKE US
A BETTER PEOPLE.
SO I JUST HOPE THAT THE WORK
THAT WE DO, THIS SUMMIT
HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE THIS
SUMMIT EVERY YEAR THAT IT ALLOWS
THE SURVIVORS TO FEEL EMPOWERED
AND REALIZE WHAT THEY WENT
THROUGH MATTERS, WHAT THEIR
VOICE NOW MATTERS, AND WE ARE
JUST HERE TO HELP AMPLIFY THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
YOU LOOK JUST LIKE MY GRAM, IT'S
JUST CRAZY.
NI WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, FALCON,
YEAH, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?
>> HELLO.
ACTUALLY THIS MORNING WAS SUPER
NERVOUS, WASN'T SURE IF I WAS
GOING TO SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE
LAST NIGHT I WAS LIKE, HOW DID
THIS AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN ME AND MY MOM, MY MOM
AND MY GRANDMA, ME AND MY
GRANDMA, ALL OF US, BUT LACY
SAID SOMETHING VERY NICE TO ME
THIS MORNING AS SHE DID ALL THE
TIME, SHE SAID, NOT KNOWING IS A
WAY OF BEING AFFECTED AND THAT
MADE ME THINK OF WHEN I WAS
YOUNGER, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH
YOUNGER, MAYBE A DECADE, I'M 21.
MY DAD, SAID HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT JUST BEING INDIAN, BEING
NATIVE, HE WAS SAYING SOMETHING
AND HE WAS LIKE, OH, AND I
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT -- HE WAS LIKE OH, DIDN'T
YOUR MOM SAY THIS TO YOU AND I
WAS LIKE NO.
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE
ASKED ME IF MY MOM WOULD SAY
THAT BECAUSE LIKE WHY WOULD MY
MOM SAY THAT.
THAT MADE ME, NOT AT THE MOMENT,
BUT AS I GOT OLDER REALIZE THAT
YEAH, WE REALLY DON'T TALK ABOUT
INTIMATE THINGS LIKE HOW WE'RE
DOING AND WE ESPECIALLY NOT
UNTIL I WAS OLDER MY GRANDMOTHER
HADN'T SHARED ANY UNDERSTANDABLY
ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HOW SHE
WENT -- HOW SHE DID IN BOARDING
SCHOOL, HOW SHE WAS TREATED, HOW
SHE WAS TREATED OUTSIDE OF
BOARDING SCHOOL, AND I CAME TO
AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT MAKES
SENSE THAT WE, OR AT LEAST I
BECAME AWARE THAT WHERE EVERYONE
WAS COMING FROM AND WHY WE --
WHY WE AREN'T SO CLOSE IN THAT
WAY BUT THROUGH THE PAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, LEARNING MORE AND MORE
I AM GLAD TO HAVE MORE OF AN
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT EVERYTHING
AND WHEN I WAS YOUNGER BEING
NATIVE, WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT,
I WAS ALWAYS REALLY, REALLY
PROUD BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING WE
TALKED ABOUT SO I KIND OF
EXPLORED THAT, THROUGH MEDIA.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS REALLY
LITTLE, I LOVED THE MOVIE
POCAHANTAS AND THEN WHEN I GREW
UP, I WAS LIKE, OH, I DON'T
THINK I LIKE THIS MOVIE VERY
MUCH.
AND GETTING TO THE AGE WHERE I
CAN DO A LOT MORE FOR MYSELF, MY
FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY, I'M
REALLY GLAD TO HAVE COME TO
THESE EVENTS AND TO HAVE HEARD
EVERYTHING THAT MY GRANDMA HAS
TAUGHT ME.
YOU'VE TAUGHT ME A LOT GRANDMA,
YOU SAY IT ONLY HOWEVER MUCH,
IT'S -- EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT
MY IDENTITY, ABOUT WHO I AM ALL
STEMS FROM YOU EVEN IF IT JUMPED
FROM ME AND MY MOM, IT CAME FROM
YOU AND ALL OF OUR FAMILY.
ALL OF OUR FAMILY SEES THAT.
SO, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY
ABOUT THAT.
AND YOU DON'T NEED TO --
>> I LOVE IT, THANK YOU!
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND I HOPE YOU CAN FEEL MY
INVISIBLE LOVE EMPLOY WE'RE ALL
WORKING, WE'RE ALL WORKING, ALL
OF US AND OUR FAMILY AND WE'RE
GETTING SOMEWHERE.
WE GOTTA FIGHT SOME OF THEM BUT
WE'RE GETTING THERE.
>> THANK YOU GRANDMA.
AND THANK YOU EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU FALCON, YOUR VOICE
IS SO IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD
YOU'RE A PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO AS WE MOVE TOWARDS WRAPPING
UP AND THINKING ABOUT HEALING, I
WANT TO HEAR FROM RON AND MEG
AGAIN AND THEN WE WILL JUMP BACK
OVER HERE TO WRAP UP, WHAT IS IT
IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW IN
TERMS OF HEALING ABOUT YOUR
RELATIONSHIP AS FATHER AND
DAUGHTER AND THEN SAME QUESTION
OVER HERE WHEN WE JUMP TO
GRANDMA, NIECE AND
GRANDDAUGHTER.
>> WELL, THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR
ME TO SAY TO MY FAMILY IS I LOVE
YOU.
ALL THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE IT
WAS DURING THE FORMATIVE YEARS,
THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD BE
LEARNING HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU,
I'M SORRY, ALL THAT BUT WE WERE
TOO BUSY GETTING BEAT.
SO NONE OF THAT WAS IN MY
VOCABULARY OR THINKING.
AND 1 DAY I MET THIS WOMAN AND
SHE CHANGED IT A LITTLE BIT AND
SO, IN A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS I
SAID I LOVE YOU AND 43 YEARS
LATER, I'M STILL SAYING IT.
[LAUGHTER]
STILL IN A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS.
WHEN SHE SAYS, OR ELSE ...
ANYWAY, I KNOW MEGAN WILL NOT
LIKE THIS BUT I'VE GOT TO SAY
THIS.
INDULGE ME, OKAY?
WATER.
DINNER INDULGE ME BECAUSE I
MIGHT NOT HAVE TIME.
SO THE LONE RANGER AND TONTO,
CAME UP THE TRAIL AND THEY GOT
TO TOWN AND LONE RANGER SAYS TO
TONTO, TONTO SCHOOL SILVER DOWN,
I'M GOING INSIDE TO WET MY
WHISTLE AND GOES IN THE BAR AND
TONTO TAKES THE SADDLE OFF AND
SADDLE BLANKET AND HE GOES
RUNNING AROUND TRYING TO COOL
TONTO OFF WITH THE SATDZ
BLANKET, YOU KNOW GIVE HIM SOME
AIR, AND TRYING TO COOL HIM OFF
AND THIS GUY COMES IN TO THE
BAR, YOU KNOW THE KIND FROM THE
OLD WEST IN PICTURES AND HE SAYS
LOUDLY WHO WANTS THAT HORSE OUT
THERE AND HE DESCRIBES TONTO-- I
MEAN NOT TONTO, HE DESCRIBES
SILVER AND THE LONE RANGER PUT 1
DOWN AND HE SAYS, THAT WOULD BE
MINE.
AND SO THE OLD GUY COMES OVER
THERE AND LOOKS AT HIM AND SAYS,
HEY, YOU LEFT YOUR ENGINE
RUNNING.
[LAUGHTER]
DAD JOKE.
>> I HAVE MORE BUT THEY WON'T
PASS THE SENSOR SO ANYWAY, I
HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND IT WAS VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY THAT.
AND NOW, I HAVE 2 GRANDDAUGHTERS
AND EVERY TIME I SEE THEM, THEY
SAY THAT.
AND SOMETIMES WE SAY IT IN THEIR
SECOND LANGUAGE, WELL, FIRST
LANGUAGE.
THEY SAY I LOVE YOU SOME
SPANISH, AND I'M TEACHING THEM
TO SAY IT IN NAVAJO AND THEY
BUTCHER IT BUT I'M TEACHING
THEM.
ANYWAY, SO I HAVE TO REALLY WORK
HARD SOMETIMES TO EMBRACE THEM
AND GIVE THEM HUG AND SO I THINK
IT'S A LIFE LONG THING AND THIS
STUFF HAPPENED 60 YEARS, 70
YEARS FOR SOME OF US, NOT ME,
ANYWAY, LONG TIME AGO.
WHEN THE BOARDING SCHOOL,
COLONEL RICHARD PRATT, HE PUT IT
IN PLACE AT THE CARLISLE
INSTITUTE OVER IN CARLISLE,
PENNSYLVANIA AND HIS MOTOWAS
KILL THE INDIANS SAVE THE MAN.
AND THAT WAS THROUGH THEIR
LANGUAGE, THEIR CULTURE AND LAST
TIME WAS THERE, GRAVES ON THE
TREAT BEFORE YOU GO INTO THE
BARRACKS AND THERE ARE SOME OF
THE STUDENTS THERE, AND AT A
TOLL US MOST OF US WERE APACHE
STUDENTS GRAVES.
SO HE HAD AN ALL-OUT WAR AGAINST
US FROM THEN ON BECAUSE HE
COULDN'T DO WITH THE BULLETS AND
SABERS AND SO TO THIS DAY,
THERE'S STILL A WAR GOING ON AND
SOME OF THE SURVIVORS, IT'S
INSIDE OF US SO YOU HAVE TO FACE
IT AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST
LET IT GO, THEY WILL TELL YOU
THAT, TOO, JUST LET IT GO.
AND SO, I'VE LEARNED COPING
MECHANISMS SO THAT WHEN IT COMES
AT ME, GET OUT OF HERE, GET OUT
OF HERE, YOU KNOW?
AND SO THAT HELPS ME A LITTLE
BIT AND SOMETIMES I BECOME STOIC
AND THAT BECAUSE I'M SOMEWHERE
ELSE, AND SOMETIMES I'M LIKE OH,
BOARDING SCHOOL AND I USE IT AS
AN EXCUSE, BUT IT'S TRUE MOST OF
THE TIME BECAUSE DANG IT, IT
REALLY TOOK A LOT OUT OF US
DURING THOSE YEARS THAT WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING GOOD
THINGS.
AND OKAY, I WON'T TELL ANOTHER
JOKE.
I WILL JUST GIVE IT TO YOU.
>> I LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE CAN
HUMOR MY DAD BECAUSE IT MAKES
THE EMBARRASS AM GO AWAY IS WHAT
IT IS.
WHEN WE WERE IN SALT LAKE DOING
THE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, WE
HAVE A GUY WHO DOES THE
PORTRAITS YOU SEE RIGHT HERE,
HE'S NAME IS JEFF FERGUSON AND I
WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR EVERYBODY
TO MEET MY DAD, I WAS LIKE YEAH,
MY DAD, MY DAD.
AND JEFF FERGUSON WHO IS FROM
SPOKANE, AND HE COMES OUT AND HE
WAS GOING TO TAKE HIS PICTURE
AND I SAID HOW DID MY DAD DO AND
JEFF FERGUSON SAYS YOUR DAD IS
STOIC, I'M LIKE HOW STOIC IS HE,
HE'S SO STOIC WHEN I ASKED HIM
TO SMAIL ALL HE DID WAS THIS ...
AND I WAS LIKE HA HA HA HA,
WAIT.
JUST KNOWLEDGE KNOW THAT WHEN
YOU'RE A LITTLE KID THOUGH AND
YOUR DAD IS SO FRICIN STOIC THAT
YOU COULD TRY TO SCREAM, DO
ANYTHING TRY TO GET THEIR
ATTENTION BUT JUST LIKE YOU
SAID, HE'S NOT THERE, HE'S
SOMEWHERE ELSE AND SO I THINK
FOR A LARGE PART OF MY
CHILDHOOD, MY DAD WAS JUST SOME
GUY.
I KNEW HE WAS FUNNY.
I KNEW HE WAS A HARD WORKER, I
KNEW THAT HE WAS VERY SMART IN
FACT, IT'S ANNOYING HOW SMART HE
IS, IN OUR FAMILY HE'S A GRAMMAR
NUTS AND HE GETS ON US WHEN WE
HAVE POOR GRAMMAR, IT'S ANNOYING
BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL HE DECIDED
TO SHARE HIS EXPERIENCE OF
BOARDING SCHOOL WHERE I ACTUALLY
AM LEARNING WHO HE IS AS A
PERSON.
HE'S FUNNY AND ANNOYING AND HE'S
A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY.
I'M SURE HE HAS TALKED TO HOW
MANY PEOPLE HAS HE TALKED TO AND
COME UP AND INTRODUCED -- YEP,
YEP, YEP, AMANDA, THANKS FOR
RAISING YOUR HAND.
I HAVE THE SAME QUALITIES IN ME.
SO IT'S WONDERFUL, WHAT THE
HEALING THING IS IS THAT I KNOW
WHO HE IS NOW AND HE'S WONDERFUL
AND I'M LUCKY THAT HE IS MY DAD.
AND I'M LUCKY THAT HE IS THE
GRANDPA TO MY NIECES BECAUSE
HE'S A GOOD [INDISCERNIBLE].
HE LOVES THEM SO MUCH AND IT'S
WONDERFUL TO SEE HIM PICK THEM
UP FROM SCHOOL AND TAKE THEM TO
DANCE ASK ALL THOSE THINGS HE
DIDN'T DO WITH US BECAUSE HE
COULDN'T BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING
AND THAT'S AMAZING, SO, I THINK
WHEN OUR BOARDING SCHOOL
SURVIVORS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS
THEMSELVES WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE
AND START HEALING, THAT THEY --
THEY DO HEAL AND THEIR
PERSONALITY COMES OUT AND ALL
THE GOODNESS COMES OUT, TOO.
>> I JUST HAD TO ASK THE
QUESTION OVER AGAIN WHAT JOANY
SAID TO MY NIECE.
I WAS SO INTERESTED IN
LISTENING.
BUT WHAT HEALING LOOKS LIKE TO
ME IS SEEING MY FAMILY WHEN WE
GET TOGETHER AND SEEING THE LOVE
THAT CAN GO BETWEEN THEM AND
SEEING US ALL GET ALONG AND THEN
LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
MY ROOTS AND THEIR ROOTS AND
WHERE THEY CAME FROM, AND WHO
THEY ARE AND YOU KNOW MY
DAUGHTER ASKED ME WHO AM I MOM?
THAT'S [INDISCERNIBLE]'S MOTHER
AND I SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN AND
I SAID WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHO YOU
ARE?
SHE SAID YES, SHE SAID THE WHITE
PEOPLE CAN TRACE THEIR ANCESTRY
BACK TO 1200 YEARS WHAT CAN YOU
DO?
AND I SAID I CAN TRACE MY FAMILY
BECOME TO MY GRANDMOTHER AND SHE
SAID, THAT'S ONLY 3 GENERATION,
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 1200?
I SAID I DO NOT KNOW.
SO ANYWAY, BUT HEALING IS
GETTING MYSELF BACK TO EARTHLY
THINGS.
GETTING BACK TO SIMPLE THINGS.
HAVING EVERYTHING RIGHT IN ITS
PLACE AND WHEN IT'S SIMPLE, IT
IS IN ITS PLACE, BUT STILL, I
HAVE TO -- I WANT MY FAMILY
CLOSE.
THAT'S HEALING TO ME.
I WANT TO KNOW THEY'RE SAFE, I
WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW
THEY'RE GETTING ALONG.
THAT'S THE HEALING THAT I GET
FROM BEING IN BOARDING SCHOOL
AND BEING TREATED THE WAY I DID.
AS LONG AS I HAVE THE LOVE OF MY
FAMILY IT'S LIKE NOTHING ELSE
MATTERS TO ME AND YOU KNOW,
KNOWING THAT I HAVE GOOD FAMILY
THAT YOU KNOW IS BEHIND ME, AND
KNOWING THAT I'M CAPABLE OF
STANDING UP NOW FOR MYSELF AND
OPENING MY MOUTH WITHOUT BEING
SLAPPED, WITHOUT BEING HIT IN
ANY WAY OR RIDICULED OR PUT DOWN
AND I DO NOT LIKE TO SEE THAT
AND YOU KNOW MY -- WITH ANYBODY
WHEN THEY PUT SOMEONE DOWN, THAT
GOES RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM AND
OPENS UP TO WOUND IN ME WHEN
WHEN I HAD IN BOARDING SCHOOL.
I DON'T EVEN LIKE IT WHEN I'M
OUT AND I SEE A WHITE KID
BEHAVING SO BADLY TOWARDS
THERAPIST PARENT THAT YOU KNOW
IT JUST -- IT JUST GALLS ME
BECAUSE TO ME THAT BRINGS BACK
TAKEN--THEY PAIN AND THAT WOUND
THAT I WENT THROUGH WHEN I WAS
IN BOARDING SCHOOL, SO HEALING
MY FAMILY HAS HELPED ME HEAL
BECAUSE OF THE LOVE THEY GIVE
ME, BECAUSE OF THE CARING AND
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE I CAN TELL
THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, I
TRY TO TELL THEM WITHOUT GETTING
EMOTIONAL BUT SIEMS I CAN'T
SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE IT GOES
RIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT
SORE AND IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY PUT
A SON OF SALT IN IT.
BUT MY FAMILY UNDERSTANDS.
THEY WAIT FOR ME PATIENTLY TO
LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS BUT
THAT'S WHAT THE HEALING IS TO
ME.
IT IS TO BE WITH MY FAMILY AND
TO SEE THAT LOVE AND CARE, YOU
KNOW SO THAT GIVES ME THE
COURAGE TO GO ON A LITTLE BIT
FURTHER AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME AND YOU KNOW
THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE
I WAS IN HARBOR SPRINGS AND
THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN
I WAS IN HARBOR SPRINGS, SOME
THINGS WERE FUNNY, SOME THINGS
WERE HORRIBLE, SO BUT HEALING IS
THE LOVE I'M SURROUNDED WITH AND
YOU PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME THAT,
TOO.
AND I THANK YOU.
AND I THANK MY FAMILY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OKAY, I'LL BE QUICK, HEALING
TO ME IS TRUTH SEEKING, FINDING
ANSWERS, PUTTING PIECES
TOGETHER, FINDING OUT THE WHY
BEHIND THINGS ESPECIALLY WITH MY
FAMILY.
LEARNING THINGS THAT MAKE YOU
GO, OH, NO WONDER WHY, THAT'S
REALLY HEALING TO ME.
BRINGING MY AUNTIE HERE AND
MAKING SURE SHE'S INVOLVED WITH
NAVs IS MORE VALUABLE THAN
ANYTHING AND I'M GLAD -- I'M
GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE HERE
AND FALCON AND THEN LISTENING
LISTENING AND LEARNING IS ALSO
VERY HEALING, NOT ONLY TO ME BUT
ALSO HOPEFULLY WITH JUST
LYNCHING TO THEIR STORIES, YOU
KNOW THAT'S A RECIPROCAL
RELATIONSHIP.
YOU'RE GAINING INFORMATION,
LEARNING, THEY'RE RELEASING, SO
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
>> I'LL BE EVEN QUICKER.
I THINK A BIG PART OF HEALING TO
ME IS JUST KNOWING -- WELL TO US
IS JUST KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE
LEAVES THE ROOM TO CRY OR IT'S
JUST KNOWING THAT YOU CAN OPEN
UP, THAT PEOPLE WILL LISTEN AND
TO THEY WANT TO LISTEN AND THAT
WE CAN ALL LINE ON EACH OTHER
AND RELY ON EACH OTHER, THAT'S A
BIG PART OF HEALING TO ME ALSO
KNOWING THAT NAVs HAS HELPED
UTION, AND SHARE AND SPEAK, AND
GET MORE THAN 1 SENTENCE AND
IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND -- AND ETCH'S
EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL
ESPECIALLY THINKING THAT I
DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO KNOW THAT
MUCH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I
EVER THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE THIS
IS SEEING MY GRANDMA THRIVE AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, THE
TIGHTNESS IN THE CHEST AND
ANSWERS COMING TO THIS SPACE
WITH US, THANKS SO MUCH AND I
JUST WANT TO GIVE OUR PANELISTS
AND LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER
ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND I THINK
OUR TAKE AWAY IS LOOKS LIKE
FAMILY, FORGIVENESS, LOVE,
SILENT LOVE AND DAD JOKES.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.