GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH PRESENTATION AT
THE TRIBAL HEALTH RESEARCH
OFFICE AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
MY NAME IS DR. KARINA WALTERS.
I AM AN ENROLLED CITIZEN OF THE
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA AND
DIRECTOR OF THE TRIBAL HEALTH
RESEARCH OFFICE AND THIS IS PART
OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
MONTH SERIES.
I AM THE DATA, THE DATA IS ME!.
THE THEME RESONATES DEEPLY
BECAUSE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES,
IT IS NOT JUST INFORMATION, IT
TIES TO IDENTITY, IT EMBODIES
OUR PHYSICAL SELVES, OUR
CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, OUR
SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS.
IT'S ACTUALLY INSEPARABLE FROM
WHO WE ARE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS
SOVEREIGN NATIONS.
SO TODAY'S LECTURE, BUILDING
HEALTHFUL INDIGENOUS FUTURES,
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE, WAYS OF
KNOWING AND INDIGENOUS DATA
SOVEREIGNTY, FOR THAT LECTURE WE
HAVE THE DISTINGUISHED HONOR OF
HAVING DR. GREGORY CAJETE.
WE'RE SO HONORED TO HAVE HIM
JOIN US.
I WAS JUST FAN GIRLING WITH HIM
BEFORE THIS LECTURE HAD STARTED,
AND I'VE KNOWN HIM AT LEAST FOR,
YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MORE THAN 30
YEARS.
I CERTAINLY WAS INFLUENCED BY
HIS WORK WHEN I WAS A DOCTORAL
STUDENT AND HAVE SINCE HAD THE
HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO BE PART
OF LECTURES AND OTHER
CONFERENCES WITH HIM.
HHIS ART AND SCHOLARSHIP HAS BEN
DEDICATED TO HONORING THE
FOUNDATION OF INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE AND ECOLOGICAL THOUGHT
IN EDUCATION AND SCIENCE.
HE HAS BEEN AWARDED NUMEROUS
FEDERAL AND NSF GRANTS, HE'S
PUBLISHED AT LEAST FIVE BOOKS,
HE'S WORKING ON ONE RIGHT NOW IN
RETIREMENT, LIKE NATIVE SCIENCE,
NATURAL LAW OF INTERDEPENDENCE,
AND THROUGHOUT HIS WRITING HE
TELLS A STORY OF INDIGENOUS
SCIENCE AS A WAY OF
UNDERSTANDING, EXPERIENCING AND
FEELING THE NATURAL WORLD.
HE POINTS TO PARALLELS AND
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INDIGENOUS
SCIENCE AND WESTERN SCIENCE
PARADIGMS WITH A SPECIAL
EMPHASIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND
ECOLOGICAL THOUGHT AND STUDIES.
ANAND A REALLY BEAUTIFUL FACT, A
DISTINGUISHED ARTIST, HE IS A
PRACTICING CERAMIC PASTEL AND
METAL, IN HIS RETIREMENT PHASE.
HE HAS WORKED IN THE INSTITUTE
OF AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS IN SANTA
FE, NEW MEXICO, HE WAS THERE FOR
OVER 21 YEARS, HE SERVED AS DEAN
OF CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND
CULTURAL EXCHANGE CHAIR OF
NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES AND
PROFESSOR OF ETHNOSCIENCE.
HE'S LECTURED ALL AROUND THE
WORLD AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO
HAVE A SHARED EXPERIENCE IN NEW
ZEALAND ALTEDOA TOGETHER.
AS I SAID I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR
QUITE A LONG TIME, BUT I JUST
WANT TO SAY -- I EVEN HAVE SOME
OF HIS BOOKS WITH ME AT THE
MOMENT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE
WROTE IN MY BOOK, HE SAID MAY
YOUR PATHWAY TO INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE BE PAVED WITH
HAPPINESS AND MANY BLESSINGS.
AND SO MAY WE BE BLESSED TODAY
ON THIS JOURNEY OF SHARING
KNOWLEDGE TOGETHER TO BUILDING
HEALTHFUL INDIGENOUS FUTURES,
REALLY IMAGINING THAT, AND HOW
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE, WAYS OF
KNOWING, EMPOWERING INDIGENOUS
DATA SOVEREIGNTY CAN HELP LEAD
US THERE.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ME
WELCOME DR. GREGORY CAJETE.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT
BEAUTIFUL INTRODUCTION, KARINA.
AS WE SAY IN MY LANGUAGE, GOOD
MORNING, AND IT IS A GOOD
MORNING.
THE MORNING BEFORE THANKSGIVING,
WHICH IS COMMONLY CALLED THE
INDIAN HOLIDAY, THE NATIVE
HOLIDAY, THE THANKSGIVING DAY.
SO I'M HOPING THAT ALL OF YOU
ARE GOING TO HAVE JUST A
WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING.
IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE TO HAVE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME
THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES ON
NATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH,
COMMUNITY, AND DATA SOVEREIGNTY.
SO I'M REALLY VERY HONORED AND
VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THESE
THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES.
I'VE PREPARED A POWER POINT THAT
I HOPE WILL GIVE YOU SOME
INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES, AT
LEAST FROM MY RESEARCH AND MY
EXPERIENCES WITH REGARD TO
NATIVE HEALTH.
MY ORIGINAL DEGREE IS A B.A. IN
BIOLOGY WITH AN EMPHASIS IN
FIELD BIOLOGY, OR FIELD STUDIES
FROM NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
UNIVERSITY, WHERE I GOT MY
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE, AND SO
THAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE
OF SCIENCE, I THINK HAS CARRIED
THROUGH THROUGHOUT MY WORK AT
THE DOCTORAL LEVEL AND CERTAINLY
MY WORK AS A PROFESSOR, BUT I
JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
SCIENCE HAS BEEN A PART OF MY
WORK SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY
CAREER, SO HOPEFULLY THESE
INSIGHTS WILL GIVE YOU SOME
PERSPECTIVES OF HOW THAT HAS
WOVEN INTO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO SHARE
MY POWERPOINT AND START THE
PRESENTATION.
>> TO DR. CAJETE, I JUST WANT TO
REMIND -- WHILE YOU'RE SETTING
UP YOUR POWERPOINT, I JUST WANT
TO REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT
THERE IS A LIVE FEEDBACK WHERE
YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS TO
AND WE'LL BRING THOSE UP AT THE
END.
THANK YOU.
>> SO MY PRESENTATION TODAY
REALLY FOCUSES ON REALLY THE
FOUNDATION OF INDIGENOUS HEALTH
IN EARLIER TIMES FOR ALL
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WAS THE
COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND
STRENGTH WAS ESSENTIALLY THE
FOUNDATION FOR PERSPECTIVES,
UNDERSTANDINGS AND REALLY
EXPERIENCING OF HEALTH.
THIS IS SOME OF MY WORK, AND FOR
ME, IT REPRESENTS THE NOTION
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE
PROCESS OF RESEARCH, MOVING -- I
CALL THIS THE FOUR DIRECTIONS OF
INDIGENOUS RESEARCH IN WHICH
WE'RE GUIDED BY OUR OWN SENSE OF
WHO WE ARE, OUR SPIRIT,
REPRESENTED BY THE COCOPELLI AND
AS WE EXPLORE THE WORLD AROUND
US, IT BECOMES A KIND OF JOURNEY
BETWEEN THE FOUR DIRECTIONS, THE
SACRED DIRECTIONS OF NORTH,
SOUTH, EAST, WEST AND NORTH, SO
THIS BECOMES FOR ME A KIND OF
WAY OF THINKING ABOUT REFLECTING
THROUGH ART AND THROUGH THE WORK
THAT I DO AS AN ARTIST, SOME OF
THE WORK I DO IN RESEARCH AND
ALSO IN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND
NATIVE SCIENCE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND
BEGIN.
THE FIRST SLIDE REALLY REFLECTS
THE INDIGENOUS WORLD VIEW FROM A
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START
WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT
INDEED INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE,
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE, IF YOU WILL,
NATIVE SCIENCE, COMES FROM A
CREATIVE JOURNEY, BUT ALSO COMES
FROM A DIFFERENT WORLD VIEW.
THAT WORLD VIEW IS REALLY
CAPSULIZED IN THESE TERMS, THE
AXIOLOGY OR THE FOCUS OF
INDIGENOUS LIFE, INDIGENOUS
WORLD VIEW, THE VALUE LIES IN
THE BALANCE OF RELATIONS, THE
BALANCE OF RELATIONS.
SO AT THE VERY BEGINNING, IT'S
OBVIOUS THAT INDIGENOUS WORLD
VIEWS ARE RELATIONAL WORLD
VIEWS.
THEY'RE ABOUT RELATIONSHIP IN
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN
RELATIONSHIP TO THE NATURAL
WORLD.
THE EPISTEMOLOGY OR THE NATURE
OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OR HOW
WE COME TO KNOWLEDGE IN
INDIGENOUS CONTEXT IS THROUGH
OBSERVING, THROUGH DOING,
THROUGH MAKING, THROUGH
SYMBOLIZING, THROUGH RHYTHM,
THROUGH RITUAL AND THROUGH
CEREMONY.
SO THESE ARE DOORWAYS TO COME TO
KNOWLEDGE, TO TRANSFER
KNOWLEDGE, TO ENGAGE KNOWLEDGE
CREATIVELY FROM THAT INDIGENOUS
PERSPECTIVE.
THE LOGIC IS ALL ELEMENTS AND
BEINGS OF THE MULTI-VERSE ARE
ININTERDEPENDENTLY LINKED
TOGETHER, EMPHASIZED IN THIS
CONTEXT OF LOGIC.
WE'RE A PART OF EVERYTHING,
WE'RE CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING,
FROM THE SUBATOMIC LEVEL ALL THE
WAY TO THE LEVEL OF THE COSMOS
ITSELF.
WE ARE CONNECTED, WE ARE RELATED
TO EACH OTHER.
AND TO EVERYTHING AROUND US.
THE PROCESS IN THE INDIGENOUS
WORLD VIEW IS WORKING WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL THINGS
ARE DEPENDENTLY INTERRELATED IN
THE BALANCE AND HARMONY OF THE
MULTI-VERSE.
NOW DEPENDENTLY IS EXACTLY THAT.
WE ARE DEPENDENT UPON THESE
RELATIONSHIPS.
THE WORKING, THE UNDERSTANDING,
THE EXTENSION OF THESE
RELATIONSHIPS IS WHAT, FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, GIVES LIFE TO ALL,
TO OURSELVES, TO OUR
COMMUNITIES, AND TO ALL THE
WORLD.
AND SO I WANTED TO START WITH
THIS SLIDE JUST TO GIVE YOU THAT
SENSE OF WHAT IS THE INDIGENOUS
WORLD VIEW THAT GUIDES SOME OF
THE THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES
THAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU
THIS MORNING.
WE ALL DANCE TO DIFFERENT DRUMS,
I USE THIS SLIDE TO EVOKE THE
MEMORY, OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WE
WORK IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH
OTHER AND THE COMMUNITY IS THE
MEDIUM AND THE MESSAGE FOR
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
AS AN EDUCATOR, I'M VERY AWARE
OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION,
HEALTH EDUCATION, AND
PARTICULARLY HEALTH EDUCATION IN
THE CONTEXT OF INDIGENOUS LIFE,
INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS, AND
REALLY THE KIND OF EDUCATION I'M
LOOKING AT IS REALLY TEACHING
AND LEARNING, WHICH IS
TRANSFORMATIVE, AND ANTICIPATES
CHANGE IN INNOVATION.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, INDIGENOUS
HEALTH EDUCATION CAN INTEGRATE
AND APPLY THIS WHOLE IDEA OF
SUSTAINABILITY ALONG WITH
APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENTAL
KNOWLEDGE.
SO FOR ME, HEALTH EDUCATION IS
VERY MUCH TIED TO THE WHOLE
NOTION OF SUSTAINABILITY, THE
WHOLE NOTION OF WORKING TOGETHER
IN COMMUNITY.
TOWARDS OPTIMAL HEALTH.
SO HEALTH EDUCATION FORMS THE
FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY
SUSTAINABILITY, FOR RENEWAL AND
REVITALIZATION.
WHEN YOU STUDY INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHY,
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE, IF YOU WILL,
WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT IT IS
INDEED PRIMARILY A
SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTED SCIENCE.
IN THAT IT IS ABOUT SUSTAINING A
PEOPLE IN A PLACE THROUGH TIME
AND THROUGH GENERATIONS.
BASED ON THAT WORLD VIEW THAT I
JUST SHOWED YOU.
SO IN MANY WAYS, WE, WHO ARE
INVOLVED WITH INDIGENOUS
EDUCATION, TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THE IMPORTANCE OF
COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY
EDUCATION AS BEING ONE OF THE
HALLMARKS IN THE FOUNDATION OF
THE REINTRODUCTION, IF YOU WILL,
OF INDIGENOUS FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO AGAIN, THAT NOTION WE ARE ALL
RELATED, WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF
TURTLE ISLAND, AND THE SHOT OF
THAT BUFFALO EPITOMIZES THAT
STRENGTH AND THAT KNOWLEDGE
WHICH IS NOW COMING BACK IN SOME
VERY NEW AND VERY INTERESTING
KINDS OF WAYS TO INDIAN COUNTRY.
INCLUDING THE WHOLE NOTION OF
COMMUNITY HEALTH.
SO WHAT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF
THIS KNOWLEDGE THAT I'M
REFERRING TO THAT'S DINCH
KNOWLEDGE?
THAT STEMS FROM, THAT EMERGES
FROM THIS WORLD VIEW OF RELAT
RELATIONALITY?
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE ARE
FOUR KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT I
WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO,
WHICH IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF
TRADITIONS HANDED DOWN BASED ON
STORIES AND EXPERIENCES OF A
PEOPLE THROUGH TIME.
AND ALL TRIBES HAVE THEIR FORMS
OF TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE IN MANY WAYS THAT
REFLECT SOME VERY IMPORTANT
UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT IT IS AND
HOW THEY HAVE SURVIVED IN THE
PLACES IN WHICH THEY SURVIVE
TODAY.
AND REALLY THE PROMINENCE OF
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS NOW
BECOMING VERY APPARENT IN A LOT
OF THE RESEARCH THAT IS
HAPPENING IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S
EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE.
THIS IS KNOWLEDGE GAINED THROUGH
CAREFUL OBSERVATION AND PRACTICE
OVER TIME, AND SO WHEN ONE LOOKS
AT THIS WHOLE NOTION OF WHAT I
CALL NATIVE SCIENCE, YOU'LL SEE
THAT NATIVE PEOPLES APPLIED
PRINCIPLES OF SCIENCE IN
VARIETIES OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN
THEIR PLACE IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN
THEMSELVES.
SO THAT LED TO A WHOLE BODY OF
WHAT WE WOULD CALL EMPIRICAL
KNOWLEDGE, GAINED THROUGH THAT
OBSERVATION AND THAT PRACTICE
OVER TIME.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ALSO REGARD
REVEALED KNOWLEDGE AS VERY
IMPORTANT, AND THIS IS THE KIND
OF KNOWLEDGE THAT IS GAINED
THROUGH VISION, THROUGH RITUAL
AND THROUGH CEREMONY.
AND THAT, AGAIN, IS ALSO A KIND
OF KNOWLEDGE THAT IS BEING
REVIVED IN INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY.
THEN FINALLY WHAT I CALL
CONTEMPORARY KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS
GAINED THROUGH EXPERIENCE AND
PROBLEM SOLVING IN A MODERN
WORLD CONTEXT.
AND THIS INCLUDES FORMAL
EDUCATION, WESTERN EDUCATION IN
ALL ITS LEVELS, BUT THIS
CONTEMPORARY KNOWLEDGE IS JUST
THE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF
LIVING IN A MODERN WORLD WITH
ALL OF ITS CHALLENGES, WITH ALL
OF ITS OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO
WITH ALL OF ITS FORMS OF
KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO FOR ME, THESE ARE THE
FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE
THAT I WORK WITH AS I BEGIN TO
REFLECT ON WHAT IS THE NATURE OF
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY, AND
COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND
COMMUNITY EDUCATION.
SO KNOWLEDGE ITSELF, ALL
FOUNDATIONS OF INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE CAN PROVIDE US MODELS
AND CREATIVE INSIGHT THAT ARE
NECESSARY TO RENEW AND
REVITALIZE THE HEALTH OF
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND
ECONOMIES.
THIS AWARENESS IS IMPORTANT WHEN
DEALING WITH THE RESEARCH --
WITH RESEARCH AND DATA
SOVEREIGNTY.
IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR
FEDERAL AGENCIES SUCH AS THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
AND STATE AGENCIES WHO ARE
DEALING WITH KNOWLEDGE.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS
KIND OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT WORK WITH
NATIVE TRIBES IN NATIVE HEALTH
IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM.
TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE
DIFFERENT NESTS OF KNOWLEDGE
THAT ARE PART OF INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS HISTORIES,
ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER AS YOU
BEGIN TO LOOK AT HOW TO, IN THE
SENSE ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
ALSO IT REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, AS
CONCERNED PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO
TAKE A LONG AND HARD AND HONEST
LOOK AT THE CURRENT HEALTH,
EDUCATION, ECONOMIC
INSTITUTIONAL, GOVERNMENTAL AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICIES,
PLANNING AND PROCESSES, WHICH
MAY BE IMPEDIMENTS TO MAKING
PROGRESS IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
HEALTH.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE COURAGE
TO RESOLVE AND MOVE BEYOND THEM.
SO THIS IS ONE OF -- I THINK ONE
OF THE PRIMARY AND ESSENTIAL
FOUNDATIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED
RESEARCH, COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH
RESEARCH IN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES.
AGAIN, THAT SOMETIMES ENTAILS
REAL REFLECTION ON HOW POLICIES
IN THE PAST HAVE IMPACTED
INDIGENOUS HEALTH.
AND THE ABILITY OF INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES TO REGAIN A HEALTHY
STATUS.
FOR ME, I IT ALSO IMPLIES A NEW
GENERATION OF NATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, AND YOU
KIND OF -- NATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION PREDICATED ON GUIDING
NATIVE PEOPLE TOWARD THIS VISION
OF HEALTH, REVITALIZE
SUSTAINABLE AND ECONOMICALLY
VIABLE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY,
WHICH IS BASED ON VALUES, IDEAS,
PERSPECTIVES, UNDERSTANDINGS
THAT COME FROM WITHIN THE TRIBE
ITSELF.
SO INDIGENOUS RESEARCH TAKES
MANY FORMS.
PRIMARILY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
IT CAN BE STORY, IT CAN BE
LOOKED AT AS A PROCESS FOR
COMING TO KNOW, COMING TO
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF RESEARCH.
AS A FORM OF KNOWLEDGE CREATION
TO INCREASE WELL-BEING.
AND ALSO ESPECIALLY AS A PROCESS
FOR EMPOWERING NATIVE
COMMUNITIES.
SO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DOING
RESEARCH ON INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
HEALTH, I THINK IS ONE OF THE
MOST POWERFUL REALMS WHERE THE
REINTRODUCTION OF INDIGENOUS
VALUES, THE APPLICATION OF
INDIGENOUS WORLD VIEW CAN HAPPEN
IN A VERY SUBSTANSIVE, VERY
AUTHENTIC AND VERY POWERFUL,
POWERFUL WAY.
SO YOU HAVE INDIGENOUS RESEARCH
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE FORMS OF
EVALUATION, AND SO THESE
CRITERIA FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ARE
IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER AS YOU
BEGIN TO LOOK AT RESEARCH
SCENARIOS WITHIN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RELATED TO
HEALTH.
CERTAINLY THE BELIEFS AND VALUES
OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF THE WHOLE
NOTION THAT THINGS THAT ARE
BEING RESEARCHED ARE A THING OR
A PROCESS THAT CREATES NEW
KNOWLEDGE, NEW UNDERSTANDINGS
BASED ON OLD KNOWLEDGE, MAYBE,
OR BASED ON NEW FINDINGS, BUT
THAT KNOWLEDGE CREATION IS VERY
IMPORTANT IN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY AND NEEDS TO BE SHARED
WITH THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE IN PLACE, THE
DIFFERENCES AND DIVERSITIES OF
PEOPLES, INDIGENOUS TRIBES
CERTAINLY HAVE A GREAT DIVERSITY
WITHIN THEM.
IT'S EXPLORING PERSONAL GIFTS
AND REALLY ENHANCING THOSE
GIFTS, THOSE GIFT MAY BE
RESEARCH OR THEY MAY BE HEALTH
PRACTITIONERS DOING WORK IN THE
COMMUNITY.
SO IT REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT
A LOT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
WORKING IN THE HEALTH FIELD HAVE
VERY IMPORTANT GIFTS, PERSONAL
GIFTS TO SHARE, AND THAT SHOULD
BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THAT SHOULD
BE HONORED.
CERTAINLY COMMUNITY FOCUS,
COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY,
FAMILY FOCUS, AND ALSO THE WHOLE
NOTION OF HOW COMMUNITY HEALTH
RESEARCH EXPRESSES AND BUILDS
UPON AND ALSO EMPOWERS TRIBAL
SOVEREIGNTY.
IN TERMS OF EVALUATION, THE
NOTION THAT CONTEXT IS CRITICAL,
THAT EVERY PROGRAM ESSENTIALLY
IS A PLACE-BASED PROGRAM BECAUSE
IT'S SITUATED IN A TRAIN OR A
COMMUNITY.
IT'S ABOUT THE WHOLE PERSON,
IT'S ABOUT INVOLVING THE
COMMUNITY IN THE RESEARCH, THAT
IT AFFECTS FAMILIES AND THAT
OWNERSHIP AND CAPACITY NEEDS TO
BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY
ITSELF, WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT
IS BEING RESEARCHED.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE
GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES THAT I
TEACH MY STUDENTS, WHEN I WAS A
PROFESSOR, ABOUT INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
HEALTH RESEARCH.
IT GOES ON TO INCLUDE FRAMING
RESEARCH, OF COURSE, IN THE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY, USING
INDIGENOUS METAPHORS OF
RESEARCH, OF WHICH THERE ARE
MANY NOW, CREATING KNOWLEDGE
CERTAINLY, WHICH BENEFITS THE
COMMUNITY, BUILDING ON CORE
CULTURAL VALUES OF THE
COMMUNITY, OF THE CULTURE,
CREATING GUIDING STORIES THROUGH
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH IS, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, A FORM OF STORY
MAKING AND STORYTELLING, AND
THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE PROCESS
OF EXPLORING AN IMPORTANT ISSUE
OR A CHALLENGE, AND AROUND THAT,
OF STORY FORMS.
AND SO CREATING/GUIDING STORIES
THROUGH RESEARCH CAN BE ONE OF
THE MODERN WAYS IN WHICH
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE RECLAIMING
THE WHOLE TRADITIONS AND
APPLYING THE WHOLE TRADITIONINGS
TRADITIONS OFSTORYTELLING AND SG
AND STORY APPLICATIONS.
BUILDING THE INDIGENOUS ASK
SCAFFOLDING FOR RESEARCH, THAT
IS AN EDUCATIONAL ISSUE OF NOT
ONLY CREATING AWARENESS OF
HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT
ALSO CREATING SEGUES OR PATHWAYS
FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN HEALTH RESEARCH
BY BECOMING PROFESSIONALS,
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
AND ALSO COMMUNITY EVALUATION
AND REPORTING, THE IMPORTANCE OF
REPORTING YOUR RESEARCH AND YOUR
PROCESSES OF RESEARCH BACK TO
THE COMMUNITY INVOLVING THEM IN
COLLABORATION WITH THAT
RESEARCH.
ENGAGING, EDUCATING AND CAPACITY
BUILDING ARE THREE OF THE KEY
ELEMENTS OF INTRODUCING AND ALSO
IMPLEMENTING EDUCATION PROCESSES
THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE
COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN IN ADDITION TO THESE
FRAMEWORKS ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT I LOOK AT WHEN I'M
LOOKING AT THIS KIND OF
RESEARCH.
THERE'S ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL AS
WELL AS ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
THAT COMES INTO PLAY WHEN YOU
LOOK AT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
RESEARCH.
THESE ARE BASIC PRINCIPLES.
START WITH ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY.
REMEMBER ECOLOGY, YOU KNOW, IN
WESTERN SCIENCE IS ABOUT
RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS IN
NATURE, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS,
THEY'RE ALL ABOUT ECOLOGY.
THEY'RE ALL ABOUT SUSTAINAB
SUSTAINABILITY.
START FROM THAT PREMISE THAT
WHAT YOU DO HAS INTEGRITY AND
HONORS LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIP.
RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE THINGS
THAT PROVIDE US THE ABILITY TO
LIVE, LIFE CENTERED KINDS OF
PRACTICES.
BUILD IN A SUSTAINABLE
ORIENTATION WHICH SUSTAINS BOTH
THE COMMUNITY, THE CULTURE AND
THE PLACE.
SO IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE CRITERIA
OF SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PEOPLE
THEMSELVES.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT THROUGH
VISION AND PURPOSE, SEE WHAT YOU
CAN DO IN THE LIGHT OF
REVITALIZING A COMMUNITY.
CONTINUING WITH THAT IDEA, CULL
TACULTURAL INTEGRATION ACTIONS
ORIGINATE THROUGH A SPIRITUAL
AGENCY THAT STEMS FROM
CONNECTIONS TO A CULTURAL WAY OF
BEING.
SO FROM INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE,
THAT CULTURAL INTEGRATION IS
ESSENTIAL TO BOTH THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF A KIND OF
RESEARCH IN A COMMUNITY AND ITS
PURPOSE.
RESPECT FOR ALL, ACTIONS STEM
FROM RESPECT FOR AND CELEBRATION
OF COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGING
PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY IS BOTH THE MEDIUM
AND THE BENEFICIARY OF
ACTIVITIES OF RESEARCH.
AND SO AS YOU MAY BEGIN TO SEE
WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT THE
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN
NATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH IS AN
ESSENTIAL COMPONENT FORTY
LIABILITFOR ITSLIABILITY, SUSTAD
ITS BUILDING OF THE COMMUNITY
ITSELF, REVITALIZING OF THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF.
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
WELL, YOU BUILD UPON AND EXTEND
RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL
TO THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION AND
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT.
YOU RESTORE AND EXTEND THE
HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH
IS THE KEY GOAL.
EVERY INITIATIVE SHOULD GENERATE
CREATIVE -- DYNAMIC CREATIVE
PROCESSES, SUPPORTIVE ACTIONS
AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
AND REMEMBER THE INDIGENOUS
WORLD VIEW IS ABOUT
RELATIONALITY AND BALANCE THAT
IS INCLUSIVE OF THE NATURAL
WORLD.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY HEALTH AND
CONCEPTS COMING TO -- YOU CAN'T
NEGLECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE RELATIONSHIPS PEOPLE HAVE TO
THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.
AND HOW IN SOME CASES THE
ENVIRONMENT HAS TO BE HEALED AS
MUCH AS THE COMMUNITY.
FOR HEALTH TO BE RESTORED.
AND SO THESE ARE PRECEPTS AND
PERSPECTIVES OF INDIGENOUS
RESEARCH THAT I'VE COME TO
UNDERSTAND AS BEING VERY
VALUABLE AND VERY IMPORTANT IN
THE WHOLE NOTION OF
COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH RESEARCH
FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
SO WHAT IS COMMUNITY?
I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT
COMMUNITY.
SO THIS DEFINITION BY DEE HOCK
WHO WROTE A BOOK CALLED BIRTH OF
A CHAODIC AGE, AND THIS WAS
ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO, SAYS THAT
THE ETHE ESSENCE OF COMMUNITY, S
VERY HEART AND SOUL, IS THE
NON-MONETARY, NON-MONETARY
CHANGE OF VALUE, THINGS WE DO
AND SHARE BECAUSE WE CARE FOR
OTHERS, AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE
PLACE.
IT ARISES FROM A DEEP,
INTUITIVE, OFTEN SUBCONSCIOUS
UNDERSTANDING THAT SELF-INTEREST
IS INACC INSEPARABLY CONNECTED H
COMMUNITY INTEREST.
SO THE WHOLE NOTION OF COMMUNITY
HEALTH FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE IS
REALLY THAT IT'S NOT JUST
INDIVIDUALIZED HEALTHCARE, THAT
HEALTHCARE HAS TO ENCOMPASS ALL
OF THESE UNDERSTANDINGS,
PERSPECTIVES, AND NOTIONS OF AN
INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITY THAT IS
BASED ON RELATIONSHIP.
SO I THINK THAT THIS DEFINITION
BY DEE HOCK REALLY CAPTURES THE
ESSENCE OF THAT CREDO, THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
COMMITMENTS.
COMMITMENTS TO DEVELOPING THE
NECESSARY SKILLS, COMMITMENT TO
RENEWAL AND REVITALIZATION,
COMMITMENT TO MUTUAL RECIPROCAL
ACTION AND TRANSFORMATIVE
CHANGE.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF STANCES
THAT YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT AS
YOU MOVE INTO RESEARCH IN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES RELATED
TO HEALTH.
ACTUALLY NOT ONLY TO HEALTH, BUT
ALSO TO ALMOST ANY EDUCATION,
ECONOMICS, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING
WITH TWO COLLEAGUES HERE IN
NEW MEXICO AND SANTA FE
ACTUALLY, WHO WROTE A BOOK
CALLED "COMING HOM HOME," AND TE
FULL FOCUS OF OUR WORK TOGETHER
WAS THAT WE BROUGHT TOGETHER
DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, I WOULD
CALL THEM ACTIVISTS, BUT
COMMUNITY PEOPLE THAT WERE
WORKING ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
COMMUNITY BUILDING, COMMUNITY
SERVICE, AND WE BEGAN TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT IS COMMUNITY, WHAT IS
THE NATURE OF COMMUNITY.
SO WE CAME UP WITH SOME OF THESE
IDEAS, YOU KNOW, HOW THE
COMMUNITIES ARE CULTURAL AND
NATURAL SYSTEMS WHERE LIFE AND
LEARNING ARE NOURISHED BY THE
ACTION OF THE MEMBERS.
THIS ENABLES PEACEFUL AND
SUSTAINABLE FUTURES.
WE BEGIN AS PEOPLE WITH ONE CORE
COMMUNITY, BUT BECOME MEMBERS OF
MANY OTHER KINDS OF COMMUNITIES
THROUGH OUR LIFETIME.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
COMMUNITY HAS ITS OWN DYNAMICS.
HOW IT OPERATES.
IT HAS WHAT I CALL ITS OWN
ECOLOGIES, OKAY, SETS OF
RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND TO BE AWARE.
AND THAT IN SOME WAYS BECOME THE
BASIS FOR THE RESEARCH THAT ONE
DOES IN COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A COMPELLING NEED, IF
YOU GO OUT AND ASK PEOPLE WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, EVERYONE IS
LOOKING FOR HEALTH.
PEOPLE TODAY ARE SEARCHING FOR
MEANING ALSO WHICH IS A PART OF
THAT HEALTH IN EDUCATION,
INDIGENOUS EDUCATION CIRCLES, WE
ARE LOOKING AT SOCIAL AND
EMOTIONAL LEARNING AS BEING A
MAJOR COMPONENT OF INDIGENOUS
EDUCATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
GUIDES OUR SENSE OF WHO WE ARE
AND IN A HEALTHY WAY, HELPS US
TO DEVELOP THAT SENSE OF
OURSELVES AND IN RELATIONSHIP TO
OUR COMMUNITIES.
TO OUR FAMILIES.
AND AS PEOPLE, WE STRUGGLE
WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR
THIS COMMUNAL VIRTUE AND ETHICAL
ACTION.
A HEALTHY SOCIETY CAN ONLY COME
FROM HEALTHY COMMUNITIES,
COMPRISED OF SELF-DETERMINING
INDIVIDUALS, ACTING AND TAKING
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS
FOR ALL.
AGAIN THAT COMPELLING NEED IS
SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
AS AN UNDERSTANDING AS ONE LOOKS
AT INDIGENOUS RESEARCH IN
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITIES TO BE HEALTHY ALSO
REQUIRE SOME THINGS.
AND THEY GIVE US THINGS AS
INDIVIDUALS, AS MEMBERS OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES.
A PERCEPTION OF BELONGING AND
THE COMMUNITY ALSO SUPPORTS A
SENSE OF IDENTITY.
THAT PLACES OUR IDENTITY IN
CONTEXT, A VERY IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATION ABOUT WHAT
COMMUNITIES DO FOR US AS PEOPLE.
BUT IT ALSO REQUIRES
PARTICIPATION AND COMMITMENT.
IT SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS AND IN
TURN IS SUPPORTED BY
INDIVIDUALS.
SO THERE'S A SYNERGISTIC TYPE OF
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS
AND COMMUNITY, AND YOU SEE THAT
SYNERGY WHEN IT'S COHERENT, WHEN
THE COMMUNITY IS TOGETHER, WHEN
IT'S WORKING TOGETHER, WHEN THE
RELATIONSHIPS ARE WORKING, YOU
SEE A KIND OF DYNAMIC ENERGY,
DYNAMIC SYNERGY THAT IS
COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU'RE IN COMMUNITY, YOU
KNOW IT, YOU FEEL IT.
YOU SENSE IT AS WELL AS SEEING
IT UNFOLD BEFORE YOU.
SO THIS IS WHY MANY NATIVE
PEOPLE DO HAVE A LOT OF
REVERENCE AND RESPECT FOR
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THEY COME
TOGETHER FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES IN
COMMUNITY.
TO RESTORE THAT SENSE OF
BELONGING, THAT SENSE OF
CONNECTION THAT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
WELL-BEING.
HUMAN COMMUNITIES REFLECT A
SENSE OF PURPOSE, AGREEMENT OF
CORE VALUES, THEY REQUIRE
PARTICIPATION, COMMUNICATION,
COMMITMENT, COLLABORATION AND
TRUST.
THEY ARE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE BUT
ALSO A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY REQUIRE ACCEPTANCE,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPECT.
THEY GIVE RECIPROCITY, EFFICACY
AND AFFECTION, AND ULTIMATELY
THAT'S ALL ABOUT SOMETHING
CALLED LOVE.
LOVE FOR SELF, LOVE FOR
COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, INTERVENTIONS THAT
RESTORE THE HEALTH OF THE
INDIVIDUAL GO ONLY USUALLY AS
FAR AS THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT IF
YOU BEGIN TO MAGNIFY THOSE
INTERVENTIONS AT A
COMMUNITY-WIDE LEVEL, THEN YOU
BEGIN TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY
HAS A SYNERGY THAT ALSO COMES
INTO PLAY TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL
AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY HEAL
ITSELF.
SO I LIKE THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE
BECAUSE FOR ME, AMONG MY PEOPLE,
THE TAUA, WE HAVE A SAYING, WE
ARE ABO ABOUT KERNELS ON THE SAE
CORN COULD BE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THE
INDIVIDUAL KERNELS OF CORN.
ON EACH OF THESE CORN COULD
BEES, THEY HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL
SHAPE, THEY ARE INDIVIDUALS,
OKAY, SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE
INDIVIDUAL CORN PLANTS.
BUT IN THIS STAGE, BEING THE
KERNELS ON THE CORN COU COB, THY
LEAN AGAINST EACH OTHER IN ROWS,
IN RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER ON
THE CORN COB.
SO THAT'S A NATURAL METAPHOR FOR
THIS WHOLE NOTION OF COMMUNITY
AND INDIVIDUAL, AND THE SYNERGY
OF COMMUNITY.
SO THE COB ITSELF IS A STRUCTURE
OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT REALLY
THE CORN KERNELS ADJACENT AND
SUPPORTING EACH OTHER THAT MAKE
THE COMMUNITY, AND EACH KERNEL
IS AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO EDUCATING FOR THE RECREATION
OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AROUND
INDIGENOUS PARADIGMS IS ONE OF
THE PRIORITIES OF INDIGENOUS
SCHOLARSHIP TODAY.
AND IT BEGINS BY LEARNING THE
HISTORY AND PRINCIPLES OF YOUR
INDIGENOUS WAYS OF HEALTH AND
EXPLORING WAYS TO TRANSLATE THIS
INTO THE PRESENT.
THE RESEARCH OF THE PRACTICAL
WAYS TO APPLY THESE INDIGENOUS
PRINCIPLES AND KNOWLEDGE BASIS
BECOMES AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT
IS DONE IN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH.
WE HAVE THINGS THAT SUPPORT
THIS, PLACE-BASED, COMPLEX
ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS STILL EXIST IN
PART OF MANY NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
THERE IS A RESOURCEFULNESS, AND
INDUSTRIOUSNESS OF SOME MEMBERS
OF A COMMUNITY.
COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION
STILL EXIST.
THERE ARE WAYS TO INTEGRATE
DIFFERENCE IN POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION.
ALLALLIANCES AND CONFEDERATIONSE
BEING BUILT, AND ALSO TRADE AND
EXAIPG ANDEXCHANGE ALSO INCLUDEY
INTERACTION IN HEALTHY AND
POSITIVE WAYS, ESPECIALLY IN
TERMS OF CREATING HEALTHY
ECONOMIES.
SO AGAIN WHAT I'M TRYING TO ILL
STILLUSTRATE FOR YOU IS REALLY W
A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SOCIAL SYSTEM
IN THE INDIGENOUS CONTEXT WORKS,
AND HOW THE RESEARCH THAT ONE
DOES IN HEALTH, IN SCIENCE, IN
ECONOMICS, IN TERMS OF POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION, ALL OF THESE COME
TOGETHER BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S
INTERDEPENDENTLY RELATED IN
TERMS OF THAT COSMIC VIEW, THAT
COST MOLG.
COCMOLOGY.
SO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ALSO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO ESTABLISH
POLITICAL SELF-DETERMINATION.
IN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION CIRCLE,
WE HAVE A WHOLE MOVEMENT THAT WE
CALL DECOLONIZATION AND CREATING
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION
FORMS.
WE ARE ALSO VERY AWARE OF
ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION, POVERTY,
THE DIVERSE COMEET COMPETING IDS
AND POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING THAT
IMPACT NATIVE COMMUNITIES BOTH
FROM WITHIN AND ALSO FROM
WITHOUT.
WE ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION
INDIVIDUAL DIVERSITY, IDENTITY,
REDEFINITION, WHICH IS AN
ONGOING PROCESS, AND ALSO
CREATING FORMAL AND INFORMAL
INSTITUTIONS THAT CREATE THE
KIND OF SPACE FOR THIS KIND OF
RESEARCH TO HAPPEN.
AND TO BE APPLIED.
WE ALSO ARE VERY AWARE OF ALL OF
THE KINDS OF FRAGMENTATIONS THAT
DO EXIST.
CULTURAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND
SPIRITUAL.
AND THE NEED FOR CREATING FORMAL
AND INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS THAT
EVINCE THIS SUSTAINABILITY
BECAUSE HEALTH IS VERY MUCH TIED
TO SUSTAINABILITY OF PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITIES.
AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO FLOW
WITH HETEROGENEITY, COMPLEXITY,
DIFFERENTIATION, AND DOING
POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING WHEN
NECESSARY.
SO THESE LAST FEW SLIDES, I
REALLY -- MY MESSAGE OR MY
PERSPECTIVE, GIVEN TO TRIBAL
LEADERS, TRIBAL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, AS THEY IMIN TO EXPLORO
EXPLORE WAYS IN WHICH TO ENHANCE
THEIR OWN COMMUNITY HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STRENGTH
THAT NATIVE COMMUNITIES CAN
APLAY TO THIS PROCESS, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH NIH, NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND OTHER
AGENCIES, WE STILL HAVE A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY AND CLAN
SYSTEM IN MANY TRIBES.
THERE IS STRONG COMMUNITY
ALREADY IN PLACES AND CERTAIN
REGIONS.
WE HAVE FORMED POLITICAL,
SOCIAL, PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS, CO-OPS, SOCIETIES
AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND EVEN
CORPORATIONS CAN BECOME A DRIVER
OF HEALTH IF FOUNDED ON SOME OF
THESE PRINCIPLES THAT I'VE JUST
MENTIONED.
SO IT REALLY ABOUT ENGAGING
EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS THAT
GOAL OF HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
SO WHERE DOES DATA SOVEREIGNTY
COME IN?
THIS IS THE LAST PART OF THE
PRESENTATION.
WELL, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH
THE NATION BUILDING INSTITUTE
OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
UDALL CENTER SINCE ITS
INCEPTION, THIS IS ABOUT 25
YEARS NOW, AND THEY HAVE BEEN
DOING RESEARCH IN THE NATIVE
NATION BUILDING INSTITUTE ABOUT
HOW TO DO DATA SOVEREIGNTY
STARTING WITH COLLECTING --
LOOKING AT COLLECTIVE BENEFIT,
WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY OF
CONTROL, WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY
AND WHAT ARE THE ETHICS BEING
APPLIED TO RESEARCH ABOUT DATA
SOVEREIGNTY.
SO THE DATA SOVEREIGNTY HAS
BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT
MOVEMENT, EVEN WITHIN INDIGENOUS
EDUCATION AS WE SPEAK AND
CERTAINLY IS TIED TO SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'VE REFLECTED ON
IN TERMS OF INDIGENOUS RESEARCH.
USING SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES
THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED
INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CARE
PRINCIPLES FOR INDIGENOUS DATA
SOVEREIGNTY, BEGINNING WITH
CREATING A PLAN, COLLECTING,
ASSURING PROTOCOLS ARE ADDRES
ADDRESSED, DESCRIBING,
PRESERVING THAT INFORMATION,
CREATING NEW FORMS OR NEW WAYS
TO DISCOVER MORE DATA, AND
INTEGRATING, ANALYZING THAT DATA
IN WAYS THAT HAVE -- MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF THE
RESEARCH THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR
INDIGENOUS HEALTH.
SO I WANTED TO BRING IN HOW DATA
SOVEREIGNTY NOW IS BECOMING A
VERY IMPORTANT ART OF NATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION AND NATIVE
HEALTH RESEARCH.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME
FROM A GROUP THAT ACTUALLY HAD
SOME MEMBERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES
CENTER.
THAT I THINK GIVE YOU SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE VERY
SOUND AND VERY IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER.
MOVING TOWARDS AN INDIGENOUS
FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING, THE
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY REQUIRES ACTIONS
FROM -- THAT'S MISSPELLED,
BUT -- IN THE FORM OF, AT THE
SAME TIME, CHALLENGES FOR INDIAN
NATIONS, FEDERAL, STATE, PRIVATE
POLICYMAKERS, FUNDERS AND
COLLABORATORS.
RECLAIMING INDIGENOUS HEALTH
BEGINS WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN,
NATION-BASED PROCESSES GROUNDED
IN SOVEREIGNTY AND
SELF-DETERMINATION.
FOR INDIGENOUS NATIONS TO CREATE
AND SUSTAIN HEALTHY SOCIETIES,
NATIONS MUST COMPREHENSIVELY
ASSESS COLLECTIVE CONCEPTIONS OF
HEALTH GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY.
KNOWLEDGE AND EPISTEMOLOGIES AND
AT THE SAME TIME ASSESS OTHER
WAYS OF KNOWING, SUCH AS WESTERN
SCIENCE, TOWARDS ADDRESSING
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY VISIONS AND
GOALS.
RELATED TO HEALTH.
SUCH GROUNDING IN COMMUNITY
KNOWLEDGE AND HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING ALLOWS INDIGENOUS
NATIONS TO IDENTIFY UNIQUE,
SHARED AND BROADER HEALTH
INDICATORS AND DETERMINANTS.
IN ADDITION TO NATION ACTIONS,
COLLABORATION AMONG INDIGENOUS
NATIONS MUST OCCUR TO CREATE
METRICS AND MEASUREMENTS FOR
SHARED DETERMINANTS, AND ENABLE
COMPARISONS ACROSS NATIONS AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ON THEIR OWN
TERMS.
THE CHALLENGE FOR INDIGENOUS
NATIONS INCLUDE FUNDING FOR
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPING
POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES
BASED ON COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
AND FINALLY, COMMUNICATING
INDIGENOUS CONCEPTIONS OF HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING TO PARTNERS AND
CONSIDERING HOW INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY-DRIVEN NATION
PROCESS-BASED APPLY TO
NON-RESIDENT TRIBAL MEMBERS.
SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF
CHALLENGES FOR BOTH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES AND NON-INDIGENOUS
ACTORS BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR
NON-INDIGENOUS ENTITIES SUCH AS
GOVERNMENTS, CORPORATIONS,
RESEARCHERS, INSTITUTIONS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
IS CREATING A MECHANISM FOR
SUPPORT OF SOVEREIGNTY BY
ALLOWING FOR DIFFERENCES IN HOW
HEALTH BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IS
CONCEPTUALIZED IN POLICY
REPORTS, REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS,
FUNDING, RESEARCH, PARTNERSHIPS
AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
SO I FINISH WITH THIS, THAT
REALLY FUNDING AGENCIES,
ENTITIES, NEED TO NOT ONLY LOOK
AT FUNDING PRIMARY HEALTH
SERVICES AND INTERVENTIONS, BUT
REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT MORE
FLEXIBLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR
PLANNING SYSTEMS AND
DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IN TURN
REQUIRES INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT.
SO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
BECOMES A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT
OF PROGRESS THAT CAN BE MADE IN
INDIGENOUS HEALTH RESEARCH.
SO THAT FLEXIBILITY IS
IMPORTANT.
AND SO WITH THAT, I SORT OF
LEAVE YOU WITH THIS LAST SLIDE.
INDIGENOUS FAMILY, COMMUNITY,
RELATIONSHIP, HEALTH AND
EDUCATION, A CELEBRATION OF
LIFE.
WE ARE ALL KERNELS IN THE SAME
BASKET.
AND AGAIN, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
KIND ATTENTION TO THIS
PRESENTATION THE DAY BEFORE
THANKSGIVING.
AND I'M OPEN FOR SOME QUESTIONS,
KARINA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
DR. CAJETE.
IT IS A TIME OF THANKSGIVING AND
GRATITUDE, WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL
FOR THE WISDOM YOU SHARED WITH
US TODAY.
EVERY TIME I HEAR YOU SPEAK, I'M
ALWAYS INSPIRED AND MY BRAIN
GETS GOING AND BECOMES SUPER
STIMULATED.
WHILE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WILL
BE POPULATING TO OUR MODERATOR
IN A MINUTE, AND AS THEY'RE
COMING THROUGH, ONE QUESTION
THAT HAS COME UP IS, YOU TALKED
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE
ENVIRONMENT HAS TO BE HEALED AS
MUCH AS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH TO
BE RESTORED.
AND --
>> YES.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE BOARDING
SCHOOL HEALING RECORDS HAVE COME
OUT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF
INTERIOR, AND THERE IS A
MOVEMENT TO REALLY RECONCILE AND
ADDRESS HEALING IN INDIAN
COUNTRY WITH RESPECT TO THE
BOARDING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, AND
INDIAN CIVILIZATION POLICIES
FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
I I'D LIKE YOUR THOUGHTS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW DO WE THINK
ABOUT HOW DOES ENVIRONMENT BE
HEALED AND THE COMMUNITY HEAL IN
THE BOARDING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?
>> WELL, ORIGINALLY,
INDIGENOUS -- ALL THINGS BEGAN
WITH AND ENDED UP WITH SOME
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT WAS
TRADITIONALLY AND HISTORICALLY
THE BASIS OF INDIGENOUS CONCEPTS
OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
AND OF COURSE THAT HAS CHANGED,
YOU KNOW, AS A RESULT OF
COLONIZATION, AS A RESULT OF
BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND SO ONE CAN
ALSO LOOK AT ENVIRONMENT AS THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT, AS
THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE -- AGAIN,
BRINGING THAT WHOLE NOTION OF
SPIRITUALITY, THE SPIRIT OF THE
ENVIRONMENT HAS TO BE HEALED.
AND SO THIS WHOLE NOTION OF
RELATIONSHIP IN THE FIELD OF
OTHER RELATIONSHIPS, OTHER
INTERACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS,
BECOMES AN IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATION.
AND SO FOR THE RESTORATION OF
HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE
BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY -- AND
AGAIN, IT'S A GENERATIONAL
TRAUMATIZATION, HOW ONE HAS TO
LOOK AT THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT,
THE SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL,
SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT AND BEGIN
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES
AND SOME OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
BRINGING THOSE BACK INTO BALANCE
AND BRINGING THOSE BACK INTO A
HEALING MODE, SO TO SPEAK, AND
SO IN MANY WAYS THIS IS ALREADY
HAPPENING, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF
REALLY MANY OF THE IMPLICATIONS
OF HEALING NOT ONLY THE
INDIVIDUAL BUT ALSO HEALING THE
FAMILY AND HEALING THE
COMMUNITY, THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL
BECOMES A PART OF THE
CONSIDERATION OF THE WHOLE
HEALING PROCESS.
SO I THINK IN MANY WAYS, IT'S
JUST A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING
THAT THAT ENVIRONMENT HAS
CHANGED FOR NATIVE PEOPLE AND
THAT THE ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL,
PSYCHOLOGICAL, SPIRITUAL
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE HEALTH
PROCESS OR THE HEALTH RESEARCH
IS BEING MANIFESTED HAS TO BE A
MAMAJOR CONSIDERATION AND AN
IMPORTANT ONE TO BRING IN
BALANCE IN SOME WAY, SOME SHAPE,
SOME FORM.
SO YOU MIGHT HEAL THE INDIVIDUAL
OF PHYSICAL SITUATIONS, BUT YOU
PUT THEM BACK IN THE SAME
ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU
REALLY HEALED THE INDIVIDUAL?
OR HAVE YOU JUST SIMPLY, YOU
KNOW, PUT A BAND-AID ON IT AND
NOT REALLY DEALT WITH THE BIGGER
PICTURE OF THE HEALING PROCESS.
>> YEAH.
>> SO THESE ARE KINDS OF
CONSIDERATIONS CERTAINLY THAT
NATIVE PEOPLE ARE DOING.
A LOT OF TRADITIONAL HEALERS AND
TRADITIONAL LEADERS, BECAUSE OF
THEIR REINTRODUCTION OF THEIR
KNOWLEDGE OF TRADITIONAL HEALING
FORMS, YOU KNOW, ARE BRINGING I
THINK A LOT OF INSIGHT INTO WHY
THIS ASPECT OF INDIGENOUS HEALTH
IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE PHYSICAL
HEAL THAT CAN ING THAT CAN TAKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I MEAN A
FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF GRANTORS
AND FUNDERS IN THEIR THINKING
ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY HEALING AND
REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT HEALING
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE I'VE JUST
PRESENTED TO YOU OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES.
>> AND I THINK ONE OF THE
TAKEAWAYS, WHEN I HEAR YOU TALK
ABOUT -- SO THE CRIT KALG
FOUNDATION OF INTERRELATEDNESS
AND OUR RELATIONAL ORIENTATION
IS DIRECTLY TIED TO OUR
WELL-BEING, AND --
>> YES.
YES.
>> AND HOW ATTACKS ON THAT
RELATIONAL ORIENTATION AND
BOARDING SCHOOL IS KIND OF AN
EXAMPLE OF THAT ATTACK ON
RELATIONALITY, RIGHT,
RELATIONSHIP TO FAMILY, LAND,
LANGUAGE, EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN THERE'S ATTACKS ON THAT
RELATIONALITY, THAT'S WHEN OUR
HEALTH REALLY BECOME DISRUPTED.
AND THE HEALING EMERGES WHEN WE
BEGIN TO BUILD FROM THAT
RELATIONAL PERSPECTIVE AGAIN.
>> RIGHT.
AND CERTAINLY IT BEGINS REALLY
WITH CONSIDERING IT AS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF RESEARCH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND INTERVENTION, RIGHT.
>> YES, THAT COULD EASILY BE
BUILT DIRECTLY IN TO EXHIBIT
VENGSES.
INTERVENTIONS.
ACTUALLY HE WE'VE DONE THAT IN
THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE AS WELL
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY TRIBE,
WHEN THE CORE MAJOR AREAS OF
FOCI WAS ON RELATIONAL WORLD
VIEWS OF RELATIONAL WAYS OF
BEING AND RESTORING THAT TO LAND
PLACE AND CREATING, RESTORING
OUR HEALTH BACK.
>> RIGHT.
RESTORING.
>> THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL.
WE DID HAVE A PERSON THAT CALLED
IN AND SAID MY TAKEAWAY IS A
METAPHOR OF COMMUNITY AND CORN
COB AND WE ARE ALL KERNELS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH, GREAT
GRATITUDE.
I TRULY DO APPRECIATE YOUR OTHER
COMMENT, AND THIS IS ANOTHER
COMMENT HERE COMING IN.
A HEALTHY SOCIETY CAN ONLY COME
FROM HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
YOUR DISCUSSION OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DETERMINING
INDIVIDUALS ACTING AND TAKING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS
FOR ALL WAS REALLY POWERFUL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WORDS OF
WISDOM ABOUT HOW THAT APPLIES TO
HEALTH RESEARCH AND SCIENCE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE TRUTH IS
IT APPLIES TO ALL OF US.
IT'S NOT JUST AN INDIGENOUS
CONTEXT, YOU KNOW?
CERTAINLY I USE THE QUOTE FROM
DEE HOCK TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW,
BRING THAT WHOLE NOTION OF
COMMUNITY DOES REQUIRE CARE,
DOES REQUIRE ATTENTION, DOES
REQUIRE AWARENESS, AND DOES
REQUIRE HEALING AT TIMES.
SO IT IS REALLY THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF PEOPLE AND IT
CAN ONLY BE DONE THROUGH THE
PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER IN
A POSITIVE AND HEALTHY WAY,
WHERE THE COMMUNITY BEGINS TO
HEAL FROM WHATEVER TRAUMAS,
WHATEVER KINDS OF SITUATIONS IT
MAY HAVE FACED.
WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THIS
ALREADY IN TERMS OF COVID.
AND IN TERMS OF COVID -- THE
KINDS OF CHALLENGES THAT COVID
BROUGHT, BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND
COMMUNITIES, AND WHERE
COMMUNITIES STARTED TO RESTORE
THEIR HEALTH WAS A DIRECT RESULT
OF PEOPLE BECOMING AWARE OF THIS
AND BEGINNING TO APPLY THEIR
TTALENTS,THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEIRH
OR THEIR INTERVENTION OR THEIR
HELP IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM TO
RESTORE THAT VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT BALANCE OF COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU LOSE COMMUNITY, YOU
FEEL IT.
AND YOU SEE IT.
AND WE CERTAINLY LOST THAT IN A
LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS DURING THE
COVID TIME.
AND I THINK WE'RE STILL TRYING
TO REGAIN SOME OF THAT, EVEN TO
THIS DAY.
SO THE COMMENT, YOU KNOW, AND A
LOT OF WHAT I PRESENTED IN TERMS
OF -- I WAS BEING VERY
INDIGENOUS-SPECIFIC, BUT MANY OF
THE THINGS, ESPECIALLY THE
THINGS THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I,
CHERYL CHARLES AND BOB SAMPLES
EXPLORED IN WHAT IS COMMUNITY,
ARE APPLICABLE ACROSS THE BOARD
TO EVERYONE.
AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERATIONS
ABOUT HOW YOU DO RESEARCH.
>> YES.
>> AND HOW YOU ENGAGE
COMMUNITIES IN THEIR OWN
BUILDING OF COMMUNITY AND THEIR
OWN RESTORATION OF HEALTH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS
WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION.
COULD YOU SAY A BIT MORE ABOUT
INCLUDING URBAN NATIVES IN
SOLUTIONS?
>> WELL, I THINK -- AND I'M
HAPPY FOR THAT QUESTION.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION
BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE OF THE
EXACT STATISTIC, BUT I THINK
ABOUT 70% OF NATIVE PEOPLE ARE
NOW EITHER WORKING IN URBAN
CENTERS OR, YOU KNOW, SPEND
THEIR TIME IN URBAN CENTERS OR
LIVE IN URBAN CENTERS.
AND A LOT OF THIS
COMMUNITY-BUILDING, YOU KNOW,
ACTUALLY BEGINS WITH A LOT OF
NATIVE PEOPLE COMING TO PLACES
LIKE LOS ANGELES AND DENVER
DURING THE TIMES OF RELOCATION,
OKLAHOMA CITY, ALBUQUERQUE, AND
REALIZING THAT THEY NEEDED
CONNECTION TO OTHER NATIVE
PEOPLE SO THEY FORMED THE INDIAN
CENTERS AND THEY FORMED THE
INDIAN COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT
GAVE THEM SOME SEMBLANCE OF THAT
RECONNECTION OR THAT CONNECTION
TO COMMUNITY AND TO THEIR
IDENTITY.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE, IN THE
URBAN CONTEXT, WHERE I THINK
THERE NEEDS TO BE NEW RESEARCH,
AMPLE RESEARCH, BECAUSE A LOT OF
RESEARCH IS DONE ON THE
RESERVATION COMMUNITY, THE
INTACT COMMUNITY, BUT VERY REAL
RESEARCH IS ACTUALLY DONE IN
TERMS OF URBAN CENTERS -- INDIAN
COMMUNITIES.
SOME OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE,
BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE
MORE, ESPECIALLY AS -- IT'S
APPARENT THAT SO MANY NATIVE
PEOPLE ARE ENGAGING IN URBAN
CENTERS IN VARIOUS WAYS OR
LIVING THERE.
AND THAT IT IS A PART OF THE
CONSIDERATION AND THE PHENOMENON
OF INDIGENOUS -- THE EVOLUTION
OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY.
SO THE ADVENT OF POW-WOW, THE
ADVENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
COMMUNITY CENTERS, OF LANGUAGE
CENTERS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN URBAN
COMMUNITIES, EDUCATION CENTERS,
URBAN COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN URBAN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THESE THINGS
CAN BE -- IT'S A DIFFERENT
CONTEXT, SO YOU TAKE CONTEXT
INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT SOME OF
THE SAME PRINCIPLES STILL APPLY.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT, THE
ABILITY TO MAKE TRANSFERENCE OF
WHAT I JUST SAID, FOCUS ON
RESERVATION COMMUNITY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU CAN STILL LOOK AT RELATIONAL
RESTORATION, HOW WE NARE RATE
OUR LIVES AND STORIES TO RESTORE
OUR HEALTH.
AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE HAVE
TRADITIONS THAT THEY'VE CARRIED
FORWARD EVEN IN THEIR FAMILIES
AND EVEN BUILT IN URBAN
COMMUNITIES AROUND HOW TO
PRACTICE HEALTHFUL LIVING WITH
EACH OTHER, AND THAT
CONNECTEDNESS THAT'S SHARED.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
>> WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AS
WELL.
I DO THINK OUR URBAN COMMUNITIES
DON'T ALWAYS GET THE ATTENTION
THAT THEY REALLY NEED AND
DESERVE, AND THEY'VE QUITE OFTEN
HAD TO BE VERY CREATIVE IN
CREATING HEALTHFUL PROGRAMMING
THAT CUTS ACROSS TRIBAL
CONNECTIONS AND TRIBAL --
ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION, SO TO
SPEAK, BUT STILL BRING PEOPLE IN
AND PROVIDE THAT SENSE OF
CONNECTION.
I THINK AT THE HEART OF OUR
WELL-BEING, WE HAVE A CONSTANT
STRIVE FOR CONNECTION, AND THAT
IS WHERE WE CAN FIND A FOCAL
POINT IN URBAN COMMUNITIES TO
REALLY BUILD OUR HEALTH BACK.
AND SOME OF -- OBVIOUSLY THE
WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE CERTAINLY
COULD GUIDE THAT, AND WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU, DR. CAJETE, FOR BEING
WITH US HERE TODAY AND SHARING
YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM.
I DO WISH YOU CONTINUED HEALTH
AND BLESSINGS ON YOUR JOURNEY
TO -- I DON'T LIKE THE WORD
RETIREMENT AS WE TALKED ABOUT
BEFORE STARTING.
REALLY YOUR SHIFT IN PURPOSE.
YOU'RE JUST RE-ENERGIZING A NEW
PURPOSE AT THIS NEXT STAGE, AND
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A BOOK
FORTHCOMING IN THE FUTURE THAT
YOU ARE GENERATING NOW, SO WE
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT, AND
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE WITH ALL OF US.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, KARINA, AND
SHEILA FOR MODERATING THIS
SESSION, AND IT BEEN A PLEASURE.
I'M WISHING EVERYONE A VERY
SACRED AND VERY HAPPY
THANKSGIVING AS WE MOVE FORWARD
INTO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND AS
WE SAY IN TAWA, BE WITH LIFE, BE
WITH LIFE.
>> BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE OFFICIALLY OFF.