Many, many years ago when the world was new, there was a beautiful river. Fish in great numbers lived in this river, and its water was so pure and sweet that all the animals came there to drink. A giant moose heard about the river and he too came there to drink. But he was so big, and he drank so much, that soon the water began to sink lower and lower. The beavers were worried. The water around their lodges was disappearing. Soon their homes would be destroyed. The muskrats were worried, too. What would they do if the water vanished? How could they live? The fish were very worried. The other animals could live on land if the water dried up, but they couldn't.
All the animals tried to think of a way to drive the moose from the river, but he was so big that they were too afraid to try. Even the bear was afraid of him. At last the fly said he would try to drive the moose away. All the animals laughed and jeered. How could a tiny fly frighten a giant moose? The fly said nothing, but that day, as soon as the moose appeared, he went into action. He landed on the moose's foreleg and bit sharply. The moose stamped his foot harder, and each time he stamped, the ground sank and the water rushed in to fill it up. Then the fly jumped about all over the moose, biting and biting and biting until the moose was in a frenzy. He dashed madly about the banks of the river, shaking his head, stamping his feet, snorting and blowing, but he couldn't get rid of that pesky fly. At last the moose fled from the river, and didn't come back. The fly was very proud of his achievement, and boasted to the other animals, "Even the small can fight the strong if they use their brains to think.1
Today as HIV and AIDS educators in the Native Community We all Have different Ways of working with the Public Or speaking with the elders.In our culture we have to work at things different.There is A great Program developed By Doctor Danette Macintosh of the Muskogee Creek. I have been blessed to take some of these courses to help the HIV and AIDS community.The Out reach programs are so few and far between.Here and Oklahoma there are new cases so many in the native community. I have Lived in Kansas for 10 years now And the seriousness of this Virus is still somewhat lost on people here.So many people forget about it or ignore it or are just plain ignorant of it.And those who do think about the virus are generally very uneducated about it.
So Many Native Americans have varying traditions and the NNAAPC even States this In its opening.IE:There are many layers of diversity within any culture. When learning about Native cultures, it is important to acknowledge the differences between various tribes, nations, villages, and islands. These differences can occur among groups within a single geographical region or across various regions. Although it is impossible to learn the unique characteristics of each Native entity, it is possible to recognize and better understand a specific group’s customs, norms, beliefs, and values in order to gain a distinct cultural perspective.
All Native cultures honor a traditional and sacred worldview, an understanding and respect for the circle of life. This worldview emphasizes the balance and connection of people, earth, air, water, and animals. It highlights respect, obligation, and responsibility. Native elders and ancestral wisdom are greatly valued as a part of this worldview. Most often these individuals hold the knowledge and resources that naturally promote community health. You can consult these respected community members in order to create more effective HIV/AIDS prevention materials.
These above statements are from the NNAAPC And i believe in the work done there I would not have taken the courses I took from them if i didn't believe in the work we all do.I am so honored to look at life in this way to be native and urban but to still put value in the traditions of my people.This is so important to us all. And education and prevention is a very big deal to me.
Nutrition Is also integral to our health allot of people may disagree but I believe that the mind body and spirit are all connected and food feeds the body and spirit.And as a point of reference i will simply use NNAAPC module on this.
While there is no known nutritional means of curing or preventing HIV infection, appropriate nutrition can help to hinder the advance of infection. For example, several researchers have found that certain nutrients can help slow disease progression. Good nutrition for people with AIDS can help minimize loss of body mass and prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamins and minerals play an important part in maintaining proper function of the immune system.
Colonization dramatically changed the diet and nutrition of Native peoples. Native people were dislocated from their traditional lands and prohibited from hunting and gathering. Their traditional food system was replaced by the government commodity food program, which consisted of refined white flour, potatoes, sugar, and processed cheeses. Native people began to depend on high fat, high sugar, and heavily processed foods. These, in turn, contributed to high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and obesity.
As a response to the poor health and diet of many Native people today, communities have returned to traditional diets that include bison, a low fat and high-protein meat, salmon, roots, wild rice, and organic gardening. Many Native leaders and health professionals now realize that the health of Native people will continue to decline if they do not develop better nutrition. This is most important for slowing the progression of HIV to AIDS and for people with AIDS who must maintain a balanced diet for optimal health.
- Study the general state of nutrition in your community. What staples make up your community’s diet now? What staples did your community traditionally consume?
CASE IN POINT: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducts theAlaska Traditional Diet Project. The Project assists consumers of Alaskan traditional foods to make informed dietary decisions to prevent health problems. It incorporates both traditional and western scientific information.  |
I also Believe that everything you put into your body really makes a difference people with diets of fast food and conventional foods are generally more prone to illness I don't know of any studies on this just My personal experiences with conventional verses Organic foods.I try to eat a diet of grain fed and free range meats as well as organic veggies and fruits.I really believe that my health has done so well because of the way I eat.
There are many many ways to live healthy.But some of the simplest things I have learned Are 1Love yourself 2 Eat right 3listen to your doctor 4 keep your faith your traditions 5 be proud of who you are 6 accept what has come your way 7 never ever forget how strong you are.
These are just a few of the amazing things that I have learned since i have been pos.And I am Glad to share them with all of you Natives and non natives alike we can all learn from one another.My uncle Always Says Mitakuye Oyasin we are all related And I haven't forgotten that.So yeah don't forget life's little lessons we all have to learn them and I for one am grateful for the simplest of them.
Never forget we are all here for a reason we all have a purpose.Everything happens for a reason.The good and the bad.Well I wanted to tell one more story but I cant remember it so I will try to remember it and if I am here tomorrow i will tell it then May all of you find this and have a good peaceful day.Aho.
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