Suicide & infant mortality in Indian country (community)

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Teen suicide and infant mortality in Indian country rising
By Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji)
March 8, 2010

The British statesman, Benjamin Disraeli, purportedly said, "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies and statistics."

Native Americans have been the guinea pigs of statistics since the politicians in Washington began to use arithmetic to figure out their landholdings and numbers before embarking on God's mission of conquest and divestiture in the name of Manifest Destiny.

Since that time innumerable governmental agencies and consulting firms have joined the circle of statisticians to turn the lives of Native Americans into a virtual pie-chart of statistics.

There are stats for health, housing, gaming, education and more. There are consulting firms that make their entire living by compiling statistics on Native Americans.

The statistic are compiled and filed. What happens next is anybody's guess. If the tons of statistics compiled over the past 100 years have made any impact upon the lives of Native Americans the results are far from discernable. It seems that the only benefactors of statistics are the consulting firms, but I do not have the statistics to back up that assumption.

The only problem with basing all of the ills of society on statistics is that it entirely removes the human factor. And that is why it is nearly impossible to compile statistics that would explain the extremely high rate of teenage suicides in Indian country. The infant mortality rate on Indian reservations is so much higher than in any other place in America that it should have set off alarm bells from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota all the way to the office of Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services the titular head of the Indian Health Service.

All most of us living out here in Indian country need do when discussing the high rate of teen suicide is to read the obituary columns in any newspaper on or bordering an Indian reservation. Statistics be damned: Indian children are killing themselves and we do not seem able to stop it. Babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth and we are not able to stop it. I counted eight stillborns on the Pine Ridge Reservation in a span of two months. And the loss from teen suicides and infant deaths go on with no end in sight.

More than one Indian reservation has called emergency meetings in an effort to find a cause and a solution to these problems especially on teen suicides because they are the most obvious. The infant mortality rate, although far out of proportion with the rest of America, is still on the backburner.

It will take more than another study by statisticians to address these twin problems. The money paid to another consulting firm to compile more data should be going to an agency especially designed to address the problems.

What is it on an Indian reservation that is at the bottom of the problems? Before we can find a cure, we must find the cause. In the case of teen suicides there are a number of things that could be the cause. Trauma at home with alcoholic or gaming addicted parents. Abuse from a parent who was the victim of abuse at a missionary boarding school. Belonging to a class of have-nots. By that I mean the feelings of deprivation many teenagers get from watching television and observing all of the material things so common amongst the general population but seemingly unreachable by them. And what factor does a sense of hopelessness play in the equation? The health care givers need to start thinking like a teenage.

The infant mortality rate could be caused by pregnant teenagers ignoring the advice of health care givers and consuming alcohol or drugs while pregnant. Could there be a chemical or environmental factor on the reservation that is the culprit?

Without a doubt, and I am sure statistics would bear me out, the life expectancy on Indian reservations is dramatically lower than in the rest of America. It is almost as if the reservations are foreign countries within the borders of the USA.

But please, do not make the mistake of suggesting the Native Americans give up their homelands and join the mainstream of America because that is never going to happen. Indians have as much a right to love their reservation homelands as any American.

The Indian nations are struggling to solve the problems of teen suicide and infant mortality, but the system of care provided by the United States government leaves much to be desired. There are many Indian health care providers honestly working to make a difference, but until they know the cause of the problem, they will not find a cure, and statistics will undoubtedly be compiled to prove that point.

If America had honored the treaties it signed with the Native Nations in exchange for millions of acres of land, would the Indian people still be facing these problems?

Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monitory gain to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and educational purposes. This is in accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. section 107.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

New nonfiction picture book by Choctaw author (information)

Good morning!

Stung by a bee! Hit with a rock...

Over the last few days, I've thought a lot about SALTYPIE, a new nonfiction picture book by Choctaw author, Tim Tingle. Some of you may have seen him perform, as he is also a storyteller. Some of you may know him because you've read his BOK CHITTO.

SALTYPIE is a picture book with stories about Tingle's family. The illustrations, done by a Choctaw artist, are a beautiful complement to the stories Tim tells. I highly recommend it.

My review is here:
http://tinyurl.com/saltypie

Debbie

Visit my Internet resource:
American Indians in Children's Literature
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net

Debbie A. Reese (Nambé O'-ween-ge')
Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Native American House, Room 2005
1204 West Nevada Street, MC-138
Urbana, Illinois 61801

Email: debreese@illinois.edu
TEL 217-265-9885
FAX 217-265-9880

American Indian Teacher Education Conference (opportunity)

2nd Annual American Indian Teacher Education Conference
College of Education, Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona, June 11-12, 2010

Northern Arizona University’s College of Education is pleased to announce an
American Indian Education Conference to allow community, preschool, K-12,
college, and university indigenous educators and activists through panels,
workshops, and papers to share ideas for improving American Indian education
with a focus on the type of preparation Indian Nations want for teachers in
their schools. Drs. Joseph Martin and Jon Reyhner, who have been long
involved in working to improve Indian education, are co-chairing the
conference. Northern Arizona University’s College of Education has worked
with Indian Nations to improve the education of American Indian students for
decades. It has hosted a variety of American Indian teacher and
administrative preparation programs, including the well received Learn In
Beauty program. We invite you to come participate in this effort to improve
the education of our children.

Goals of the Conference:

• To bring together educators, administrators, board members, tribal
officials, and parents to share ideas and experiences on how to better
prepare teachers of American Indian students
• To examine teacher education programs in order to determine how they can
better prepare teachers of American Indian students.
• To provide a forum for exchange of scholarly research on teaching American
Indian students.
• To disseminate through a monograph and an American Indian Education web
site recent research and thinking on American Indian education best
practices.

For more information contact
Jon Reyhner at 928 523 0580 or Jon.Reyhner@nau.edu or Louise Lockard at 928
523 8218 or Louise.Lockard@nau.edu.

Tribe Seeks Excess Navy Base (sovereignty)

NEWPORT, R.I. — Hundreds of prime acres are up for grabs in this waterfront city and its neighboring towns, valuable commodity on an island known for prized beaches, lavish homes and natural beauty.

The 260 acres on Aquidneck Island were for decades owned by the U.S. Navy, which says it no longer needs the land and is moving to unload it. The island communities envision the property as untapped economic potential for sweeping new development.

But another suitor — the Narragansett Indian Tribe — says the land falls under its ancestral footprint and is mounting a bid that may conflict with local development plans.

The Narragansett, Rhode Island's only federally recognized American Indian tribe, say getting the land would allow it to expand far beyond its existing reservation and would create room for a hotel complex, shopping, a cultural center, park space and public housing.

The tribe and its supporters see an unprecedented opportunity for a population that's grappled with poverty and whose past efforts at development, including a tax-free smoke shop and proposed casino, have been rejected by the state.

"The tribe's current land has been extremely limited. This would help boost the tribe's ability to success," said John Brown, the tribe's historic preservation officer. "We shouldn't have a chance for economic self-sufficiency?"

The tribe's bid has rankled some local officials, who say it was submitted after they had done years or work and planning in anticipation of using the land.

"It's delaying the process, and I don't think it's benefiting the city of Newport," said Paige Bronk, Newport's director of planning, zoning, development and inspections. "Their involvement, I would consider to be detrimental to our efforts."

Federal agencies receive right of first refusal for surplus military land, so the Narragansett enlisted the help of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which has asked to acquire it on the tribe's behalf. .

The bureau has asked to obtain the property for free and to waive a requirement that whoever gets the land pay for its environmental cleanup. The Navy has determined that asbestos, lead-based paint and other contaminants taint at least some of the property. Navy officials say they're in the process of responding to the bureau's request.

The Defense Department has multiple options for disposing of surplus land, including conveying it for public benefit or selling it at fair-market value. The land has been advertised as surplus in the Federal Register, a key step toward making it available to nonfederal agencies like local governments and redevelopment authorities or ultimately private interests.

The availability of the land offers a chance to level the playing field, said the tribe's lawyer, Douglas Luckerman.

"This is a real opportunity for them to move ahead with economic development on solid footing — not gaming, not cigarette taxes," Luckerman said.

The Narragansett identify themselves as Rhode Island's aboriginal residents, greeting white explorers in the 16th century and selling land rights to Roger Williams, the colony's founder.

Federally recognized in 1983, the 2,600-member tribe occupies a reservation in the southern Rhode Island town of Charlestown that is well removed from the state's commercial hub.

Poverty remains a problem; an average of 41 percent of the tribe's members were unemployed between 2005 and 2008, according to the tribe's application. And the Narragansett have had a fractured relationship with the state.

In 2003, a state police raid on a tribal smoke shop that was selling tax-free cigarettes sparked a violent confrontation; three tribe members were convicted of misdemeanor charges and four others were acquitted. Voters statewide rejected a 2006 constitutional amendment that would have allowed the tribe and Harrah's Entertainment to open a casino.

The property in question testifies to the island's rich military maritime history. But as part of the nationwide Base Realignment and Closure process over the last decade, the Defense Department re-evaluated its needs and decided to part with it.

The Navy says it has not assessed the value of the land — in Newport and neighboring Portsmouth and Middletown. But it's unquestionably valuable given its size and waterfront proximity.

The crown jewel is a 10-acre shuttered hospital complex abutting the bay in Newport that opened in the early 20th century but was replaced by a new facility more than 10 years ago. The Navy hospital complex alone is likely worth at least a couple million dollars, said Newport's Bronk. There's also acreage once used to store underground fuel tanks in Portsmouth and other land offering convenient water access.

Local officials have for years been brainstorming uses for the property, including arrangements with private developers, and tout the potential of job creation and transportation improvements.

Newport, for instance, hopes a private developer or corporation will ultimately acquire the land and convert it into mixed-use projects that could include a hotel, marina, office space or housing, Bronk said. A blueprint document created by the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission envisions upscale housing and shopping, pedestrian trails and bicycle paths.

The tribe submitted an application last year, after the commission had been publicly discussing its vision for the property.

After requesting and receiving several extensions, the bureau said in December that it would not pursue the land after failing to get answers from the Navy about the land's value and how much it would cost to clean it up, Luckerman said.

Two months later, though, the bureau notified the Defense Department that it was again interested in the land in the "furtherance of the tribe's economic development."

It's not clear where that request stands or who will get the land.

Tina Dolen, executive director of the island's planning commission, said the tribe's bid has left local officials in a holding pattern.

"We're really in great shape," she said. "We just need the green light."

Academic Recognition (education)

School district and tribes celebrate student success

Eighty-four American Indian students from grades 7 through 12 were celebrated and honored at a lunch on February 24 for making the Honor Roll during the first half of the school year. All students represented Del Norte County Unified School District upper grades. The lunch was hosted by the School District’s Title VII American Indian Education program, the Northern California Indian Development Council, and local tribes including the Tolowa Nation, Yurok Tribe, Elk Valley Rancheria, Resighini Rancheria and Smith River Rancheria. Students and their families enjoyed homemade spaghetti, and received certificates of recognition, movie passes or coffee cards for achieving their above average grades. 

Title VII Honor Roll Students receiving awards:

Del Norte High School: Jenna Allen, Christian Cain, Mercedes Cortez, Joseph Cypret, Brooke DeRoule, Nicole Dowd, Nigell Gensaw, Jessica Hurd-Chadwick, Colby Japp, Lane Japp, Shelby Japp, Jeffrey Kinsey, Angela Lehman, Jeanine Lehman, Isaiah Lopez, Wynter Lyons, Jaclyn Mendez, Daniel Milligan, Ashley Montez, Nicole Peters, Ratausha Ray, James Rehwaldt, Paula Rhodes, Melanie Richards, Katelyn Sanderson, Aaron Schamehorn, Shelby Slayton, Brandi Story, Shaylee Travis, Floyd Wafler, Brianna Wakefield, Brilynn Welch, Autum Woodard

Sunset High School: Natosha Boulby, Tyler Campbell, Alicia Charles, Jeanine Lehman

Tah-Ah-Dun: Mackenzee Davis, Kristi Dunn, Stacie Gorman, Russell Greene, CheyAnne Hatter, Myriah Lehto, Dewayne Lopez, Whitney Luerra, Santee Martin, Kegan Sanderson-Zosel, Eloy Kyailo Thomas Mata, Taylor Wells, Thomas Williams, Martin Zosel-Sanderson

Castle Rock: Abraham Camez, Lacey Davis Patrick DeVries, Wood-asu Donahue, Desiree Gomes, Pedro Goonzalez, Brian Long, Devin Martin, Silver Mode, Cody Nick, Duncan Oliphant, Ian Oliphant, Walter Olson, Cheyeanna Oscar, Cierra Oscar, River Richards, Jadelynn Rolon

Crescent Elk Middle School: Colleen Markussen, Dakota Mattz, Justin Rehwaldt, Tacheenee Shorty, Derrik Wilson, Damion Lopez-Keene, Grace Bruschi

Redwood School: Kitty Gensaw, Brandon Japp, Joshanna Norbury

Smith River School: Kayla Cain

Educational Options: Jessica Banuelos, James Rhodes, James Spino, Nolan Travis, Tisha Wells

The 2010 Census and Natives (information)

Indian Country Counts
Be Counted - Complete the Census
It is Important to You and Your Tribe

Reasons to participate in the Census:
  • The federal government distributes approximately $300 billion to local, state and Tribal
  • governments based on the Census.
  • The population totals from this census will determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives.
  • The totals are also used to redraw legislative districts.
How it works:
  • Census questionnaire will come in the mail with a return postage-paid envelope.
  • Questionnaires will be mailed out between February 2010 and the end of March 2010.
  • Census Day is April 1, 2010. Complete your questionnaire on April 1, 2010.
  • It’s easy! Fill it out and mail it back!
Additional Facts:
  • The census questionnaire has only 10 questions per person living in your home and takes only 10 minutes to complete? It’s the shortest in history.
  • One last thing: Strict confidentiality laws protect the confidentiality of respondents and the information they provide.
American Indians Count, but only if the questionnaire is completed correctly:
  • Page 1, Question 5, “1st Adult in House”
  • Always list the adult Indian spouse or household member as the “1st Adult” (not the non-Indian), regardless of who is the husband or wife, or wage earner, etc.
  • Page 1, Question 8 “Hispanic” always check “NO”
  • Page 1, Question 9 “Race” Check American Indian/Alaska Native ONLY. Do NOT check any other race.
  • Page 2 and on-List all other household members here, including non-Indian spouses and others in household

2010 Native Vision Scholarship

Established in 1996, Native Vision gives annual college scholarships to outstanding high school American Indian seniors with a commitment to education, athletics and leadership.  Listed below are the eligibility requirements and the timeline for application:

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Native Vision Scholarship applicants must meet the following requirements:

  1. Be enrolled as a high school senior for the current academic year
  2. Be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe;
  3. Demonstrate a sustained involvement in the community and an applied concern for American Indian issues and initiatives;
  4. Maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 at the time of application;
  5. Demonstrate involvement in extracurricular and/or athletic activities;
  6. Be admitted to an accredited community college or four year undergraduate program (for fall 2010).
 

Application Checklist

Application for the Native Vision Scholarship must include the following items.  Applications missing any of the following items will not be considered.

□    Completed application describing school activities, community activities, athletic activities and financial information.

□    Proof of membership in a federally recognized tribe.

□    A 200 word essay explaining goals for the future and how the Native Vision scholarship would assist in achieving dreams.    Please emphasize how goals relate to continued involvement in American Indian/Alaska Native communities.

□    High school transcript indicating GPA.        

□    Two (2) completed recommendation forms including written statements from recommenders (recommendations cannot come from a family member).

 

Application Submission

Mail completed application and letters of recommendation to: Marlena Hammen, Native Vision Scholarship, 621 N. Washington Street, Baltimore, Maryland  21205, by MAY 7, 2010.