First day in Cherokee

We arrived to the area at night so we were unable to see the surroundings. I awoke to the mountains in the foreground. They had a majestic feeling as the mist was rising off of them. I remembered the mist after we met with Jerry Wolfe and he told us stories about how they communicated to the Great Spirit with the sounds of the drums or the smoke from a peace pipe because it drifts up towards the Great Spirit. The mountains give the perfect back drop for the stories he told us.

            It was very interesting to learn about how the tribe leaders make decisions in the town including who is in charge of healthcare. When Kayla said they gave us behavior health and I did not understand what she meant until she explained the tribes role.  Most of the healthcare practices are done in the home and the natives delegate what the hospital can and cannot do. The hospital will begin to offer behavioral health services including detox and substance abuse. It was interesting to know of the 18 available beds in the hospital usually 3 beds are taken up with people detoxing. The prevalence of drugs and alcohol is very high and it is the cause of many visits to the hospitals. I think I knew it was an issue but was surprised by how much it consumes the resources and affects everyone in the community.

            We had an unexpected treat when we went to the Cherokee Museum and saw Jerry Wolfe, a highly respected elder in the community. He took us to a room to talk. He started to the talk by translating the Lord’s Prayer in Cherokee. It was beautiful to hear him say the line in his native tongue then speak the English line that I have recited myself since I was a child.  It was such an unexpected experience and it was a nice way to begin our talk because it showed I had a common belief the same as him in a higher power.  It was fascinating to see how the two cultures and beliefs have become intermixed over time. I think it demonstrates the Cherokee people’s strength and tolerance since the Europeans immigrated to the United States.  

            The hospital did an outstanding job integrating the Cherokee culture and traditions into every aspect of the building.  Since they do wellness visits and prenatal care at the hospital the children always see reminders of their culture. I think the artwork in the pediatric waiting area will evoke curiosity and dialogue with the child and their parent. It was also interesting to learn about the private school for the Cherokee children.  The school requires the children to learn Cherokee dialect and the parents are also expected to only speak Cherokee to the children at home. This demonstrates the communities’ effort to keep the Cherokee heritage alive otherwise it will die off with the elders.

            The other surprise was how the Qualla Boundary looks so much like any other small town in America. There were restaurants, gas stations, even a McDonald’s, I guess this shouldn’t surprise me but I didn’t realize how open the area was.  I guess I expected gates or it to be more restricted. It very well may be in some parts but I could not see that today. We pasted several churches which indicated members of the community practiced their faith and this was also evident when we met with Jerry Wolfe.

            Another aspect of the community that is similar to Peoria are the varying areas of poverty and the active drug and alcohol abuse. In our own community we struggle with these same problems and the families and children suffer. In Cherokee they are trying to make changes to stop the abuse but it is difficult to do without full support from the elders. The hospital has identified that if they do not solve the mental health issue then they will never be able treat any of the other medical conditions. I agree with this methodology. I think it applies to all areas of health care. Especially, when you think that most of these people are involved in children’s lives so it makes the need for a more intensive behavioral health unit that more urgent. Children cannot thrive in an unstable environment. If the parents are not able to get the help they need the children of Cherokee will suffer and most likely repeat the same destructive behaviors as their parents.

            I am excited for what tomorrow brings. We will have our first rotation at the hospital. I cannot wait to learn more about this unique culture.