Module 5 Mastery: Historical Context Day 2

1. Describe cultural oppression and multigenerational trauma and ways they impacted Native Americans, and how they influence substance abuse.
2. Survey significant events and issues that devastated Native Americans.
3. Identify cultural strengths and values that supported Native Americans to survive and heal.
4. Value the significance of collective rituals for resolving historical trauma.

• Markers
• Newsprint
• Tape
• Kleenex tissue, rocks
• Organizing Reference Sheets/Transparencies
• A large rock for each group. Basket of small rocks.

I. Video/Dialogue: Multigenerational trauma and cultural oppression (45 minutes total, including a 30 minute video)

A. Discussion Points

1. History plays an important role in who we are today and why we are seeing many of the conditions within our communities. Especially when that history has been traumatic or oppressive, we can see the multigenerational effects today. A U.S. campaign of war and relocation waged against Indian Tribes throughout the 1700's and 1800's hold multigenerational effects on the conditions of those Tribes today.
2. Massive separation of Native children from families through foster care placement and hundreds of Indian children sent to boarding schools, forcibly removed from family values, teachings. Many communities have traced the introduction of child sexual abuse back through generations to boarding schools.
3. Loss of power of self­determination. As one Native states, there is a difference in people telling us what to do, rather than asking us what would help. Government programs that foster dependence make us angry at ourselves and destroy our self­esteem.
4. Lateral violence among our own people. The effects of historical trauma can also include self-hate and oppression within our own society or within our own community. We see the prejudice or maltreatment of one another as domestic violence, child abuse, family feuds, unhealthy tribal politics, and, finally, community apathy.
5. Alcoholism and substance abuse within the Indian population has had a tremendous impact on our health and spiritual well being. The introduction of alcohol to Native populations was with the intent of drunkenness and exploitation. It is our leading killer. It also medicates our emotions and prevents many of us from processing other historical traumas.

B. Show First Half of Video: "Wiping the Tears of Seven Generations" (facilitator will stop video at half-way point.)

II. Exercise in Teams (QUICK): Mind Mapping "What Broke Apart Our Indian World" (20 minutes)

A. Instructions

1. Refer to Participant Manual.
2. Full group is asked to individually fill out the "Broken Indian World" diagram in their manuals, with their thoughts of what broke it apart; then they should fill out the second circle indicating what breaks apart our world today.
3. This exercise is done as a team.

B. Sharing

1. Facilitator asks the group to volunteer some of the things that have broken apart our world historically.
2. Facilitator asks the group to volunteer some of the things that break apart our world today.

C. Closure

1. Before dismissing the group for the lunch break, it is important to provide some initial closure to the historical traumas that were brought out during the morning exercise.
2. A song or other ceremony that provides closure for the pain and hurt that has impacted our communities and each of us individually is offered.
3. It is again pointed out that we will be doing more in the afternoon sessions, which will focus on closure and letting go.

III. Mini-Teach: "What Holds Our Indian World Together" (45 minutes, including 30 minute video)

A. Introduction

1. Facilitator in mini­lecture style, reminds group of the work they did during the morning. We identified historical trauma and those factors that tore apart our Indian world, and the things that break apart our world today.
2. Something has kept us here, to live and survive against such harsh odds. What is it? Why are we all still here when so many forces have attempted to eliminate us and our way of life? (rhetorical)
3. The second half of the video will show us how the Lakota people gathered those threads of strength and resilience to wipe away the tears of past historical trauma and build a healthy future.

B. Show Video

C. Discussion Points

1. What are the resiliency factors that keep our communities strong? (Explain word and give examples. Maybe use a visual such as a rubberband and stretch it and show how it comes back to shape.)
   • HO-5.3: Resiliency Threads Mending Indian World
2. What symbols did the Lakota people use to show commitment?
3. Native people have the means to make change within our own communities. What are some examples of things that we can do today on our own without the need for Federal funding or other assistance?

IV. Storytelling: Legend of Rock and Closure (45 minutes)

A. Instruction

B. Break­out

1. Community Teams will break out. One Facilitator will be provided for each team (5­25 rounds).
2. Open discussion is provided within each team to answer: "How did it feel to look for your rock?" How did you choose your rock?" (10 minutes)

C. Exercise

1. Each group facilitator provides one larger rock for this exercise. In team groups, instruction is given to participants to give their pain to the rock.
2. They can keep their own rocks or give them back to Mother Earth.
3. One larger rock is placed in the middle of each team circle and participants are asked to each touch the rock, one at a time and in so doing symbolically give their pain and the historical pain of their Tribe and community to the rock.
4. Once started, this is a QUIET exercise and words are not necessary but optional (15 minutes).

• Symbolic or ritual exercise for "letting go" of our historic trauma.
• Letting go, giving pain, grief, and heartfelt feelings to our ancestor the "Rock." Group decides what to do with the rock afterward (place outside, save, place in the Spirit House, etc.)

BREAK (20 minutes)