Urban Indian Perspectives of Traditional Indian Medicine

202 Pages·2016·1.39 MB·English

Antioch University
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Dissertations & Theses
2013
Urban Indian Perspectives of Traditional Indian
Medicine
Annette Squetimkin-Anquoe
Antioch University - PhD Program in Leadership and Change
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URBAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN MEDICINE

ANNETTE SQUETIMKIN-ANQUOE

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership and Change Program
of Antioch University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
June, 2013
This is to certify that the Dissertation entitled:

URBAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN MEDICINE

prepared by

Annette Squetimkin-Anquoe

is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Leadership and Change.

Approved by:

________________________________________________________________________
Carolyn Kenny, Ph.D., Chair date

________________________________________________________________________
Elizabeth L. Holloway, Ph.D., Committee Member date

________________________________________________________________________
Richard Vedan, Ph.D., Committee Member date

________________________________________________________________________
Felicia Hodge, Ph.D., External Reader date
Copyright 2013 Annette Squetimkin-Anquoe
All rights reserved
Acknowledgements

I thank the Creator for allowing me to be here at this time and place. I thank the
ancestors for their strength and for passing on their knowledge and wisdom to our people
wherever they may live across Indian Country.
I thank my family and friends who have supported me throughout this endeavor as their
encouragement, prayers, and support has meant the world to me. I especially thank my beloved
who continues to inspire me from his place in the universe.
I thank the community in which I have the privilege of living and especially to those who
stepped forward to voice their most valuable perspectives.
I hold my hands up to my committee chair, Dr. Carolyn Kenny, and thank her for her
dedication and words of wisdom from the beginning to the end of this journey. I extend
appreciation and gratitude to the committee members, Dr. Elizabeth Holloway, Dr. Richard W.
Vedan, Dr. Felicia Hodge, and the late Dr. Robert T. Textor, who were insightful guides for me
in this process. I thank the editor, Shannon Venable, for watching over this manuscript in a most
respectful and considerate manner.
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Abstract

American Indians (AI) represent 2% of the United States population with over 560 federally
recognized tribes. In comparison to mainstream society AI show disparate rates for a number of
health conditions. While some AI use traditional forms of medicine and healing practices that
encompass mind-body-spirit approaches, studies conducted on the topic of Traditional Indian
Medicine (TIM) among American Indians are sparse. Considering the fact that two thirds of the
entire AI population currently lives in urban areas, it is timely to learn more about how TIM is
seen by American Indians, which is the purpose of this study. An Ethnographic Futures
Research (EFR) study was conducted with five AI participants of the urban community in King
County, Washington. Data was collected via focus group discussion involving future and
present oriented times which were categorized into themes and member checked with
participants. Findings were arranged in a physical-emotional-social-spiritual framework to
include themes regarding perspectives about TIM, broad guiding principles, and steps. The
range of perspectives in this study support previous investigations involving tribally diverse
people. That participant views about TIM encompassed a multitude of facets beyond health care
issues was a surprise and may allude to a relational worldview. The relational aspects that exist
within many indigenous worldviews are highlighted by the importance of treating each other and
the earth well is a factor in the sustenance of traditional and indigenous knowledge. The
electronic version of this Dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................i
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................ii
Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................iii
List of Figures.……………………………………………………………………………………vi

Chapter I: Introduction....................................................................................................................1
Conducting Indigenous Research in a Good Way......................................................................3
Who I Am and Where I Come From...........................................................................................4
Urban Indian Health Disparities................................................................................................14
Definitions of Traditional Indian Medicine..............................................................................16
Indigenous Research About Indian Leadership and Traditional Indian Medicine..……………..18

Purpose of the Study.................................................................................................................18
Epistemological Approach for a TIM Inquiry...........................................................................20
Logistics Model for Conducting Research Among Urban Indians on the Topic of Traditional
Indian Medicine.........................................................................................................................22

Chapter II: Literature Review.......................................................................................................25
Indigenous Leadership Models That Describe the Influence of Indigenous Worldviews in the
Development of These Models.................................................................................................30

Traditional Indian Medicine Research......................................................................................39
How Traditional Indian Medicine Has Been Researched Among Indigenous Communities by
Indigenous Researchers.............................................................................................................44
Chapter III: Methodology.............................................................................................................55
Summary of the Implementation of Process Models Among Indigenous Communities..........55
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Effective Research Methods in Indigenous Communities........................................................62
Features of Ethnographic Futures Research..............................................................................67
Methods for Data Collection and Analysis...............................................................................71
Ethical Issues Involved in an EFR Study..................................................................................71
Overview of the EFR Method...................................................................................................76
Criteria for Selecting Participants.............................................................................................78
Study Procedures.......................................................................................................................79
Procedures.................................................................................................................................83
Chapter IV: Results of the Study..................................................................................................88
Findings.....................................................................................................................................89
Final EFR Focus Group Summary............................................................................................89
Optimistic Scenario...............................................................................................................89
Most Probable Scenario.…………………………………………………………………...105

Pessimistic Scenario............................................................................................................100
Guiding Principles...............................................................................................................108
Steps for Our Community....................................................................................................110
Chapter V: Interpretation of the Findings...................................................................................115
Physical...................................................................................................................................120
Emotional................................................................................................................................124
Social.......................................................................................................................................127
Spiritual...................................................................................................................................131
Chapter VI: Discussion...............................................................................................................141
Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………..151
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Appendix A EFR Pilot Study Training................................................................................151
Appendix B EFR Pilot Study Informed Consent Statement................................................154
Appendix C EFR Pilot Study Interview Questions.............................................................156
Appendix D EFR Desirabilty Scale.....................................................................................159
Appendix E EFR Suggested Grammar................................................................................160
Appendix F EFR Domain Matrix........................................................................................161
Appendix G EFR Pilot Study Participant Summary...........................................................162
Appendix H EFR Study Participant Informed Consent.......................................................172
Appendix I EFR Study Interview Questions.......................................................................175
References...................................................................................................................................178

v
List of Figures
Figure 1.1………………………………………………………………………………………..23
Figure 5.1……………………………………………………………………………………….140
Figure 5.2……………………………………………………………………………………….141

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