Celebrating Alutiiq cultural revitalization: pathways to holistic individual health and community wellness

Mete, Margaret Susan Draskovich

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Author

Mete, Margaret Susan Draskovich

Chair

John, Theresa

Committee

Koskey, Michael
Counceller, April
Drabek, Alisha
Topkok, Sean Asiqłuq

Abstract

It is well understood that disease is a consequence of varied causation. Despite the fact that many health care providers acknowledge the importance of treating patients in a comprehensive manner in order to successfully cure sickness or alleviate symptoms, the contemporary medical system dispenses care in a fragmented and frequently incomplete manner. The essential differences between Indigenous epistemologies and the predominant Western worldview has had a more devastating impact on well-being and infirmity than is often recognized. The intention of this research is to explore the importance of promoting balanced holistic health care at a deeper and more essential level in order to address root causes, accessed through communication with the natural and spiritual realms, versus merely treating the physical expressions of illness.

Description

Dissertation (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2021

Chapter 1: Introduction and rationale -- 1.1. Overview -- 1.2. Understanding the importance of my own story in this process -- 1.3. Connecting to the land that is home -- 1.4. The Alutiiq people of Kodiak Island -their story of healing and resilience -- 1.5. Feeling with an indigenous heart and learning to think with an indigenous mind -- 1.6. Purpose and intention of this research -- 1.7. Theoretical framework. Chapter 2: Literature review -- 2.1. Overview -- 2.2. The healing influence of relationship with spirit and nature -- 2.3. Historical influences that shaped Western worldviews -- 2.4. Current result from shifting focus to western scientific approach on wellness -- 2.5. Holistic is comprehensive but balance is the key -- 2.6. Quantum physics helps Western science accept subjective influences on health -- 2.7. Traditional healing practices review--a caution leads to deeper understanding -- 2.8. Kodiak Alutiiq cultural values -- 2.9. Evolving understanding. Chapter 3: Methods -- 3.1. Overview -- 3.2. Theoretical paradigm/framework -- 3.3. Research perspective -- 3.4. Methodology selection -- 3.5. Alutiiq community connections and relationships -- 3.6. Description of method -- 3.6.1. Familiarity with research topic -- 3.6.2. Maintaining an ongoing CIRM approach -- 3.6.3. Guiding the conversation in contrast to interviewing participants -- 3.6.4. Identifying participants with oversight and approval of Alutiiq culture bearers -- 3.6.5. Determining an appropriate setting for data gathering -- 3.6.6. Recording the data: sharing participant information or maintaining anonymity -- 3.6.7. Transcribing the conversations -- 3.6.8. Identifying the themes and reviewing them with participants to verify agreement -- 3.7. Questions this method answers/strengths and weaknesses -- 3.8. Summary. Chapter 4: Results -- 4.1. Data analysis with two-eyed seeing and looking both ways approaches -- 4.2. Overview and discussion of themes -- 4.3. General overview of all themes -- 4.4. Balance -- 4.4.1. Overview of the theme of balance - open and intact emanation of spirit -- 4.4.2. Collected observations that support the theme of balance -- 4.4.3. Summary review of participant comments on balance -- 4.5. Imbalance -- 4.5.1. Overview of the theme of imbalance-manifestations of spiritual distress -- 4.5.2. Collected observations that support the theme of imbalance -- Somatic symptoms: physical manifestations of spiritual distress such as pain or illness -- Mental health symptoms: emotional or behavioral manifestations of spiritual -- Distress such as depression or substance abuse -- Soul wound: impacts of colonization; intergenerational PTSD -- 4.5.3. Summary review of participant comments on imbalance -- 4.6. Relationships -- 4.6.1. Overview of the theme of relationships -- 4.6.2. Collected observations relationships in all realms: the human realm, the spiritual realm, the natural realm -- 4.6.3. Summary review of participant comments on relationships -- 4.7. Overall summary of findings. Chapter 5: Looking both ways with two-eyed seeing on selected findings -- 5.1. Acknowledging historical trauma to move forward -- 5.1.1. Understanding trauma - a devastating consequence of colonization -- 5.2. Gaining awareness of trauma and stressor related disorders -- 5.2.1. Western health care models that recognize and treat PTSD -- 5.3. Soul wound in the Kodiak Alutiiq community -- 5.4. Maqiwik a traditional indigenous approach to holistic health -- 5.4.1. Health benefits of the maqiwik or sweat lodge -- 5.4.2. Applying this traditional health strategy to this research. Chapter 6: Conclusions -- 6.1. Looking back -- 6.2. Revisiting the initial questions planned for the study -- 6.3. Application - looking forward -- 6.4. Suggestions and recommendations - looking forward -- 6.5. Implications for future research-looking forward -- References -- Appendices.

Date

2021-12

Type

Dissertation

Collections

Indigenous Studies