Cultural Loss - Impact on Native American Health

Dr. Donald Warne talks about how cultural loss impacts the health of Native American tribes in Arizona. The damming of rivers plunged local tribes into poverty, dependence and ultimately poor health. Deprived of their language, land, livelihood and traditions, many Native Americans have developed a fatalistic view about diseases like diabetes.

This video is a Web-exclusive supplement to "Bad Sugar," Episode 4 of "UNNATURAL CAUSES: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" This ground-breaking documentary series looks at how the social, economic and physical environments in which we are born, live, and work profoundly affect our longevity and health. The series broadcast nationally on PBS in spring 2008, and can be bought on DVD from California Newsreel, www.newsreel.org

Visit www.unnaturalcauses.org to learn more.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Native
• American
• Indian
• tribes
• culture
• cultural
• loss
• water
• dams
• diabetes
• fatalism
• hope
• government

[arafel1964]

After seeing lots of vids and reading a lot I think that diabetes is a man made disease. Like said, diabetes were not a part of Native culture decades ago. I believe that food and water are filled with unnatural ingredients. Like my grandmother said; if it looks like natural food, eat it. Don't take those ready made meals and sauces. Also, despite the fact that I understand that people use alcohol to escape the current situation, it is a short term solution, addictive and effects your health.

[Peasker]

Hey, Am an Native American, Yet, am Rocky Cree, Living in Canada. I want to share something with you, in how it's affected us, the same similarities has also affected us not as individualsbut as a community. In the early stages, When a White man gave Alcohol to a native in return for Furs, ( Fur Trade ) it has destoryed are way of thinking. In whats important to us now. It's the greed, inside of us, but for an native itis what I get from it. Over what we really need!

[obfuscation03]

This could be a much better place if we all truly learned to walk that mile in someone else's shoes...

Thank you for posting and presenting a different perspective on alcoholism and disease in these Native American tribes.