Indigenous People in a Multicultural Society: Unique Issues for Human Services

Abstract

Indigenous peoples have a unique place within a multicultural society. The history of indigenous people in the United States differs from those who came here as immigrants. For many Native Americans a primary goal has been self-preservation through separation and isolation rather than seeking a place within a multicultural society. Many people are not aware that the federal government and some state governments have specific moral and legal rights and responsibilities toward Native Americans, unlike other groups in the United States. Human services providers who work with Native Americans must understand the issues specific to indigenous people in a multicultural society. This article examines the unique status of Native Americans in the United States and explores the practice implications of that status. The article begins with an overview of the components of culturally competent social work with Native Americans, then examines specific issues such as historical trauma and sovereignty with which social workers and other human services workers should be familiar to serve Native American clients effectively.

The Experience of Urban Aboriginals with Health Care Services in Canada

“…Researchers from Australia and North America have called for culturally competent practice when dealing with the health and human service needs of indigenous people (Jackson & Ward 1999;Paterson 1997;Weaver 1998). Several efforts towards meeting the needs of urban Aboriginals were described.…”

Therapeutic Dilemmas in Cross-Cultural Practice with Asian American Adolescents

“…One recommendation based on this study would be to integrate didactic learning with practice and field experience (with diverse cultural groups), and to encourage students to meet with representatives of different cultures in order to understand the issues first hand. Culturally competent practice includes knowledge about the ethnic group in question, self-reflection and recognition of biases, and finally the ability to integrate this knowledge and reflection with appropriate interventions (Weaver, 1998). Based on the accounts of the more experienced clinicians in this study, cultural competence also involves the ability to hold the tension between both the Eastern and Western paradigms, and to help clients live in both worlds.…”

Illuminating the Lived Experiences of Research with Indigenous Communities

“…Taking a larger parcel of land than what was agreed upon, having unauthorized tribal members make treaty decisions for the entire tribe, and the use of alcohol were deceptive tactics that were frequently used in the signing of treaties; oftentimes, these treaties were later broken by Colonial and U.S. governments. Foreign disease as well as genocide, which is defined as systematic efforts to eradicate in whole or in part a specific ethnic, racial, or national group (Legters, 1988), reduced the original indigenous population by an estimated 80% to 99% (Garrett & Pichette, 2000;Weaver, 1998). Following military defeat, indigenous Americans were forced to relocate to land reservations where there was starvation, desertion, and prohibition of engagement in the cultural practices that were integral to their mental, spiritual, and physical well-being (Whitbeck, Adams, Hoyt, & Chen, 2004 ethnic cleansing continued in the boarding school era that began in 1878, which forced assimilation among indigenous youths.…”