"When I Am Lonely the Mountains Call Me": The Impact of Sacred Geography on Navajo Psychological Well Being

Abstract

Over the years, frequent conversations with Drs. Dale Walker and Pat Silk-Walker impressed upon me the careful thought that had been invested in their longitudinal study of alcohol use and abuse among a large sample of urban Indians, with special emphasis on the mother/child dyad. As we talked, there was little doubt in my mind that the empirical findings of this work would find its way into a variety of professional and public forums. However, many of the issues that we discussed at greatest length had to do with the opportunities for and challenges of conducting longitudinal research in this special population. Those issues touched upon matters of science -e.g., sampling, recruitment, retention, analysis, participant confidentiality -as well as local benefit -e.g., community participation, feedback, and programmatic application. The lessons learned about these matters seemed much less likely to be published. Most professional journals, today, are interested only in what they consider to be the "meat" or substance of a study; the "doing" of research often is considered outside of this domain. Ironically, with respect to longitudinal work in particular, thoughtful reflection on the latter is precisely what is now needed. Thus, Walker et al.'s offer to author a manuscript along these lines, employing their current experience as the central speaking point, was fortuitous: an offer I quickly accepted.In the pages that follow, then, the reader is treated to a sophisticated presentation of research methods employed in a longitudinal fashion and comments by other investigators who have shared similar struggles. The result is a wonderful discussion of ideas, approaches, and priorities that is sure to instruct all of us. This exchange adds in important ways to the dialogue surrounding the potential and the pitfalls of studying the human condition over time.

Relationships between Personal and Collective Place Identity and Well-Being in Mountain Communities

“…Transcendent experiences (positive affect associated with a sense of timelessness) have also been shown to associate with natural environments ( Laski, 1961 ; Williams and Harvey, 2001 ; Park et al, 2011 ). This therapeutic use of nature, therapeutic associations between nature and well-being including feelings of solitude and aesthetical values ( Russell, 2012 ) are of course also portrayed in works of fiction, such as in Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain containing impressions and images of “pure Alpine air and magnificent mountain landscapes” ( Gesler, 2000 , p. 126), and in self-biographical reflections of for example “Throughout my childhood, I always felt drawn to a mountain in the heart of Alaska which the Athabaskan Indians call Denali, The Great One … Now, years later, I still recall the many transcendent experiences during my ascent of this tallest mountain in North America.” ( Hébert, 2014 , p. 27), and “When I am lonely the mountains call me” ( Griffin-Pierce, 1997 p. 1).…”

Preventing and Treating Homesickness

“…6,11,12 Other populations frequently affected include immigrants, foreign students, foreign employees, displaced persons, refugees, and military personnel. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Prevalence estimates of homesickness vary widely depending on how homesickness is defined, the population under study, the circumstances of the separation, and the type of measurement. For example, prevalence of homesickness among adolescent boarding-school students is estimated to range from 16% to 91%.…”

Interpreting the Inheritance Mechanism of the Wu Yue Sacred Mountains in China Using Structuralist and Semiotic Approaches

“…The Wu Yue of China and the four sacred mountains of the Navajo mentioned above fall under this category, and the spatial structure is a unique cultural heritage. For the Navajo, these four sacred mountains are associated with different colors, materials, seasons, and gods [23], providing the Navajo with a sense of order and safety [24]. The sacred mountains in many other countries have no spatial principles governing their relative locations.…”