The "Soul Wound" of the Indian

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

A web article that goes into great length to explain the hole in the Indian soul. It may be found here if you wish to read the entire article: http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/tbacig/studproj/is3099/nahealth/paper.html

It also goes into great length to tell of genocide commited against the Indian as late as the mid 1970's via forced sterilizations (hysterectomies) on child bearing Indian women as one example of the trauma visited upon the Indian. That may be read at the above link as well.

However, I will provide below some of the article in relation to how it defines the Indian "Soul Wound".

The "Soul Wound" is essentially the physical, psychological and spiritual damage which is the direct and residual result of the mass genocide and colonization campaign that followed the initial contact between American Indianís and Europeans and Americans. The "Soul Wound" is the result of the shameful history of persecution of American Indians which continues to this day to be propagated by all of society. Another very important facet of the Soul Wound concept is that it includes a recognition by Duran and Duran (1995) that American Indians are also greatly affected today not only by continuing actions of oppression by society, but also by intergenerational posttraumatic stress disorder. This essentially means that the trauma of over five hundred years of oppression has been instilled and passed from generation to generation. This is not to suggest that it is a genetic ailment, only that it is passed from parents and other family and friends on to their offspring, through the demonstrated behaviors observed by the child. The fact that today American Indian people are still exposed to a great many injustices remains one of the principle reasons that they are unable to heal from this pervasive and all consuming wound. The fact that the Holocaust committed against American Indian people has yet to be acknowledged by most of the world and certainly not the United States remains a principle impediment to the healing process.

In addition to this wound of the soul which plagues American Indian people there is also a general misunderstanding of how to effectively conduct research within the American Indian community in order to develop culturally specific ways of treating American Indian health problems. This block on research affects not only the necessary treatment of the "Soul Wound", it also decreases the tendency for American Indian people to seek treatment for any health problem that plagues them. Essentially the "Soul Wound" and the society at large create a self sustaining situation whereby the "Soul Wound" is the principle reason for the distrust by American Indian people of anything administered to them by the white world, including health care, and as a result effective treatment methods and consistency in treatment are not easily attained.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

I will leave our readers here to weigh the content of the article for themselves. It has alot of great merit, considering how the Indian as a people have been treated over the centuries....but, I personally feel that its conclusion may be overly simplistic. There are many factors that tear at the soul of the Indian...and overt oppression is but one of them...but not the only factor. So, I am sort of mixed with this article myself. But, it does deserve to be read and to be included here...and may be of most value to those in nursing found in Behavioral Health.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

Another article that elaborates more on the coerced sterilizations previously mentioned.

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/9118/mike2.html

[fascinoma]

Thank you for your article, Thunderwolf.

I agree with the concept of a "soul wound". From both my Indian/Scottish/Irish/Anglo-American father, and from my Jewish mother. A minority's cultural pain stays with every descendant of that person.

My grandfather was "one quarter" Indian. But he had the stigma of being brought up by a "half breed" woman who was accepted by neither Indian nor white culture. Nonetheless, he was treated as a minority, and made to go to a "Christian" Indian school, where he was chained to a radiator and beaten every day. His pain was passed to my father. I am certain it affected me in some manner.

Being a cultural Jew, I learned about the "soul wound" in concept; every Jew has one. There is a very high rate of mental illness among European Jewish immigrants, and the damage wrought by genocide and prejudice is passed down to even the third and fourth generation descendants. Most Jewish holidays are about surviving someone's failed attempt to kill us.

Genocide and prejudice doesn't just hurt one generation of people, it affects the entire culture for its life.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

Thank you for sharing. I too can see the effects in my own lineage as it was passed down. Yes, the stigma was great.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

thank you for your article, thunderwolf.

i agree with the concept of a "soul wound". from both my indian/scottish/irish/anglo-american father, and from my jewish mother. a minority's cultural pain stays with every descendant of that person.

being a cultural jew, i learned about the "soul wound" in concept; every jew has one. there is a very high rate of mental illness among european jewish immigrants, and the damage wrought by genocide and prejudice is passed down to even the third and fourth generation descendants. most jewish holidays are about surviving someone's failed attempt to kill us.

thank you for this wonderful reminder. we as a people need to be reminded from time to time that there are others that we can culturally learn and grow from. maybe, the presence of these "holidays" is "the something" we lack as a people, which often keeps a people's identity strong....for the soul wound is an existential phenomenon. you have wonderful insight. thank you.