COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO pdf

COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO Catherine Swan Reimer GREENWOOD PRESS COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO Recent Titles in Contributions in Psychology Modern Perspectives on John B. Watson and Classical Behaviorism James T. Todd and Edward K. Morris, editors Worlds of Common Sense: Equality, Identity, and Two Modes of Impulse Management Pauline Nichols Pepinsky The Five Stages of Culture Shock: Critical Incidents Around the World Paul Pedersen Modern Perspectives on B. F. Skinner and Contemporary Behaviorism James T. Todd and Edward K. Morris, editors Chaos Theory in Psychology Frederick David Abraham and Albert R. Gilgen, editors Classifying Reactions to Wrongdoing R. Murray Thomas Prevent, Repent, Reform, Revenge: A Study in Adolescent Moral Development Ann C. Diver-Stamnes and R. Murray Thomas Post-Soviet Perspectives on Russian Psychology Vera Koltsova, Yuri Oleinik, Albert R. Gilgen, and Carol K. Gilgen, editors Multicultural Counseling in a Divided and Traumatized Society Joyce Hickson and Susan Kriegler Cognitive Psychology in the Middle Ages Simon Kemp Adolescence: Biological and Psychosocial Perspectives Benjamin B. Wolman Soviet and American Psychology During World War II Albert R. Gilgen, Carol K. Gilgen, Vera A. Koltsova, and Yuri N. Oleinik COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO Catherine Swan Reimer Foreword by Joseph E. Trimble Contributions in Psychology, Number 36 Paul Pedersen, Series Adviser GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reimer, Catherine Swan, 1939– Counseling the Inupiat Eskimo / Catherine Swan Reimer ; foreword by Joseph E. Trimble. p. cm. — (Contributions in psychology, ISSN 0736–2714 ; no. 36) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–313–30934–5 (alk. paper) 1. Inupiat—Mental health services. 2. Inupiat—Counseling of. 3. Inupiat—Mental health. I. Title. II. Series. RC451.5.I5R45 1999 362.2'089'9712—dc21 98–51220 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright ᭧ 1999 by Catherine Swan Reimer All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98–51220 ISBN: 0–313–30934–5 ISSN: 0736–2714 First published in 1999 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America TM The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10987654321 For the Inupiat people, my mother Elizabeth Swan Williams, and my husband John Reimer. Contents Foreword by Joseph E. Trimble ix Acknowledgments xiii Introduction xv 1 Historical Background 1 2 Inupiat Descriptions and Words for Personal Well-Being 5 3 The Effect of Thinking and Proper Conduct on One’s Personal Well-Being 11 4 Taking Responsibility for One’s Well-Being 19 5 Sociological Factors Effecting Well-Being 37 6 Who Are the Healers from the Village? 53 7 What Every Counselor Should Know 65 8 Strategies to Help the Inupiat People 89 viii Contents 9 Beliefs About the Environment 101 10 The Importance of Sharing 125 11 Beliefs About the Whale 131 Conclusion 135 Appendix A The Inupiat Ilitqusiat Value System 139 Appendix B Demographic Information 141 Appendix C Map of Alaska 145 Bibliography 149 Index 157 Foreword Multicultural counseling has been likened to a ‘‘fourth force’’ in the general field of counseling psychology, a force that is equal to the impact that such disciplines as psychoanalysis, behavioral modification, and humanistic approaches have had on the field. Multicultural counseling or cross-cultural counseling began in the early 1970s and has rapidly become a vitally important and influential perspective in the 1990s. The number of textbooks, journal articles, and monographs dealing with the topic have increased considerably; where there were a meager handful of articles and textbooks available in the 1970s and 1980s, the com- bined list now numbers well into the hundreds. Catherine Swan Reimer’s small book now joins the distinguished list of original works in the field and undoubtedly adds a very significant per- spective to the literature—a perspective grounded in the voices and stories of the Inupiat-speaking indigenous, native people of Alaska. Those familiar with the multicultural counseling literature know that most of the emphasis is placed on responding to cul- tural and ethnic differences. Many of the articles and chapters [...]... foods are 4 Counseling the Inupiat Eskimo preferred to food purchased from the local store Store food is used to supplement the Inupiat s rich protein and fat diet The taking of animals (the preparation for the hunt, the successful taking of animals, the preparation, cooking, and distribution of the meat, etc.) is inextricably connected to the culture and worldview of the Inupiat Even with the inevitable... but rather a subtle expression emanating from within Eyes twinkle and are expressive, skin seems vibrant, the voice is soft and kind, the mouth turned upward in a gentle smile, the senses are keen and the mind aware A sense of peace pervades the atmosphere Within this naturalness and 10 Counseling the Inupiat Eskimo presence, the spirit of the person communicates the real self Roles, facades, and the. .. traveled 2,000 miles to southeastern Alaska in search of a missionary The Inupiat embraced Christianity because the people liked the idea of heaven and felt empowered against the dangers of the shamans (VanStone, 1962) Some believe that the Inupiat were prepared for Christianity long before it came An Inupiat prophet named Maniilaq was given instructions from the ‘‘Father who lived in the sky and dressed... to me about the relationship of ahregah and the environment To my God, all my other family members, children, and friends who continually support my personal well-being, thank you! Introduction The old adage that it is better to go upstream to find out why people are falling into the river, rather than continuing to rescue them as they float by, has not been the focus of counseling with the Inupiat people... approaches An approach originating from the Plains Indians and recognized by most tribes is the ‘‘medicine wheel’’ (Neihardt, 1961) or sacred hoop (Gunn Allen, 1986), which included four aspects of a person: the mind, the body, the emotions, and the spirit Although the medicine wheel is used by many tribes (Bopp, 1987), it is not popular among the Inupiat The Inupiat use the xx Introduction Ilitqusiat value... 91.9 percent of the population (Bureau of the Census, 1990) The major source of food for the Inupiat of this area still comes from the ocean, the rivers, and the tundra Fish of many varieties, including salmon, sea mammals (including whale, seal, and walrus), migratory birds (ducks, geese, ptarmigan, and bird eggs), caribou, reindeer, and moose are the main fauna taken by the Northern Eskimo Fur-bearing... process of the Inupiats’ concept of PWB In this volume, I identify their language and important healers, and discuss how PWB is transmitted I also describe what the Inupiat want from counselors in their own words In addition, when describing the Inupiat worldview and their view of PWB, major themes related to this holistic approach include the mind, body, and spirit, as well as consideration of the environment... participate in Eskimo activities and feast revolving around Eskimo food Inner harmony is an aspect of PWB important to these northern people They describe inner harmony as a state of peace, quiet, and the unity of mind, body, and spirit Like other Native American groups whose conceptual framework define wellbeing to include the mind, body, and spirit, the Inupiat place a high premium on these components... one thinks is very important to the Inupiat because, according to Fienup-Riordan (1990), these people are aware how their negative thoughts can hurt animal spirits and others’ minds This idea is supported by Witherspoon (1989), who discussed the Navajo people’s belief that good fortune comes through positive thinking To the Inupiat, there is a reciprocal relation between the way one thinks and how things... harmony is a state of being that is connected to the mind, body, spirit, and environment A healthy body and inner harmony are very important to the Inupiat Like other Native American groups whose conceptual framework define well-being to include the mind, body, and spirit, the Inupiat place a high premium on these components in relation to their well-being Some of the comments were as follows: ‘‘I feel in . COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO Catherine Swan Reimer GREENWOOD PRESS COUNSELING THE INUPIAT ESKIMO Recent Titles in Contributions. falling into the river, rather than continuing to rescue them as they float by, has not been the focus of counseling with the Inupiat people of northern Alaska