Cross-Cultural Interview Case Study
Cross Cultural Interview
Background
Angel Jackson is a fifty one year old Native American traditionalist. She was born in Mt. Pleasant Michigan but moved around in her youth and actually raised in Lansing, attended boarding school in South Dakota, and returned to Mt. Pleasant where she currently resides on the reservation.
Family Background
There are many differences based on whether or not a Native American chooses to live on the reservation, the biggest being that those that do live on the reservation are close to their tribe and it’s a smaller knit community (personal communication, October 26, 2015). This coincides with previous research which has found that tribal communities maintain strong interpersonal relationships and are clustered together (Allison and Vining, 1999, p.203). Growing up in Lansing there wasn’t a large Native American presence, whereas here on the reservation she is surrounded by her family and tribe.
According to Angel, Native American family roles can be very different from that of mainstream society, although this varies greatly within the tribe and is dependent on religious …show more content…
beliefs. Many are Christian, although she practices traditionalism which she described as having many ceremonies, sweat lodges, an emphasis on the traditional language, and traditional music (personal communication, October 26, 2015).
Current Life
Angel has an associate’s degree and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in in business administration at Central Michigan University.
She has been employed at the gaming commission at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort for twenty seven years, and has been the chair person for the Pow-Wows in Mt. Pleasant for six. Clearly, she has much community involvement on the reservation in the different ceremonies and gatherings they throw, but the tribe as a whole does a lot for the community off the reservation as well. The Soaring Eagle Casino is the largest employer in Isabella County, and many donations go back into the community. CITTT!#E. Angel also explained that they have a blue jean week, where certain departments pay five dollars a day to wear blue jeans to work and they donate the money to charities of their choice (personal communication, October 26,
2015).
Cultural Context Angel didn’t really notice any challenges in practicing her culture in mainstream society until her children went to school, she said distinctions had to be made that there is a “res life” and a “non res life” because there are certain expectations on the reservation. Angel said she never felt she’s been discriminated against, her children felt they were at one point and she hears a lot about it but she has never seen it or felt that her children were truly treated unfairly. Strengths identified in traditional Native American culture were ceremonies, songs, and of utmost importance Language (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). There are emersion classes to teach the native language of Ojibwe Mowin held in Mt. Pleasant, Angels grandchildren participate in the school. She says it has done great things for their culture, means a lot to her, and keeps the language alive (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). Teaching children traditional cultural customs such as language and ceremonies has been shown to build ethnic identity, increase connection to life, group cohesion, self-identity, moral cognitive development, emotional well-being, and decrease behavioral problems (Kenyon and Hanson,2012, P. 275).
To better understand this culture mainstream society should know the Native American belief that “all creation stories are true” (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). This statement was explained in-depth by Angel and posted at the Ziibwing Center, she described it as the balance, and that everyone’s beliefs are equally valid.
Reflection
The interview process went as planned, it was an in person interview that took place at Angel’s Mt. Pleasant office and ended with a tour of the Ziibwing center. Many interview skills were used such as maintaining eye contact, having a professional appearance, and multiple reflective questions were asked for clarification of understanding.
To work more effectively with Native Americans Social workers should know to keep an open mind because Native Americans don’t live their life by a book, although because social workers haven’t had the experiences Native Americans have the only way to relate to their lifestyle is by learning it in this way. (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). To clarify, by this she meant it is important to be aware that there are cultural differences while avoiding assumptions based upon what social workers may have heard or read.
Background
Angel Jackson is a fifty one year old Native American traditionalist. She was born in Mt. Pleasant Michigan but moved around in her youth and actually raised in Lansing, attended boarding school in South Dakota, and returned to Mt. Pleasant where she currently resides on the reservation.
Family Background
There are many differences based on whether or not a Native American chooses to live on the reservation, the biggest being that those that do live on the reservation are close to their tribe and it’s a smaller knit community (personal communication, October 26, 2015). This coincides with previous research which has found that tribal communities maintain strong interpersonal relationships and are clustered together (Allison and Vining, 1999, p.203). Growing up in Lansing there wasn’t a large Native American presence, whereas here on the reservation she is surrounded by her family and tribe.
According to Angel, Native American family roles can be very different from that of mainstream society, although this varies greatly within the tribe and is dependent on religious …show more content…
beliefs. Many are Christian, although she practices traditionalism which she described as having many ceremonies, sweat lodges, an emphasis on the traditional language, and traditional music (personal communication, October 26, 2015).
Current Life
Angel has an associate’s degree and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in in business administration at Central Michigan University.
She has been employed at the gaming commission at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort for twenty seven years, and has been the chair person for the Pow-Wows in Mt. Pleasant for six. Clearly, she has much community involvement on the reservation in the different ceremonies and gatherings they throw, but the tribe as a whole does a lot for the community off the reservation as well. The Soaring Eagle Casino is the largest employer in Isabella County, and many donations go back into the community. CITTT!#E. Angel also explained that they have a blue jean week, where certain departments pay five dollars a day to wear blue jeans to work and they donate the money to charities of their choice (personal communication, October 26,
2015).
Cultural Context Angel didn’t really notice any challenges in practicing her culture in mainstream society until her children went to school, she said distinctions had to be made that there is a “res life” and a “non res life” because there are certain expectations on the reservation. Angel said she never felt she’s been discriminated against, her children felt they were at one point and she hears a lot about it but she has never seen it or felt that her children were truly treated unfairly. Strengths identified in traditional Native American culture were ceremonies, songs, and of utmost importance Language (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). There are emersion classes to teach the native language of Ojibwe Mowin held in Mt. Pleasant, Angels grandchildren participate in the school. She says it has done great things for their culture, means a lot to her, and keeps the language alive (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). Teaching children traditional cultural customs such as language and ceremonies has been shown to build ethnic identity, increase connection to life, group cohesion, self-identity, moral cognitive development, emotional well-being, and decrease behavioral problems (Kenyon and Hanson,2012, P. 275).
To better understand this culture mainstream society should know the Native American belief that “all creation stories are true” (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). This statement was explained in-depth by Angel and posted at the Ziibwing Center, she described it as the balance, and that everyone’s beliefs are equally valid.
Reflection
The interview process went as planned, it was an in person interview that took place at Angel’s Mt. Pleasant office and ended with a tour of the Ziibwing center. Many interview skills were used such as maintaining eye contact, having a professional appearance, and multiple reflective questions were asked for clarification of understanding.
To work more effectively with Native Americans Social workers should know to keep an open mind because Native Americans don’t live their life by a book, although because social workers haven’t had the experiences Native Americans have the only way to relate to their lifestyle is by learning it in this way. (A. Jackson, personal communication, October 26, 2015). To clarify, by this she meant it is important to be aware that there are cultural differences while avoiding assumptions based upon what social workers may have heard or read.