3. Why does Alexie continually present the issue of alcoholism among American Indians regardless of tribe?…
Rorabaugh even described the Americans’ daily drinking in his classic 1979 book, The Alcoholic Republic.(145) With Americans moved west, “the first sign of civilization in many new towns was a saloon or several saloons.” People drinking in the saloon also enjoy cultural offerings by the saloons.(145) Booze also have a big effect to American pharmacy, because wine in many pharmaceutical formulations, and people “was siad to have steadied the nerves of Union soldiers at the Battle of…
The most prevalent issue among the Native Americans living on the reservation is alcoholism. Around 80 percent of adults living on Pine Ridge are alcoholic. The interactionist perspective argues that drug and alcohol use is learned through others (Leon-Guerrero, 332). However, “research indicates that factors such as demography…
The problem of alcohol abuse on the Navajo Nation is widespread and devastating, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Substance abuse is associated with substantial health consequences, including liver disease, alcohol-related accidents, suicide, and domestic violence. The expansive nature of the reservation and systems of structural violence perpetuate health and socioeconomic inequities on the Navajo Nation, making interventions difficult. Furthermore, many patients on the Navajo Nation lack the financial and logistical means to travel hours off of the reservation to receive care. This renders the centralized system of alcohol abuse treatment through hospitals and clinics in border towns inefficient and unsuccessful.…
Much of the early colonial evidence about Indians’ behavior under the influence of alcohol comes from the reports of political officials and priests. The statements lean towards excessive drinking and general indictments of pulque and tepache as the cause of all sins and social problems, including idolatry, rebellion, poverty, illness, violent crime, infidelity, and incest. Spaniards generally thought of a Mediterranean ideal of drinking as being able to “hold” their liquor without losing control of their dignified demeanor and “natural reason.” From the history of Teposcolula, Spanish wine and the movement of non-Indians in the countryside exposed native peasants to certain models of drinking behavior, which at times were rejected. When a…
When interviewed Sherman Alexie said “It’s [alcoholism] not a stereotype,it's a damp, damp reality. Native Americans have an epidemic rate of alcoholism”(Alexie, 23:30). Sherman Alexie is the author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Part-Time Indian). Stereotyping mainly is the perceived notion especially for a group of people. However, there are unfortunate times when a stereotype perceived about a group of people is correct, similar to the case of Alexie when voicing his opinions about his race, when alcoholism is the reality. He expresses these opinions in his book Part-Time Indian where the main character Junior must cope with three severe losses of close family and friends. In addition, the character feels he is a part-time…
During the nineteenth -century America was known for it 's drinking abilities. The question some people want to know is "was early nineteenth-century America really a nation of drunkards" (Rorabaugh 5)? The United States was among the most addicted of nations, that in this respect it had out stripped all of Europe, and that "no other people ever indulged, so universally." Alcohol was looked upon as a disease like the plague and it was spreading wider and wider throughout the country. It was being considered as a growing evil.…
The following is a summary of the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders among Native American women in primary care. This summary will include the objectives, the methods, the results, and the conclusions.…
As an outlet for depression, many Native Americans have turned to alcohol. In fact, “Native Americans have the highest weekly alcohol consumption of any ethnic group” (Chartier). Alcohol has wreaked havoc on countless Indian communities. For example, in The Diary of a Part Time Indian, during a short period of time, Junior loses his grandmother, Eugene, and his sister. In Junior’s tribe, “about 90 percent of the deaths have been because of alcohol” (Alexie 200). Junior’s grandmother perished when she journeyed home from a powwow and was hit by a drunk driver. Furthermore, Eugene was shot, by his friend Bobby, who was intoxicated. Soon, Junior learns about the death of his sister, Mary, in Montana. An accidental fire erupted and under the influence…
A recent study by Dr. Ming D. Li shows that alcoholism (the addiction to alcohol) may actually be linked to a genetic trait- making alcoholism a product of nature. Dr. Li is the head of neurobiology at the University of Virginia, and states that this research is “unique” because it shows that a single gene variation- one which alters the brain’s control of serotonin, a mood influencing neurological chemical- is connected to a kind of behavior: alcoholism.…
The article Alcoholism and Genes was mainly concerning the issue between a person’s genes and how it can affect if they develop alcoholism in their later years. This occurs with the development of the ALDH1, which seems to be more present in the Asian race rather than the European community due to their blood. The ALDH1 gene breaks down acetaldehyde (breakdown product of alcohol) and when there is a different variation in a person’s genes, the enzyme works slower. In Asians, when they have alcohol, the acetaldehyde starts to build up. The gene variant to ALDH1 is found in Asians and this makes them more vulnerable to develop alcoholism. While this may be one cause of alcoholism, it may also be caused by if someone in your family is diagnosed with alcoholism. This becomes passed throughout the family if many people have it. Some simple symptoms of alcoholism are anxiety and depression.…
The concepts of alcohol abuse and dependence are very common among Alaska natives, and are associated with high rates of violence and health problems (Seale, Shellenberger & Spence, 2006, p.1). A survey by the Gallup organization found that 14.9% of American Indians & Alaska natives were dependent on alcohol and another 4.1 were alcohol abusers (p.2). Let’s look at those stats this way, that 14.9 is a huge number regarding their population size. Society been have overlooked this issue, alcohol research studies back in the day didn’t focus on native communities and excluding them in their studies (p.6). Alcohol was introduced to the native communities by Russian fur traders and whales, who took advantage of the native individuals when they were intoxicated (p.7). The men were said to be the most influenced and so they started getting addicted and it started affecting their work (p.8). For example, as one native women stated in an interview “Spring is our time of gathering for the winter like hunting and fishing, but the men stayed drunk and we didn’t stock food for the winter” (p.8). Violence and the factors that come with it also emerges when an individual or community start to abuse…
Among elderly Mexican American, alcoholism is a common thing. Studies indicate that there is a compelling influence of nativity on Hispanic concentration on addiction among women and not men. According to Hatchett (2011), the use of alcohol among Mexican Americans is predominantly common in men compared to women. The drinking behavior among Mexican Americans is estimated at the end of the consumption curve. The meaning of the extremities is that at one end there is a higher percentage of abstainers, mostly women and on the other end are the heavy drinkers.…
The problem can vary with gender, age and for the most part the cultural and historical past. From an abstract point of view, the white Europeans who arrived in American brought plenty of alcohol along with other goods. It moved toward that alcohol was deliberately pressed upon the Native Americans. This made alcohol the Europeans number one trade good. This is only the introduction to why the Native American people began to drink. With land being taken over from the Native Americans, being sought to be taught someone who they are not and to lose what was theirs escalated the epidemic. For century’s now the Native American people have chosen to go seek refuge at the bottom of the…
There are 5.2 million Native Americans in the United States. 1 in 10 of those Native Americans die for alcohol-related reasons. Alcoholism spreads like the plague. Because of this, it can be hard for children on the reservations to find positive role models. Which can be why many Native Americans grow up to be alcoholics as well. “Life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community” -Sherman Alexie. This quote means that it’s always a balance between being part of your community and doing what is favorable for you. Or by doing what's valuable for your future. To be successful in life, you need to surround yourself with positive influences.…