Wednesday June 13th, 2018

The children are raised to respect their elders and are brought up to remember their heritage and be proud of who you are. As I heard today, one of the biggest steps to recovery are owning up to your mistakes; everyone makes them but owning up to it and how you choose to better yourself and get past it are what help define a person. The children are being raised to help keep their culture alive and well. Parents and grandparents are passing down their history, their knowledge and the Cherokee language to keep what the Natives have left, alive and growing. The elders of the culture have the most respect because of the knowledge that they possess. The history of the Natives is largely passed down by word of mouth and storytelling. As the elders begin to pass, their knowledge, wisdom and traditions of the culture go with them if not passed down. The structure of the family is very matriarchal. We were told that often during conflict, the most honorable woman decided whether they went to war or not; the women and mothers had the final say. It is not out of the usual for families to live with their grandparents or other members of the family. The support systems in the community is the community. Many members share similar stories and find comfort in sharing their stories and bonding with others that have gone through similar experiences. It is important for individuals to talk about their problems and what is bothering them in order to connect with others that may be going through similar circumstances. Generational trauma is a common emotional experience among members of the Native people. Having others that can identify with you with similar issues can offer a sort of comfort in that you know that some one else out there understand what you are going through and experiencing. The support system often comes from others within the community; whether it be family, friends, church members, healthcare professionals, elders or tribal leaders. The culture is very receptive to helping their own and making sure that others know they have support if they need it. Most children and families that are resilient have some sort of trauma that they have faced in their life. Whether it be generational guilt, substance abuse, both being a user and the loved one of a user or being subject to biased opinions and prejudice.