Cultural Views

Cultural Views on Health

Health can have many meanings such as how someone may feel or how they interact within their lifestyle. There are many cultures around the world that have a different view or belief of health than others. In my opinion, one major role that plays in that is the lifestyle they grew up in because the morals and beliefs that adults have will implant the same beliefs in their children, in which, is dedicated on living by them beliefs. The two cultures that I have chose to research and understand their beliefs on health is, Native American and Chinese cultures.

Native Americans Culture

“Native American view on health and illness is from their tribe’s beliefs about how individuals fit in the web of life that involves the tribe itself, all humanity, the earth, and the universe” (AIDS InfoNet, 2010). There are only “certain people in each tribe that are recognized as healers and the healing traditions are passed from one generation to the next through visions, stories, and dreams but people usually receive traditional healing through community or family referrals” (AIDS InfoNet, 2010). The Native Americans “traditional healing is known as holistic which means it does not focus on symptoms or diseases, it deals with the complete individual and not just the illness” (AIDS InfoNet, 2010). As professional health care providers follow written guidelines when helping a person, Native Americans don’t. (AIDS InfoNet, 2010) The Native Americans that are known as “healers work differently with each individual they encounter because they use their herbs, ceremony and power that would be best for each one” (AIDS InfoNet, 2010). Some of the healing traditions that Native Americans would use are “sweat lodges, talking circles, drumming, ceremonial smoking tobacco, potlatch ceremonies,

Cultural Views on Health 3

herbalism, animal spirits, and vision quests” (AIDS InfoNet, 2010). “Spiritual belief is a pervasive aspect of Indian culture”...