Gathering teaches AIDS prevention

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Francis Cree, Chippewa Elder from Turtle Mountain met with the Women's Health Education Resource Centre from Lake Andes, South Dakota, to discuss the prevention of AIDS during Sun Dance ceremonies that take place across Indian country in the summer season.

Four years ago, there was a workshop to bring about awareness of AIDS prevention during Sun Dance ceremonies. Since that time, the move to make people more aware of AIDS during the ceremonies has taken on a more important role in the area of education and prevention.

According to Cree, those people wishing to partake in the ceremonial flesh offering and piercing are told about AIDS, how it's contracted, and the precautions taken by the host of the Sun Dance.

Last year, Cree was able to get all of his supplies from the Indian Health Services in Belcourt. The knives were sterile and disposable, and latex gloves were worn by those handling the knives. These added precautions are necessary to prevent the spread of AIDS-infected blood from one person to another, he said.

Another issue talked about during the workshop was a conference dealing with AIDS awareness planned for next year.

According to Theresa Chief Eagle, a member of the Women's Health Education Resource Centre, the conference will bring all the nation's tribes together to talk about AIDS and to try to find a beneficial way to deal with the disease. Attendees will also be able to express their concerns about AIDS among tribal members.

Chief Eagle quoted some figures that gives a serious look at the spread of this devastating disease.

"From the first to second quarter 1993, reported AIDS cases doubled to about 700. The first quarter showed a report of about 326 cases. Many more cases are not being reported.

"The highest number of AIDS cases are among homosexuals. The medial field has found, however, that the fastest rising number of reported AIDS cases is among women and children. People don't realize how serious this epidemic is," she said.

Chief Eagle said tribal leaders need to be more active in spreading knowledge about AIDS. What the women's group leaders will do is pass a resolution acknowledging that AIDS is an epidemic.

This kind of resolution will bring the disease to the attention of community members. It's been shown that tribal members will take an important health problem a lot more seriously if tribal leaders openly acknowledge that there is a reason for concern.

Right now there are Native Americans and Canadians living away from the reservations who have contracted AIDS, and many of these people want to come home to their people. This issue needs to be addressed because tribal communities will welcome home these people as they have always welcomed their people home.

When the meeting in Rapid City came to an end, hosts of the Sun Dance ceremonies, went back to their homes to teach the prevention of AIDS.

Francis Cree said that the Sun Dance in Turtle Mountain is an important event.

"More people are becoming educated on Indian spirituality and it shows in the ceremony. The Sun Dance grows every year. Policemen, senators, priests, nuns, security guards, we even have a man who comes from Norway every year to participate in the Sun Dance.