All Aboard: My Initial Impressions

My first impression of the Cherokee environment was beauty, unity and pride. As we drove through town, there were so many shops of native art and other designed pieces. I thought the town itself was clean, respected and appealing. What I found interesting, in particular, is the marriage traditions i read about at the Native museum. The interesting part, that stood out to me most, was “tying the knot”. It is a marriage tradition where the couple to be married would tie one blanket around them together, symbolizing unity, love and support of each other. I think we have both similarities and differences of beliefs and values. I too believe in family, unity and pride in my culture. The differences that I have is the belief and trust one has in a hospital. As mentioned by Mrs. Gilespie and Mrs, Holland, many Natives fear and distrust the hospital, viewing it as signing a death wish. The Native American culture is integrated into the community in a few different ways, one being the schools offered on the reservation and secondly, participating in the educational learning experiences such as the village and the outdoor theater. The school that is offered on the reservation teaches the students all about the Native American tribes and the history behind it. Commonalities we share between communities are health care needs, respect for elders and even an opioid crisis. Although these are commonalities, I feel all three are slightly heightened amongst the Native American culture.