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Anti-meth symposium focuses on tribe

The second annual Intertribal Anti-Meth Symposium took place Friday at the District 4 HRDC Building, with a strong emphasis on curing addiction through traditional tribal practices, grassroots efforts in reservation communities and spiritual wellness.

Speakers and representatives who have been touched by the effects of substance abuse and addiction were present, including recovery advocates from the Rocky Boy's, Fort Belknap, Fort Peck and Blackfeet Indian reservations.

"We're trying to promote health and wellness for the people and we gave out sweetgrass and sage and we provided the speakers who came from all over," said Mike Geboe, founder of Parker Canyon Consulting Inc, a firm in Box Elder that sponsored the symposium.

Those who attended sat at tables arranged in a circle as they openly discussed their experiences with the widespread problem of substance abuse and how is was has affected them and their communities.

Geboe said no tribal dollars were used for the symposium.

The symposium began at 8 a.m and ended at about 3:30 p.m.

Many of those in attendance work in the field of substance abuse or are versed in spiritual wellness.

Geboe said that Western treatment practices often do not address the spiritual, leaving the recovery process for an individual incomplete.

"We're tribalizing our approach," he added. "We are looking at tribal practices to heal our people. That's what we are trying to do with that whole mental, emotional, physical, spiritual realms."

Rita Long Knife of the Behavioral Health Department at Fort Belknap said substance abuses affects those of all ages in her community from age 13 on up.

She said that when she was younger, it used to be alcohol that ravaged communities, then alcohol and marijuana, and now it is a wide array of drugs.

Some, such as Dale Four Bear, director of the Spotted Bull Recovery Center on Fort Peck, returned after attending last year's symposium. He said that since last year's symposium, a committee has been formed to enable the recovery center to establish an outpatient program for recovering addicts.

Four Bear said that presently the center only has in-patient care.

Dan Williams, an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, who grows his own sweetgrass brought a duffel bag full of the herb that is often used for both natural medicines and spiritual worship in many native cultures.

Audience members sat and together braided the long stands of sweetgrass.

Miranda Kirk and Charmayne Healy, founders of the Aaniiih Nakoda Anti-Drug Movement who were instrumental in convincing the Fort Belknap tribal council to declare a state of emergency against methamphetamine, also gave a presentation.

Healey told the audience that she and Kirk are working to help recovering addicts re-identify themselves

Healey said her and Kirk's presentation consisted of stories about clients whose identifies were kept anonymous and they showed artwork from clients.

Kirk said that the anti-drug movement provides recovery support using a peer recovery approach. They said they hope to use former addicts who have been clean for a couple years to serve as mentors to recovering addicts.

Because of limited funds, Healy said, they now only have one mentor for their seven clients. She said that he works on a volunteer basis with Kirk and Healy to help those battling addiction.

Kirk said they have also worked to identify the lack of resources on Fort Belknap to help treat those with substance abuse problems such as a shortage of space in facilities needed to offer adequate treatment.

The symposium ended when representatives from Fort Peck presented those from the Blackfeet reservation with an eagle staff.

The eagle staff, often present at spiritual events, is a sacred symbol from which people can draw spiritual strength.

Wrapped in bison fur and blessed by spiritual leaders. the staff was presented to the Chippewa Cree at a meth symposium in June in Billings.

It was then transferred to Fort Belknap and then returned to Fort Peck.

Each reservation has attached feathers to the staff, representing each of their tribes.

 

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