Introduction and Rationale
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that has been prevalent in the American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities since explorers from other parts of the world arrived in the Americas. The disease became prevalent when the AI/AN substance of survival was taken away. Land, food, water, language, cultural traditions, and their children were removed and restricted from their tribe. When these sustainable livelihoods were taken away by the government, hopelessness began to sneak into lives then mental and physical sicknesses arose. The health of the individual, families, clans, and tribes begins to take a toll.
The land used for hunting, gathering plants, and water for life were limited when AI/AN were forced to move onto reservations with boundaries. Native children were forced to attend faraway schools, and their culture and language were forbidden. The government's goal was to assimilate the children into becoming Western citizens.
The influx of white settlers, miners, and soldiers brought diseases, alcohol, and white man’s food, which affected the natives’ daily living. Tuberculosis was a sickness that drastically impacted native communities. Many native people do not trust the US government because of historical circumstances that became traumatic. So, there are three avenues native families have to choose to improve health: use traditional ceremony and medicine, the Indian Health Service (IHS), or use both methods.
The curriculum unit explains what tuberculosis is, why the disease is more prevalent in native communities, where these tribes are located, prevention strategies, why treatments have not been completely effective, and what the tribal governments are currently doing to address the tuberculosis problem.
Students will interview Indian Health Service workers and Navajo elders about tuberculosis. The rural towns on the Navajo reservation had a sanitarium built for people who had tuberculosis, so the historical evidence of the remnant of the building still stands. Students will write their findings and share their stories within the classroom, at the school board meeting, and during a township meeting. The public presentations are information that students will share within their communities.
For learning objectives, students can research, interview, explain, and share their learning with the community using their culture and the Navajo language. Students will dive into the topic, Tuberculosis, to create a book, PowerPoint, or poster about what they have learned.
The historical information about the town of Kayenta was that it has a sanitarium facility for tuberculosis patients. The facility was built in 1929, which eventually became an Indian Health Service clinic, then a boarding school. Many community members in Kayenta and surrounding areas have had their grandparents and great-grandparents admitted to the sanitarium. This relevant information is important for students because their research will lead them to their family lineage, especially when clans are important, and to know where they come from and who they are. Also, data about the number of people admitted from nearby rural towns like Chilchinbeto, Dennehotso, Baby Rocks, Black Mesa, Shonto, Cow Springs, and Monument Valley can be collected.
The Tuberculosis curriculum is appropriate for fifth and sixth-grade students. The curriculum includes the state science and Navajo Nation standards, enabling students to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context of the disease as a global issue affecting impoverished nations, often associated with the lack of basic living conveniences such as access to running water, clean shelter, and proper healthcare facilities. While learning about the disease, students will know the bodily signs and preventative measures to combat sickness and continue to stay healthy for their elders. Students must know the early symptoms of the disease, so they know the protective measures to help family members.
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