Do indigenous peoples suffer more physical and emotional health problems than the colonisers who have subjugated them? The answer is a big, fat yes. And to add to the depressing nature of that finding, it is also clear that Christian missionaries have also played their part in the problem. In an academic paper published in 2002 under the less than catchy title ‘Substance Use among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Incorporating culture in an “indigenist” stress-coping paradigm’ three social scientists have detailed the particular problems faced by what they term American Indians (AI). I will be coming back to this paper over the next few weeks but allow me to present a brief summary today.

Alcohol problems

Some examples of poor health outcomes suffered by the AIs include an infant mortality rate that is 22% higher than that of the general US population with high levels of alcohol abuse playing a substantial part. Indeed, four of the top ten causes of death among AIs were because of alcohol problems. Suicide rates were twice as high among AIs, with alcohol a key factor 80% of the time.

Historical pain

The authors suggest that in researching these problems there is a need to include a consideration of the socio-historical experiences of these indigenous peoples. Historically these peoples were subordinated and de-cultured on their own lands by the government including forced relocation and even the removal of children into non-indigenous care and adoption. The goal of the colonisers has been to disempower the AIs with the aim of ‘destabilisation’ and ultimately ‘dominion’. The authors conclude that the effect of these policies have been to cause a ‘soul wound’ upon the AI peoples.

Missionary movements

One key negative aspect identified by the authors has been the effect of destroying the traditional spirituality of the AIs. They say, ‘AI peoples have been subject to 500 years of missionary activities and Christian proselytizing designed to eradicate AI religious practices, prohibit access to sacred sites, and remove indigenous peoples from sacred land bases’. This is a damning indictment of Christian missionary work and my first reaction in reading it was to brand the authors as secularists with an anti-Christian agenda. Upon reflection, however, maybe we should consider that their critique is less of ‘Christian’ values and more of European ‘Christendom’ values; maybe even European evangelicalism? I shall definitely return to this theme in a future post. Suffice to say now that the form of Christian missionary engagement with the indigenous peoples did cause great damage but that things could have been very different had that Christianity been a more a wholly biblical and less power-focussed version of the faith.

The authors conclude that positive health outcomes would significantly increase if a greater emphasis would be placed on the cultural and historical context. Including this context in any work done with the AIs would result in better targeted services that would be specific for their needs.