title: Utilizing traditional storytelling to promote wellness in American Indian communities.
abstract: Utilizing storytelling to transmit educational messages is a traditional pedagogical method practiced by many American Indian tribes. American Indian stories are effective because they present essential ideas and values in a simple, entertaining form. Different story characters show positive and negative behaviors. The stories illustrate consequences of behaviors and invite listeners to come to their own conclusions after personal reflection. Because stories have been passed down through tribal communities for generations, listeners also have the opportunity to reconnect and identify with past tribal realities. This article reports on a research intervention that is unique in promoting health and wellness through the use of storytelling. The project utilized stories to help motivate tribal members to once more adopt healthy, traditional life-styles and practices. The authors present and discuss the stories selected, techniques used in their telling, the preparation and setting for the storytelling, and the involvement and interaction of the group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Center for American Indian Research and Education, USA.
authors.forename: Felicia Schanche
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasqua
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marquez
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geishirt-Cantrell
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D005495:Folklore; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008019:Life Style; D017145:Models, Educational; D009042:Motivation; D009229:Mythology / Q000523:psychology*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012423:Rural Health