Another Pandemic in Indian Country

Discussion Group

Join us on Wednesday, November 18th 2020 4-6pm (Pacific Time) via Zoom to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Native Americans. Beyond the discussion, we hope this site will be useful for individuals seeking to understand how the pandemic is impacting Native American on reservations and in urban areas. Student in Native American Studies at Sonoma State University will continue to contribute articles and videos, with annotations. Contact Dr. Erica Tom (tome@sonoma.edu) to ask questions, make comments, or to RSVP to the NAIS Reading Group.

Articles & Annotations

Arranged by date of publication in 2020.

Valerie Rodriguez

Hu, J. C. (2020, October 15). COVID-19 makes it harder to know when to harvest sugar beets. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.hcn.org/articles/north-covid-19-makes-it-harder-to-know-when-to-harvest-sugar-beets. (Links to an external site.)

Featured in High Country News, author J.C. Hu writes, “COVID-19 makes it harder to know when to harvest sugar beets” providing insight on the agricultural industry of Native Americans and how COVID-19 is affecting the growth and sale of crops. Hu is a contributing editor for High Country news, and a freelance writer who independently writes about science and technology. Hu explains that due to the pandemic, less flights are being taken. Meteorologists use flight data to predict upcoming forecasts. As much of the western weather comes from the Pacific ocean, flight collected data of the weather is used to help Native’s during harvest season. Sugar beets are a main source of income, as they are a cash crop, and the lack of weather collected data is beginning to negatively impact Native farmers.

Valerie Rodriguez

CDC data show disproportionate COVID-19 impact in American Indian/Alaska Native populations. (2020, August 19). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0819-covid-19-impact-american-indian-alaska-native.html  (Links to an external site.)

Featured in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “CDC data show disproportionate COVID-19 impact in American Indian/Alaska Native populations” provides insight on how Native American communities are being negatively impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A study by the CDC was released which looked at how Native American populations are being affected by COVID. The study confirmed American Indians reported more confirmed cases of the virus in comparison to white non-hispanics. The CDC also found that American Indians are at a great risk due to past historical traumas and limited access to resources. More than 200 million dollars has been donated to native communities by the CDC, and the CDC will continue to work alongside native communities. The CDC is our nation's public health institute under the department  of health and human services.

Amanda Cutaia

Cava, M. (2020, October 25). Native Americans battle COVID-19 and other voting obstacles as Election Day nears. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/25/native-american-voters-covid-19-adds-existing-hurdles-2020/3671925001/

Marco Della Cava, writer for USA Today, discusses how Native American’s voting access and abilities are limited even more now due to the effects of Covid-19. Cava highlights the struggles Native Americans already face when it comes to voting and the increase in barriers that Covid-19 has brought. This election is having many Americans vote by mail but many Indigenous Americans risk having their votes ignored due to the lack of postal service on many rural reservations. The alarmingly higher rates of Covid-19 among Native Americans also means people are more inclined to stay indoors and are unreachable to the get-out-and-vote campaigns. This article is important because it sheds light to the other negative impacts Covid-19 has had on Indigenous communities along with the health detriments they face.

Gracie Henderson

Lowrey, Nick. “Pandemic Brings New Challenges to Education System on Native American Reservations in S.D.” Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 17 Oct. 2020, www.argusleader.com/story/news/2020/10/16/pandemic-brings-new-challenges-education-system-reservations/3686008001/. 

Nick Lowrey, describes how schools on reservations in South Dakota struggled severely from this pandemic. For instance, “Reservations in South Dakota are mostly remote, isolated places and are home to some of the poorest communities in the United States. Many people who live on reservations face challenges in getting healthy food, basic healthcare and quality housing, all of which contribute to the challenges schools face in educating children, whether they are Native American or not.”. The challenges children were faced with definitely showed up when it comes to academic. Native American fourth and eighth grade students in South Dakota were between 25 and 30 points behind their white peers in math and reading. It’s important to acknowledge how much more this pandemic affects Native students. This source is very helpful to use because of the factual evidence it provides for children who are dealing with severe challenges from this pandemic. It also provides data and statistics that show proof of what these students are facing.

Fiona Javette

McPhillips, Deidre. “COVID-19’s Tragic Effect on American Indians: A State-by-State Analysis.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 7 Oct. 2020, www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-10-07/a-state-by-state-analysis-of-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-native-americans.

Deidre McPhillips is a Data Editor for the U.S. News & World Report. She got her masters in journalism from University of Maryland and was awarded a 2019 University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism Data Fellowship. With that fellowship, she focused on the health effects of racial bullying. In “COVID-19’s Tragic Effect on American Indians: A State-by-State Analysis” McPhillips compares the rate of infections and rate of death due to COVID-19 in Native Communities with the average population of the United States. The data she is comparing is courtesy of the CDC. Shortly into the article, McPhillips notes that “Coronavirus data by race and ethnicity is notably incomplete; in late September, states reported race and ethnicity for just 74% of coronavirus cases and 89% of deaths on average.” Disparities in data are crucial to note in order to recognize that you might not have the whole picture. Nevertheless, McPhillips analyzes that reasons for the disparities are often due to the increased risk these communities have to begin with. Because of social inequalities, there are already “disproportionately high rates of preexisting conditions.” The systemic racism puts communities of color, especially Native Communities, at an increased risk of contraction of and death due to COVID-19. McPhillips then dives into Minnesota specifically to see how COVID-19 affects those Native Communities, specifically one Chippewa band. With help from Solutions Journalism Network, McPhillips sees that while they are faring better than other Native Communities, they are still more likely to die from COVID-19. Again, this disproportionate death rate can be attributed to systemic racism and preexisting conditions.

Carly Coffman

Wade, Lizzie. “COVID-19 data on Native Americans is ‘a national disgrace.’ This scientist is fighting to be counted.” September 24, 2020. American Association for the Advancement of Science. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/covid-19-data-native-americans-national-disgrace-scientist-fighting-be-counted

Utilizing her writing skills and passion for equal representation within the sciences, scholar Lizzie Wade explains that, “COVID-19 data on Native Americans is ‘a national disgrace.’ This scientist is fighting to be counted. As Abigail Echo-Hawk from the Pawnee Nation or Oklahoma advocates, “to illustrate how scientific data can be weaponized against marginalized peoples in an attempt to keep reign of colonial control.” In an attempt to build bridges of understanding, this article reaches out to all audiences, specifically those unaware of the dire circumstances Native Americans continuously fight against. This is not to say that such communities are not fighting back, and resilient; Wade writes about the amazing advances Native scientists, like Echo-Hawk, have achieved because of their unique traditional knowledge and cherished cultural values. Despite Echo-Hawk’s renowned work within the Center of Disease and Control (CDC), directing the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) and achieving chief research officer of the Seattle Indian Health Board, and her diligent efforts to establish indigenous inclusion in the pandemic data, she has endured constant ridicule -- even from Congress -- as government establishments refuse to acknowledge the Native agency in the face of COVID-19. As a means of combating such oppression, Wade honors Echo-Hawk’s familial history as a foundation for her drive to be immersed in public health and social justice. It is important to recognize that the values of many Native Nations approach such conflicts with compassion and community, therefore it is encouraged that the rest of America does the same in order to truly overcome the virus before it disproportionately consumes more minority communities. These communities fight against the virus the hardest as they face it with limited supplies, racial misclassification of data, and a distaste towards the Westernized medical community. Echo-Hawk speaks to her own experiences of abuse in the medical field-- such as verbal threats, demeaning assumptions, and medical neglect -- a reason why many indigenous individuals are hesitant to seek medical help. Echo-Hawk argues rememenants of colonial attitudes and ego have caused such disregard in data, thus resulting in America’s complacency to overlook valuable indigenous knowledge, as well as their very lives. If advancement is to be made within our society, Echo-Hawk urges we must approach conflicts in a more inclusive manner and fight for equal representation within data, or else we will never be able to overcome this virus.

Amanda Cutaia

Mabie, N. (2020, August 17). Native American tribes have been hit harder by COVID-19. Here's why. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/08/05/why-native-americans-impacted-harder-covid-19-montana-united-states/5573737002/

In the article “Native American Tribes Have Been Hit Harder by Covid-19. Here’s Why,” author Nora Mabie clearly lays out some of the reasons Native Americans have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. Mabie is a writer for Great Falls Tribune, who covers information on Indigenous communities. The reasons for the greater effects of Covid-19 on Native Americans are: pre-existing conditions, under-funded health care, and crowded homes and deficient plumbing. Mabie provides evidence from interviews and reports. She ends the article by listing some possible solutions for these economic and social disparities.

 Shaun Pestell

Pember, Mary Annette. The Pandemic Is Creating a Mental Health Crisis. 5 Aug. 2020, indiancountrytoday.com/news/the-pandemic-is-creating-a-mental-health-crisis-HXZJ1pjHsEi200Io5n4-HA. 

The author, Mary Annette Pember is a citizen of the Red Cliff Ojibwe tribe and national correspondent for Indian Country Today. Pember’s article is written from an indigenous woman’s perspective and is important in its multi-leveled approach to the mental health challenges presented by COVID-19. The thesis of Pember’s article is that while Native Americans are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both physically and mentally, they have embraced traditional and modern ways to remain resilient in the face of the mental health challenges presented by the pandemic. The article is eclectic in its inclusion of multiple perspectives from Indigenous mental health experts in both the traditional and modern sense. She has included the perspectives of Theresa Henry, cultural keeper for South Dakota Urban Indian Health in Rapid City, Valerie Ross Zhawendaagozikwe, a doula with Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Human Services in Minnesota, Dr. Lori Raney of Health Management for Indian Health Services, Glorinda Segay, director of the IHS division of behavioral health, Lori Jump, director of the Strong Hearts Native Helpline and Isaac Murdoch, co-founder of the Onaman Collective, a group of Indigenous artists and Nimkii Aazhibikong. Health experts expect that the rate of domestic violence incidents and substance abuse will increase substantially among Native Americans, due to the shelter-in-place aspect of the pandemic. On the flipside, more Native Americans are showing up for mental health appointments, utilizing telehealth mental health services, and coping with mental health challenges by practicing traditional family activities. Theresa Henry concludes, “Supporting and checking up on each other; that seems to be the most important part of surviving the pandemic.”

Pamela Cruz

Curley, Andrew. “Contested Water Settlements Inflamed the Navajo Nation's Health Crisis.” High Country News – Know the West, 11 Aug. 2020, www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-water-contested-water-settlements-inflamed-the-navajo-nations-health-crisis.

Andrew Curley’s Contested Water settlements inflamed the Navajo Nation’s health crisis brought a scholarly approach to reporting on the pandemic. No thoughts or opinions are given on the author’s part, the article is written in a very unbiased way. I thought the article was short and concise. Curley is a member of the Navajo Nation and Assistant Professor in the School of Geography, Development and Environment at the University of Arizona. In his article, it starts off with Curley stating that the Navajo Nation is at the center of the worst global pandemic and that even though the number of COVID infections is small in contrast to the national hotspots, the rate of infection is still among the nation’s highest. What this article is focused on is the Navajo water insecurity which is distinctly a threat to Diné people during this pandemic. Thirty to forty percent of reservation residents do not have access to regular running water. “But behind this statistic lies a history of racism and underdevelopment. Even as white communities benefited from decades of expensive water infrastructure, Diné communities were denied the rights and resources necessary to access the same water.” Curley provides background on this ongoing issue: water settlements between tribes and states are a source of this continued underdevelopment. For the indigenous people, these settlements also symbolize colonial dispossession because allocation of water rights and funding for water infrastructure is often suspended until tribal leaders give in to the state’s demands. Curley goes back to 1922 and 1960, where Curley talks about water and how resources were used from Navajo Nation. At the beginning of the 1970s, state officials suggested settling Indigenous water claims, seeking to resolve lawsuits between tribes and states in favor of limited water rights for tribes. Presently, these settlements have money for smaller water infrastructure projects. However, these arguments come at a price: state officials use them as bargaining chips during negotiations thus creating an adversarial relationship between the tribes and states. “In two recent instances, Sen. Kyl deprived the Navajo Nation of federal funding for water infrastructure in order to pressure Navajo officials to settle water claims with the state.” This entire situation is due to colonialism, it is the result of decades of indifference, neglect, and deliberate underdevelopment. Towards the end of the article, Curley states that there is hope however; the Navajo Nation Council allocated $61,000 of CARES act funding food water projects within the Navajo Nation. Though this is of great help for the moment, they still do need greater investment in physical infrastructure on the reservation, such as the Western Navajo Pipeline; this has been on the shelf for ten years and it was part of a 2010 water settlement which Sen. Kyl rejected. If this settlement had been funded back in 2010, it could have possibly reduced the impacts of COVID in the Navajo Nation.

Fiona Javette

Agoyo, Acee. “Data Shows Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 among Native Americans.” Indianz, Indianz.Com, 20 Aug. 2020, www.indianz.com/News/2020/08/20/data-shows-disproportionate-impact-of-co.asp.

Acee Agoyo is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Indianz.com. He was raised on his tribe’s homelands in northern New Mexico and is from Ohkay Owingeh. As a graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and recipient of the 2019 NAJA Richard LaCourse Award, he is a well-known journalist in the Native Community. The CDC published a report about the effects COVID-19 on American Indian and Alaskan Native communities, and found that those communities are being affected disproportionately. This article discussed the study and the response of prominent figures, like Kamala Harris, from the perspective of the Native community, as Indianz.com strives to do. In “Data Shows Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 among Native Americans” Acee Agoyo points out that Native communities already do not have the best relationship with the CDC from pandemics past, but that research about this systemic problem is good to have. He writes that “In fact, less information was collected about coronavirus symptoms, underlying conditions and hospitalization among Native Americans than of White patients.” This skews data and does not allow for the full impact of COVID-19 to be seen clearly. The article also discusses the response of the Trump Administration to the growing cost and underfunded plans for testing and treatment, critiquing the CARES Act, saying “the money isn't enough for the U.S. government to meet its trust and treaty obligations.” Agoyo ends the article by bringing up Kamala Harris and her call out of the systemic racism that further exacerbates the way communities of color, particularly Native Communities, are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Shaun Pestell

Rodriguez-Lonebear, Desi PhD; Barceló, Nicolás E. MD; Akee, Randall PhD; Carroll, Stephanie Russo DrPH, MPH. (2020). American Indian Reservations and COVID-19: Correlates of Early Infection Rates in the Pandemic. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice: July/August 2020 - Volume 26 - Issue 4 - p 371-377 doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001206

 This study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers: Dr. Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona School of Sociology. Nicolás E. Barceló is a researcher in the National Clinician Scholars Program at UCLA. Randall Akee is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Policy and American Indian Studies at UCLA. Stephanie Carroll is associate director and manager of the Tribal Health Program at the Native Nations Institute. The stated objective of this study is to “determine the household and community characteristics most closely associated with variation in COVID-19 incidence on American Indian reservations in the lower 48 states.” They used a sample of two-hundred-eighty-seven American Indian reservations and tribal homelands. The team hypothesized 3 independent variables to have a relationship to the rate of COVID-19 cases on American Indian reservations: “percentage of homes on the reservation lacking complete plumbing,” “the percentage of households on the reservation with more than 1 person per room [overcrowding], and “percentage of households that speak English-only.” COVID-19 cases were more likely to occur in tribal communities with a higher proportion of homes lacking indoor plumbing. COVID-19 cases were less likely to occur in tribal communities where households spoke English-only. This research is important in that it indicates structural determinants for greater disease spread within Native American communities that have easily recognizable solutions. Randall Akee concludes: “Specific actions must be taken now to provide potable water, and culturally-relevant information via community preferred media. Urgent funding to strengthen tribal public health and household infrastructure, as delineated in treaties and other agreements, is necessary to protect American Indian communities from COVID-19 and future pandemics.” The sample size is admittedly small, but the results coincide with other similar research.

Evangelina Austin

Hanson, Terri. “How Covid-19 Could Destroy Indigenous Communities.” BBC News, BBC, 29 July 2020, www.bbc.com/future/article/20200727-how-covid-19-could-destroy-indigenous-communities. 

The coronavirus is killing thousands upon thousands of Indigenous Peoples. The United States government is doing little to nothing to help Indigenous people get through the pandemic, resulting in the deaths of children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Indigenous people have already suffering greatly in the “ecological collapse due to increased threats of deforestation, fires, industrial extraction, agribusiness expansion, and climate change.” The article provides statistics to put the number of Indigenous people dying into perspective, “In the US, one in every 2,300 indigenous Americans has died, compared to one in 3,600 white Americans – making them the second most at-risk ethnic category in the US after black Americans.” The article also goes into detail about what the indigenous people are doing in order to cope and survive in these terrible times. Many tribes have gone into isolation, specifically, Ecuador’s Siekopai nation had  “Several grandfathers died. But since their isolation, no more have died.” Some nations have curfews, many rules have been enforced, and thousands of members have been tested for the virus. Forty thousand Navajo people have been tested "That's over 20% of the population," says Navajo President Jonathan Nez. "We have tested more people than any other state in the US – even in many countries. The article later talks about some challenges that Indigenous People are facing while trying to fight the pandemic, and lastly has Siekopai president Piaguaje talk about her concerns that not just small tribes will be affected by the pandemic, but the whole: “some nations”  will not survive. This article did a good job of talking about multiple Indigenous groups in Brazil, Ecuador, Alaska, the United States, Africa, and Australia. After reading this article, I had a better understanding of how Indigenous people are doing their best to survive during the pandemic. I also appreciated the statistics implemented throughout the article. Overall, this article is informative to read. 

Carly Coffman

Degawan, Minnie. “Kasiyanna: Turning to Indigenous Knowledge During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” June, 2020. Cultural Survival. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/kasiyanna-turning-indigenous-knowledge-during-covid-19 

Indigenous scholar and activist Minnie Dagawan (Kankanaey-Igorot from Cordillera, Philippines) contributes to the Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine with an educational piece that works to enlighten its readers towards a better understanding of how historical Indigenous practices can actually be useful today towards the battle against COVID-19. Because Indigenous communities all around the world have been historically targeted by disease, oppression, relocation, and discrimination, Native peoples have mastered methods of survival which prioritize the health and safety of the community. Dagawan offers her own tribe’s practice of ubaya/tengaw: a communal effort to remain home and rest for the sake of the rest of the society. While many people may struggle to declare such strict boundaries, they understand the desperate duty to restore the balance in nature that humans have caused. Such respectful dedication is unfortunately lacking in most of America’s local and federal response to managing the spread of the virus. Despite indigenous peoples’ efforts, it has been proven difficult to uphold such dedicated strictness when families are forced to live in confined spaces together, or continue to work in labor jobs, or to continue to face challenges imposed by climate change. Colonization destroys Indigenous ways of life around the world as capitalistic industry deteriorates native land, seizure of cultural practices, and forced assimilation. Because of these forces, the fight against COVID-19 has proven to be exponentially more challenging for such communities. Dagawan concludes her piece by arguing that Indigenous practices and lives must be respected if we expect this Earth to continue to thrive. Even when the crisis ends, policies must continue to advocate for Native inclusivity which accurately reflects their needs, and social inequalities everywhere can be cured with the helpful insight of Indigenous ways of thinking. 

Calli Behler

The Associated Press. “2 Tribes Sue Insurance Group for Virus Coverage.” Indian Country Today, 29 June 2020. 

The Suquamish and Port Gamble S'Klallam tribes have sued Tribal First Alliant Underwriting Solutions, due to the losses they have encountered because of the Corona Virus. The tribes bought $50 million in coverage from the insurance company, but they did not cover the losses due to the pandemic. This Newspaper is published in Phoenix, Arizona, and the article was written about tribes in Washington. The president of the newspaper is Karen Lincoln Michel, who is of the Ho-Chunk nation. The purpose of this newspaper is to bring daily online coverage of news to Indiginous people around the United States. However, The Associated Press who wrote the article for the Indian Country Today newspaper is an independent journalism company. The author of the article is unclear.

Mackenzie Gilbert

Fortuna, Lisa R., et al. “Inequity and the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color in the United States: The Need for a Trauma-Informed Social Justice Response.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 1 June 2020 https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-37320-001.pdf 

Featured in The American Psychological Association Lisa R. Fortuna and Marina Tolou-Shams from the university of California, San Francisco provide insight on inequality and the disproportionate impacts of covid-19 fatality in Black, Latino, and Native American

communities and among the poor in the United States. The article shares that it is highly likely that pre-existing inequalities are the roots of the disproportionate impacts of Covid-19 on racial-ethic minorities in the United States. Something I learned in the article that I found to be very misfortune was the fact that nationally, race and ethnicity are missing or unspecified in most CDC-reported cases and when Native Americans are counted, they are included in the“other” category. This shows the lack of equality that Native American citizens have when looking for their current rates of covid and any other information about their community within the public new outlets. The article does a great job sharing information on pre-existing inequalities that Native Americans and other minorities face such as equity in health care access and quality and limited health care coverage for uninsured and underinsured families,preexisting social determinants of health and related chronic illnesses that lead to vulnerability to developing  COVID-19 and Low wage employment that does not allow work from home or adequate implementation of physical distancing and that lacks sick leave benefits. I felt that this article was very informative of the pre-existing and new inequalities that Native Americans are facing during the global pandemic.

Calli Behler

“New Report Highlights the Impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous Women in the Americas.” Cultural Survival, 29 May 2020. 

Many native nations have limited their access to other communities to slow the spread of COVID-19. The women are the ones responsible for reporting that the nations are practicing social distancing, staying home, and being cautious. The pandemic has affected indigenous women financially because they can't go out and make money. They are also seeing higher rates of domestic violence, with up to 70% increase in domestic violence calls at the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality. The newspaper Cultural Survival is published by Kaimana Barcarse (Kanaka Hawaiʻi) and their purpose is to advocate for Indiginous peoples rights and support them.

Natasha Hopwood

Lakhani, Nina. “Navajo Nation Reels Under Weight of Coronavirus – and History of Broken Promises.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 May 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/navajo-nation-coronavirus. 

Featured in The Guardian, “Navajo Nation Reels Under Weight of Coronavirus - and History of Broken Promises” provides insight into the current state of the Navajo nation and how they have been affected by the spread of the Coronavirus. Nina Lakhani, an Environmental justice reporter, emphasizes the intensity of destruction the pandemic has caused, as well as the factors that have exacerbated the issues facing the Navajo people. As of Friday May 8th, the Navajo nation has the highest per capita infection rate of coronavirus just below New York and New Jersey State. The funding and aid that was promised to the Navajo Nation by the U.S. government came six weeks after they were told it would arrive, and one week after the congressional deadline. This is not the first time that the U.S. government has let down the Navajo people and the Native American community as a whole. Lakhani highlighted that the current disregard for the needs of Native Americans is consistent with historical trends. For many years the U.S. federal government has neglected to provide enough resources to support native nations’ success; this includes a lack of funding to healthcare and housing. Due to this lack of funding the coronavirus has spread at an incredibly high rate in native nations. Many people don’t have running water which can make daily life difficult as well as maintaining sanitary living conditions in the time of this pandemic. Many also lack heating units and use a fireplace for warmth; the smoke can irritate the lungs which are already at risk because of the virus. Lakhnai also mentions that many homes in the Navajo Nation are overcrowded and have multiple generations under one roof. This also contributes to the rate of infection. Overall, disregard for the needs of Native American communities in the United States has continued through this pandemic and has exacerbated current conditions. Reporting on the coronavirus pandemic and how it is impacting Native Americans is of vital importance right now, especially because of the lack of attention paid to them by the federal government.

Evangelina Austin

“The Impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples.” UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Policy Briefs, 21 May 2020, doi:10.18356/b7a5eefe-en. 

The Coronavirus “poses grave health threats to Indigenous peoples around the world.” Indigenous People already suffer from a lack of resources provided by the state. Being such community-driven groups, they are suffering even more now. Before the pandemic, Indigenous People had "poor access to healthcare, significantly higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, lack access to essential services, sanitation, and other key preventive measures, such as clean water, soap, disinfectant.” The United Nations also states that "the rate of [the spread of the coronavirus] in Indigenous peoples are either not yet available (even where reporting and testing are available), or not recorded by ethnicity." Relevant information about infectious diseases and preventive measures is also not available in indigenous languages, which is critical for Indigenous peoples response. The article also discussed that Indigenous people still “experience a high degree of socio-economic marginalization, ” resulting in the “lack of access to effective monitoring and early-warning systems, and adequate health and social services.” The article concluded by talking about how Indigenous people are making the most of the current situation of the coronavirus by taking action. They are taking action by using traditional knowledge from their elders, practicing voluntary isolation, sealing off their territories, as well as preventive measures – in their languages. Overall this article was very informative and easy to understand.

Evangelina Austin

Silverman, Hollie, et al. “Navajo Nation Surpasses New York State for the Highest Covid-19 Infection Rate in the US.” CNN, Cable News Network, 18 May 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/05/18/us/navajo-nation-infection-rate-trnd/index.html. 

In the United States, the Navajo Reservation has the most coronavirus cases, surpassing the number of cases in New York and New Jersey. CNN gives specific statistics giving a better understanding of how heavily the Navajo Nation and Indigenous Populations are being affected. “The Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, reported a population of 173,667 on the 2010 census. As a result, with 4,002 cases, the Native American territory has 2,304.41 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people.” We then look at New York's Numbers: which is a “rate of 1,806 cases per 100,000 and New Jersey is at 1,668 cases per 100,000, according to John Hopkins University.” The Navajo Nation is being affected more because “ 30% to 40% of residents do not have running water” resulting in the inability to wash their hands as much as they should, “multiple generations live in one home, “and the nation is a "food desert," which means that more people are at the few grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations to purchase food.” Because of this, the reservation has extremely strict stays at home orders. They are not allowed to leave unless there is documentation on the company letterhead with a verifiable contact number for a manager in order to go. This is making it harder to get food rations when needed. Though this article was short, I found that it was easy to follow. The implementation of statistics was a bonus because it puts into perspective how much Indigenous people suffer despite the coronavirus. 

Carly Coffman

LaPier, Rosalyn and Abaki Beck. Misrepresenting traditional knowledge during COVID-19 is dangerous. March 23, 2020. High Country News. https://www.hcn.org/articles/covid19-misrepresenting-traditional-knowledge-during-covid-19-is-dangerous.

Renowned for their scholarly work in ethnobotany, environmental activism, and cultural writings, indigenous women of the Blackfeet/Métis peoples Rosalyn LaPier and Abaki Beck dedicate this article to expose the misleadings non-native people spread on social media about indigenous healing as they attempt to seek a cure for the coronavirus. While herbal medicine and ethnobotanist knowledge assist in immune support, symptom remedies, and pain diffusion, they are not a cure for COVID-19. By rebranding indigenous knowledge as a magical cure, people are disregarding the cultural significance and years of formal training that are necessary to truly understand healing and spiritual properties of homeopathic healing practices. Because of social media’s role in perpetuating false representations of native knowledge, a new form of appropriation has blossomed and is being socially normalized. This ignorance reflects the greater struggle for Native Americans to have their customs be respected and accurately represented. LaPier and Beck address further cultural conflicts when they state, “As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, Indigenous people will need to modify their traditions, as they adhere to Western medical protocols.” Here, native communities must balance the expectations forced on them to maintain their traditional customs, while also relying on Western medical standards in order to overcome the spread of the virus. Before appropriating native healing wisdom, people should consider the specific repercussions tribes currently face, as well as their continuous historical struggle for accurate representation. LaPier and Beck urge readers to “follow the evidence-based protocols and prevention measures set out by [ the World Health Organization] and the Centers for Disease Control” before indulging in indigneous malpractice. The efforts proposed by the CDC and WHO truly offer the most effective measures of preventing the fast spread of the coronavirus.

Morgan Stewart

Givens, Maria. “The Coronavirus Is Exacerbating Vulnerabilities Native Communities Already Face.” Vox, Vox, 25 Mar. 2020, www.vox.com/2020/3/25/21192669/coronavirus-native-americans-indians.

Maria Givens is a journalist who has been researching Native American tribes and rights for years. Givens is an enrolled member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe in northern Idaho and lives in Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute homelands in Boulder Colorado. She has a masters degree from the University of Colorado and has worked for the National Congress of American Indians and in the U.S. Senate. Some may see the titles and the work she has done and wonder why she is writing for VOX, a large American news and opinion website, but for many she is a real voice for many indigenous people who feel theirs has been lost in this worldwide battle through this pandemic. Maria does not give personal opinions but listens to what people are facing during this pandemic. This article delves into the issues facing many Native American reservations across America. According to the article, many tribal elders are at high risk because of diabetes, and heart diseases which are higher among Native Americans than the national averages. Givens also explains that although the CDC has advised people to wash their hands to combat the spread of disease, however 13% of tribal communities do not have regular access to clean water to do so. And with many Casinos, and other forms of Native owned businesses closed without a reopening date many tribes are already having to stretch their small budget even further. NAFOA (Native Americans Financial Officers Association) said “ Covid-19 could be a perfect storm for Indian Country.” Not only could it cause many deaths, but it further complicates the financial stability for many tribes who are also still recovering from the crash in 2008.” Congress allocated 40 million dollars to aid urban Indian health centers in February of 2020. Then a month later on March 6, 2020, they granted the health centers another 64 million dollars. Despite this, many tribes were still struggling to afford basic needs for their communities which led the government to finally allocate another total of 80 million dollars as of March 21, 2020.  However, despite the repeated attempts of contacting local government and federal government offices, 98% of tribal clinics have not seen any money disbursed to them because they have limited measures to help distribute funds from the CDC. As of this time many tribes have declared state of emergencies, as well as stay at home orders and travel bans, but are terrified that this still may not be enough with the lack of help they are receiving with fund disbursals and communicating. But there is some hope still left for many in these communities as many Native people are finding strength in their culture. Hundreds of videos of Native American women doing the Jingle Dress dance, to heal the world and their families, have been shared on social media (videos). Times are hard, but many Native people have been taught to pray for each other and the world, and they are using these powwow dances as a way to show their resilience and hope. 

Pamela Cruz

Cancryn, Adam. Where coronavirus could find a refuge: Native American reservations. March 28, 2020. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/28/native-americans-coronavirus-152579

Adam Cancryn's Where Coronavirus could find a refuge: Native American reservations takes a scholarly approach reporting on the pandemic. He doesn't give his own opinions or thoughts on the situation, but he does do an excellent job on reporting the information in a very unbiased way. I believe this is nonetheless a well written and informative article. Cancryn is a health care reporter for POLITICO Pro. He has written for Wall Street Journal and DOW Jones Newswires and he got his start at the Philadelphia Business Journal. Cancryn is a graduate of Washington Lee University and a proud New Jersey Native. Cancryn states the federal health agency that serves more than 2.5 million Native Americans has only limited ability to monitor and investigate coronavirus cases across American Indian communities and reservations. Consequently, it’s slowing down the federal health agency's ability to respond to outbreaks and it’s raising fears that a lack of reliable data could compromise national efforts to eradicate the virus. The Indian Health Services (IHS) is relying largely on Native organizations and health facilities to track the virus and self-report their findings to the Trump administration, which is an inconsistent practice further complicated by minimal testing capabilities, outdated health technology and provider shortages. Health data is difficult to collect across Indian Country, where tribes operate as sovereign entities and have varying connections to federal and state authorities. On remote reservations, a lack of internet or landline phones further hinders communication and one in six households on reservations qualify as overcrowded, thus increasing the odds of rapid transmission. On some remote reservations there is no plumbing to ensure adequate handwashing and the nearest health facility can be hours away. The government spends far less on health-care for Native Americans than for beneficiaries in other federal programs. Kevin Allis,CEO of the National Congress of American Indians, , “ There’s no mystery as to why Indian Country suffers from health disparities that are alarming and shocking, even when there isn’t a pandemic running across the globe.” The public health gap has grown more stark during this pandemic. As the virus spread, tribal leaders said the administration abruptly pulled about 170 of its Public Health Service officers out of tribal areas, redirecting them to help combat coronavirus elsewhere. As a result, tribes are left without the trusted health professionals who had spent months embedded in Native communities. Trump mentioned the new production of millions of masks, respirators and other protective equipment, though tribes mentioned that they were unsure whether and when they’ll get access to those supplies. IHS stated that it has shipped 1.3 million respirators in March that are expired but deemed suitable for use and that the regional supply centers have another 3.4 million on hand. The agency on Friday announced plans to spend an additional $40 million on protective equipment. One crucial piece of equipment that won’t make it to IHS and tribally run hospitals and clinics is ventilators, which IHS officials told lawmakers must be operated by trained professionals. IHS facilities don’t have those experts which means that patients requiring intensive care must instead be transferred to non-IHS hospitals. Currently, there are only 81 available ventilators across the IHS system nationwide.

Maygen McGrew

Hollow, W. The role of Traditional Indian Medicine in the COVID-19 pandemic. March 31, 2020. https://www.nihb.org/covid-19/partner-blog/the-role-of-traditional-indian-medicine-in-the-covid-19-pandemic/

This article, written by the president of the Association of American Indian Physicians and Faculty member of the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority, Dr. Walter Hallow, proposes that Tribal Indian Medicine and Modern Western Medicine should collaborate efforts in order to meet the meet the psychological and spiritual needs of American Indian patients suffering from COVID-19 infection.  The role, history, and frequency of use of Traditional Indian Medicine among individuals within American Indian communities, is briefly discussed.  Additionally, Dr. Hallow also points to data from case studies that suggest positive healing outcomes among tribal patients when Traditional Indian Medicine and Modern Western Medicine collaborate in treatment efforts. I found this article to be useful because it provides insight into the importance of Traditional Indian Medicine within Indian communities, it encourages Tribal leaders to utilize Modern Western Medicine practices within Traditional Indian Medicine modalities, and it provides specific examples of how Modern Western Medicine practices—, such as minimizing person-to-person contact by using video and telephone conferencing, instead of face-to-face meetings—as a viable means for Traditional Indian Medicine healers to continue to conduct healing ceremonies, etc. during the COVID-19 pandemic. One criticism that I have of this article is that it does not address the problem of access to this technology for underprivileged Native American communities. More specifically, it does not discuss how Indian patients suffering from COVID-19 will have access to a reliable and consistent Internet or telephone connection, or a smartphone and computer, all of which are needed to participate in telephone or video conferencing healings with their Traditional Indian Medicine practitioner.

Carly Coffman

Davis, Gary. “Amid Coronavirus Hard Times, US Government Must Honor Its Commitments to Native Americans.” USA Today. April, 10th 2020. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/04/10/coronavirus-pandemic-government-must-honor-tribal-commitments-column/5123854002/

Indigenous advocate Gary Davis exposes the critical conditions native nations currently face during the deadly escalation of coronavirus. Many Native Americans struggle amid the pandemic while their largest economic sources, specifically casinos and hotels, have disappeared overnight. This emotionally driven article describes the state of emergency through the voices of the actual people being affected, with the intention to spread awareness and empathy. Davis argues modern America would not be as prosperous as it is today if it were not for the treaties and alliances with native nations made throughout history. While some Americans might dispute the American government’s responsibility towards indigenous peoples, Davis believes, “We paid for these relief packages generations ago through the forced secession of our lands, which compromised our cultures, traditional values and ways of life.” Because of this continuous suffering of indigenous peoples, the American government must acknowledge their commitments to these nations and support them. Despite Davis’s proposed solutions such as diversifying their land-based operations for more supportive economic stability, it is crucial for native peoples to receive government medical and financial support against COVID-19. By not providing support, the American government is ensuring a second wave genocide of Native Americans.

Michelle Stanton 

Fisher, Jack. “Native American Deaths Rising at Alarming Rate from COVID-19.” April 15th, 2020.  https://eurweb.com/2020/04/15/native-american-deaths-rising-at-alarming-rate-from-covid-19/

Many Native American people and communities, like the Navajo Nation, are facing high numbers of COVID-19 cases, and lack financial support. The Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Services have reported that the number of cases of COVID-19 had risen from 101 to 698, and 24 people had died, in a 48 hour period. There is major concern for Native elders and youth due to underlying health conditions disproportionately represented in the Native American community, which could make them more vulnerable to the virus. For instance, during the 1918 Spanish Flu and 2009 H1N1 Influenza, Native American people had considerably higher rates of infection and more fatalities, in some cases more than four times that of the general population. The urgency for ensuring Native communities have resources, such as tests and personal protective equipment, is of the utmost importance. 

The virus is affecting tribes and communities extremely hard, however there is no way to know the total impact it is having on the Native American communities. The Indian Health Service does not report urban cases, and 70% of Native peoples do not live on reservations. Crystal Echo Hawk is the director of Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative to increase the visibility of Native Nations and peoples in American society. Echo Hawk states that the “The invisibility of Native peoples during the COVID-19 pandemic is fatal with the potential to kill thousands if not immediately addressed; we know that 78% of Americans know little to nothing about Native peoples and our representation in mainstream media is less than 0.04%.” Because Native Americans are virtually unthought of in the media, they are at risk of losing any kind of funding they may have. Out of sight out of mind. Native American communities have been underfunded throughout history and the neglect has them unprepared for a crisis of this proportion.

Fernanda Garcia Pardo

Blake, J. (2020, April 14). Native Americans were already decimated by a virus. They're scared it could happen again. Retrieved April 17, 2020. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/14/us/native-americans-coronavirus-blake/index.html 

“Native Americans were already decimated by a virus. They're scared it could happen again,” written by John Blake for CNN shows the point of view of the New Mexico government. Michelle Lujan Grisham the Governor of New Mexico explains the situation to the press. Native people make up only 6% of the population in New Mexico, however, 25% of those infected in the state were Native. This is very alarming, showing that Native Americans in New Mexico need extra support. In the article there is a video attached, where the reporter asks Grisham if the virus is attacking people of color more. Grisham states that it is true, more natives and people of color are affected due to their lack of resources. Blake states “Some of these areas, particularly in Navajo nation, you're in a situation where you've got folks living without access to water and electricity and this creates unique challenges.” Natives, along with other communities of color, are exposed to higher risk. I am happy that Natives and people of color are now asking for aid from the US government. Hopefully, this sheds light on the awful situations that some Natives live in. Considering the credibility of the article, CNN is known for being biased politically left, however, I appreciated the reporting to expose this issue.

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