By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Center for Native Health (CNH) has been selected to receive a $500,000 grant, provided by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and supported by the Spirit Aligned Leadership Program, to establish a doula program for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).
According to WebMD, “A doula provides emotional and physical support to you before, during, and after your pregnancy and childbirth. Doulas aren’t medical professionals. They don’t deliver babies or provide medical advice or medical care. Doulas assist and advocate for the birthing parent.”
The Center for Native Health (CNH) has been selected to receive a $500,000 grant, provided by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and supported by the Spirit Aligned Leadership Program, to establish a doula program for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Shown are Onita Bush, EBCI tribal elder who will be working with the program, and Kristina Hyatt, an EBCI tribal member who is the CNH maternal and child health program officer. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Kristina Hyatt, an EBCI tribal member who is the CNH maternal and child health program officer, commented, “Our goal is to create a cohort of doulas of at least seven EBCI women. We would provide the doula training and some additional trainings for them basically to help provide support for our Cherokee moms because we understand the importance of that. Then we’ll also have a Mother’s Council that will be composed of seven EBCI elder women to help guide and direct this doula project…to give them the opportunity to share their knowledge with the doulas. That’s a way to pass down that information.”
She added, “The training that we’re looking into bringing here is actually a full-spectrum Indigenous doula training. We’re looking at the beginning of May and it would be a four-full-day training. We’re excited about that because it would be taught by Indigenous doulas and midwives. So, I think that’s very important.”
Hyatt is proud to be working on this program with Onita Bush, an EBCI tribal elder and first language Cherokee speaker. Hyatt noted, “One of the overall goals is to really help amplify the dreams and voices of our elders.”
Bush commented, “From the beginning, on, they get to learn back in history of the medicines, and the plants, and different things that they used – what they used for pain…if the mother’s legs were swelled up, what they used to lotion the legs with to keep her as comfortable as she can because that’s bringing a life into the world.
The doula project is going to be amazing. And I can’t wait to get it started because once it gets started it’s going to be bringing that to our culture, our traditions – foods and different stuff, and the plants and what was used, that’s going to be amazing.”
Hyatt said the CNH is looking forward to bringing this program to the community. “One of the overall goals of the Center for Native Health is to work with the hospital programs and other tribal programs. So, we really want to harp on collaboration efforts with these different programs. We just want to make sure, also, that our doulas are able to work with our moms to make sure that they’re fully aware of what resources are available here for our enrolled members. We have lots and lots of resources but sometimes our people may not be aware of what’s there.
The Center for Native Health wants to make it very clear that we’re open to working with partners like Cherokee Choices and different programs across the Boundary.”
Hyatt said there are no prerequisites for people to sign up for the upcoming program, and program participants will receive a stipend. Information regarding registering for the program will be available soon she said.
Bush is looking forward to learning from a Mohawk midwife legend who will be involved in the initial training of the doulas – Sherrill Elizabeth Tekatsitsiakawa “Katsi” Cook.
“She has delivered hundreds and hundreds of babies and she is one of the best-known midwives there is,” Bush said of Cook.
Hyatt noted, “We would also plan on taking a couple of trips. One, at least, to Mohawk territory to visit model doula and midwife programs to learn and bring that information and knowledge back here. Another one is to hopefully visit the ‘Little Cherokee Seeds’ program out in Oklahoma to learn more about that program and to help us work on revitalizing the Cherokee language and Cherokee mothering practices.”
Bush said that a doula is just one part of the birthing team. “A doctor will always be involved, too. That’s part of the team. A doctor will be involved because if there’s a problem that should arise that a doula couldn’t handle, the doctor would be right there. It’s up to the woman if she chooses to have it at home. Even in a hospital, a doula would be involved there. They can follow the mom all the way to the hospital and help deliver and have the doctor simply be right there in case his help was needed. That’s going to be wonderful to bring it back to Cherokee, to bring it back to our people.”
Hyatt spoke of the importance and need for the program, “Maternal health is a key indicator for the health of a community. So, once we get this going, I think that we’ll see a lot of positive outcomes just across the board.”
CNH was established in 2009 and focuses on four main areas including: land and wellness; education and training; language, art, and health; and maternal and child health. For more information on the Center, visit centerfornativehealth.org.
