Native American caregiving for COVID ranges widely from tragedies to model public health responses

The 2021 Cherokee National Holiday, which will be celebrated from Sept. 2-5 this year, will follow public health guidelines. The multi-day festival always is aimed at celebrating Cherokee resiliency. Click on this logo to visit the official website for the Cherokee National Holiday.

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By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

Indian leaders often refer to the original scale of their North American communities as “500 Nations”—and in the summer of 2021 they recognize that COVID responses have been as diverse as those cultural communities spread across this continent. Some tribes have experienced the tragic loss of Elders and little—or late—help from government agencies throughout 2020 and early 2021.

Other tribes have become models of public health response.

At their best, Native American leaders have demonstrated the strengths of truly caring communities. Here are some news stories about those efforts that you may have missed—reminders of the potential of Native wisdom and culture in the midst of a public health crisis.

Care to Read More?

Since our publishing house’s founding in 2007, we have worked with Native American writers and journalists to encourage their voices to be shared. Please, read this column in our Front Edge Publishing website that explains the two most important books we have published with Native American writers.

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