Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
In Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court is incorporating Cherokee culture into its program.
The program is designed to help keep young people out of the justice system.
One of the favorite activities among participants is stickball.
The sport traditionally served as a judicial or diplomatic function to help settle disputes before leading to war.
“What I really love about stickball is community … but the main part that I love overall is I feel like I’m reclaiming my ancestral rights.”
Jesse Cotter is a stickball captain.
He says working with young people in the healing to wellness court helps the participants learn teamwork skills and community values.
“We see what’s going on in their lives, how can we help out, what are the ways that they’re trying to help themselves that they might need some pointers on because a lot of us we’ve been through a lot of the things that they’re going through.”
Captains say stickball also helps participants deal with aggression and lean how to solve problems.
Captain Jesse Grayson says it provides positive reinforcement.
“All we’re doing. We’re just helping. We’re trying to help spark that idea with them, spark their interests, and hopefully they keep, they move on with it and carry it with them.”
While, there’s the traditional men’s game, there’s also a social game where women can play.
Stickball captain Joshua Mouse describes the social game.
“The men’s will be the ones using two sticks and women’s are basically use their hands and pretty much have free range to do whatever they want to out there. For the scoring, usually there’s more points given if you hit the top effigy at the top of the pole you know that’s the one you’re trying to hit right there is the ball.”
Mouse says the men’s game is different.
“For scoring in that game, though, that’s dependent on the driver whenever they start the game. The drivers will meet in the center of the field and go over the rules of the game. You can either run it between the two saplings or you can have to run it through the saplings and then come back onto the field to score.”
Incorporating Cherokee culture is an essential part of the healing to wellness court says Patti Buhl, Cherokee Nation, Director of Juvenile Justice.
“We’ve actually been able to introduce them to their culture and help them learn more about their history, and traditional ways of being part of a community in a healthy manner, living amongst one another in a healthy manner, helping each other. It has been absolutely integral to this program, the cultural aspects.”
The healing to wellness court is a voluntary phased program lasting a minimum of eight months.
Participants go to counseling services, families sign agreements – to all work together in the program.
Participants have one or two visits a week from a program coordinator, they’re required to go to school, do community service, and take part in educational programming.
The program focuses on young people 12 to 18 for non-violent offenses, often it’s substance use.
The program instills in the young people that they’re valued members of the community.
Leah Hitcher is Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator.
“They see all these people and they think that their intentions is just to detain them and put them away, they’re bad kids. But when they get to see in our court team and everybody weigh in and say good positive things about them too, they have hope in us.”
The healing to wellness Court was started in 2021 with assistance from grant funding.
The first referrals were taken in 2023 and in the spring of 2024 the program saw its first graduate.
This story is a collaboration with First Nations Experience Television with support from the Public Welfare Foundation
A new book being released by Medicine Wheel Publishing, marks Orange Shirt Day, which raises awareness about residential schools in Canada.
The book, Today is Orange Shirt Day, by Phyllis Webstad is designed for young children up to three years old.
The author and publisher say the book provides a gentle way to introduce the next generation to learn about the history and legacy of residential schools.
The book will be released on August 20 ahead of the holiday in September.
Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily and stay up-to-date on the 2024 Native Vote. Sign up for our daily newsletter today.
