What is the best way to help indigenous people in North America?

Answer 1

On the reservations of the United States, there is so little opportunity. People who have ambition usually must leave their homes to get education, and then few come back to get jobs. This leaves behind those who have serious problems like alcoholism. I think a good thing to do would be to improve the quality of education in public schools on reservations. When the people are more educated, they will be able to fix their own problems. Not giving handouts, but giving people education and chances to work I think can solve a lot of social problems. Microcredit programs that allow people to establish their own home-based businesses, especially women, seem to have been successful in other parts of the world.

I suppose the above recommendation goes for Canada as well. I have enough experience on reservations in the States and reserves in Canada to feel somewhat comfortable making that statement.

As far as Mexico, the situation there is even more difficult for indigenous people. Not only do they often have very strong racism to overcome but they can also experience language barriers on top of the economic barriers that separate them from the people in the cities. No wonder that so many Mexicans want to come to the United States to make money they can send to their families.

Answer 2

Most people when they hear about indigenous people of N. A., the first thing they think of is alcoholism. True, but then it is the Europeans that influenced all these bad habits. Many of these people can not and do not want to adapt to the changing environment, such as the fast past technology, and the competitive industry, capitalism.
I agree with the statements above made by drshorty and mel. Some of the cultural teaching are lost, or are not taught, because family closeness is lost due to television and other influences. Other influences would be due to both parents working or families moving into cities, towns. When families move into cities they lose some of the close relationship that is experienced when they used to live near their relatives.
However, to say the least, I am not saying they do not want to change, they need to be educated more and better.

Answer 3

Reservations keep Indian's down. There are a lot of problems concerning alcoholism, poverty and depression on Indian reservations. Self defeat comes into play when the government says "don't worry you don't have to do anything because we will take care of you as an act of reparation." Why would you strive to work harder or dream to do better? They need support to believe in themselves to do better without government interference.

Answer 4

www.virtuesproject.com
at this juncture and with all the resources we have we shld try to help them find themselves - the glory of their past but not trying to go back to their old ancient ways.
alcoholism/drugs shld be tackled/reduced. education, self-esteem, values/virtues they have to find. their elders/young ones hv to also help themselves to want to change.
its inevitable tt they have to accept the so-call modern way of living - hence adaptation is appropriate.

Answer 5

Leave them alone. We are so ethnocentric that we have totally destryed many happy cultures with our values.... tch tch tch.................