HEALTH, Indians must maintain their relationship with nature. “Mother Earth” is the friend of the American Indian, and the land belongs to the American Indian (Boyd, 1974).
According to American Indian belief, as explained by a medicine man, Rolling Thunder, the human body is divided into 2 halves, which are seen as plus and minus (yet another version of the concept that every whole is made of 2 opposite halves). There are also—in every whole—2 energy poles: positive and negative. The energy of the body can be controlled by spiritual means. It is further believed that every being has a purpose and an identity. Every being has the power to control him- or herself and, from this force and the belief in its potency, the spiritual power of a person is kindled (Boyd, 1974).
In all American Indian cultures, disease is associated with the religious aspect of society as supernatural powers are associated with the causing and cur- ing of disease. Disease is conceived of in a wide variety of ways. It is believed to occur due to a lack of prevention, which is given by wearing or using charms; the presence of some material object that has intruded into the body via sor- cery; or the absence of the free soul from the body (Lyon, 1996, pp. 60–61). One example of an amulet is Duklij, turquoise or green malachite that is be- lieved to contain supernatural qualities that ward off the evil spirits and bring rain (Lyon, 1996, p. 68).
Many American Indians with traditional orientations believe there is a rea- son for every sickness or pain. They believe that ILLNESS is the price to be paid either for something that happened in the past or for something that will hap- pen in the future. In spite of this conviction, a sick person must still be cared for. Everything is seen as being the result of something else, and this cause-and- effect relationship creates an eternal chain. American Indians do not generally subscribe to the germ theory of modern medicine. ILLNESS is something that must be. Even the person who is experiencing the ILLNESS may not realize the reason for its occurrence, but it may, in fact, be the best possible price to pay for the past or future event(s) (Boyd, 1974).