Pubdate: Wed, 13 Apr 2005
Source: Navajo-Hopi Observer (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 Northern Arizona Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3572
Author: Stan Bindell
Note: Stan Bindell, former Observer editor, is journalism and radio teacher 
at Hopi High School.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

HOPI TRIBE HOSTS FIRST ALCOHOL & DRUG SUMMIT

Three-Day Session On Strategies To Tackle Abuse

POLACCA --Youth on the Hopi Reservation have a drug and alcohol problem, 
and every entity needs to come together to help address the problem.

Those were the two key points that continually arose during the Hopi 
Tribe's drug and alcohol summit held at Hopi Jr/Sr High School April 4-6. 
More than 200 attended the first two days and more than 150 attended the 
final day.

Hopi Chief Justice Gary LaRance, co-chairman of the summit, said community 
leaders will come together after the summit to come up with strategies to 
address the drug and alcohol problem.

"Now, what are we going to do?" he asked. "When we come together for 
another summit in two to three years we want to look at how the numbers 
have dropped."

Health care workers, law enforcement, educators, elected officials and 
students participated in the summit by serving on panels or giving speeches.

Multi-Faceted Issue

Lynn Root, substance abuse prevention counselor at Hopi Jr/Sr High School, 
gave a Power Point presentation showing that a drug and alcohol problem 
exists, and what steps are being taken to confront the problem.

Root said that there is no one single factor that can solve the problem 
because many factors cause drug and alcohol abuse. He stated that the 
students' response in the Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that the 
Hopi youth have a drug and alcohol problem that is higher than the state 
average.

Research, Root said, shows that a lack of surveillance, physical 
deterioration of a community and high rates of adult substance abuse all 
contribute to substance abuse by teenagers. He said these factors are 
present in Hopi communities.

But, he said, laws have to be sensible and prohibition didn't work in 
America. He said one to two drinks in a pleasant circumstance can be good, 
but he added drinking when your fighting with your spouse is not a good idea.

Root also said that drinking to excess isn't good.

"It's been said that if the ocean was beer that Hopi's would get a straw 
and suck it dry," he said.

Root said the survey stated that the youth feel they don't have 
opportunities in their communities for social involvement. He praised the 
Hopi Office of Youth Affairs for trying to get more opportunities for youth 
going.

Root pointed out family problems impact children, and he urged parents not 
to fight in front of their children. He added that the survey showed that 
students were less likely to drink when they felt that they were a valued 
part of the family, but 80 percent of the youth reported antisocial 
behavior within their family.

Root said, however, there are "some students who use drugs even if their 
family is perfect."

He said academic failure increases with the risk of drug use and 
delinquency. On the other hand, if a student likes school, does their 
homework and sees school as relevant they are less likely to abuse drugs 
and alcohol.

One interesting point was that there was a high academic failure rate among 
the students yet they had a high commitment to attending school. This means 
they were attending school either for the socialization or to obtain drugs.

"You kids are using too much dope. It undermines everything," he told the 
students.

Root also had a message for the bootleggers.

"I can't understand how you can do that to your own people," he said.

Others also addressed the bootlegging problem. Hopi Police Chief Alfonse 
Sakeva said it's just a matter of time before they get caught.

Hopi Councilman Marvin Yoyokie said the tribe needs to toughen the laws on 
bootlegging.

Root said the survey showed that Hopi teenagers are using cocaine and meth 
more than the state average. He also noted that students are getting 
suspended for discipline problems at above the state average.

Root said the community, the school, the family and the children all need 
to be treated in order to decrease the drug and alcohol problem.

Root said the school is addressing the problem through intervention, 
starting more activities for youth and having clubs such as Students 
Against Destructive

Decisions and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

He said the community is addressing the problem through the Wellness Court, 
Behavioral Health, Guidance Center and several other agencies.

Chairman's Stance

Hopi Chairman Wayne Taylor Jr. issued an executive order last year calling 
for the drug and alcohol summit.

Chairman Taylor told the crowd that the idea was to get all the data and 
have a public dialogue in order to create a healthy Hopi community to raise 
the children properly and make the elders feel safe in their homes.

He said a recent survey showed that many Hopi children face risks from 
antisocial behavior such as alcohol and substance abuse, family problems 
and depression.

"In many cases, the risk factors at Hopi High exceed those of other state 
schools. Methamphetamine use has been identified by many in our community 
as a growing problem," he said.

Chairman Taylor said the future rests with the young people.

"We all want them to be happy, healthy, confident and productive,"' he 
said. "A lifestyle that causes our young people to become angry and 
depressed--to use drugs and alcohol--is not good."

Chairman Taylor said some place the responsibility for juvenile drug and 
alcohol abuse solely on the young people. He added that this suggests that 
in the good old days people worked hard and didn't need drugs or alcohol to 
make their lives complete.

"That is not true, of course," he said. Chairman Taylor stated that some 
blame the parents. "It truly must be bad parents to shoulder such blame, 
for it is the parents who give our children the greatest gift of all. It is 
the parents who give them life."

Chairman Taylor said the burden of responsibility falls on everybody.

"As the saying goes, it takes a village," he said.

The chairman asked what the community is doing to support its young people 
and what they are doing to provide meaningful activities for the youth. He 
said this is needed in order to help them develop good sound values so they 
can make critical life decisions that will not lead them to drugs or alcohol.

"That's really what the Hopi way of life is all about: strength in the 
community, working in the fields. Village dances and ceremonies. Going to 
the kiva, learning from your uncle, godparents and grandparents those life 
values that sustain us through the end of our days," he said.

Chairman Taylor said there was a breakdown in the traditional Hopi ways.

"But all is not lost. The Hopi culture remains. The extended family system 
of parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles and godparents remain strong 
in many families," he said.

Chairman Taylor said he wants to break down the walls of silence, suspicion 
and distrust that divide people.

"We need to build on what unites us," he said. "I want a plan to make life 
meaningful for Hopi people today, so that we will all enjoy a better tomorrow."

Student Skits

The Hopi High drama class performed a skit at the beginning of each day. 
The first skit was about how it was in the past, the second skit was about 
how it is currently and the third skit was about how it should be in the 
future.

Beth Giebus, drama teacher, gave the students high marks for writing all of 
the material and for strong performances. She said that student actress 
Connie Thompson gave a powerful monologue on the second day. Thompson 
played Crystal who spoke about how her teachers and parents didn't 
understand her, so she gets high and then gets into a car crash.

"I think they did a good job of getting the message across," Giebus said 
about her acting students.

Giebus said the class researched the issue, but one student crafted it and 
Bucky Preston from Polacca helped.

"A lot of people said the performances were powerful and enjoyable," she said.

A Hopi drug abuse prevention center offers a 24-hour hotline where people 
can telephone for help at 928-309-9251. Self-help and outreach groups are 
available through this number.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth