The Protective Role of Ceremony Against Substance Use for American Indian Adults

PROJECT SUMMARY Alcohol and other drug use inequities have devastating impacts on American Indian (AI) communities. Ojibwe ceremonial leaders assert that drug use continues to take the most lives and cause the most grief within AI families and communities. These leaders attend community ceremonial events to offer their tobacco, food, and prayers to take care of their community members. It is cultural events and activities that bring the most healing to AI communities who are gravely affected by the sequelae of unjust historical and contemporary policies by the United States government. This project seeks to engage AI adults with community and spiritual worldviews via ceremony (Gii’igoshimong). In doing so, we will attempt to buffer the effects of historical trauma, personal trauma, and lifelong risk factors for substance use, thereby improving substance use behaviors, related outcomes, and overall health. The Community-Based Participatory Research will enroll Elders and ceremonial practitioners (Aim 1), and AI adults who have not completed Gii’igoshimong in the past (Aims 2 & 3) to implement a randomized controlled trial (N = 300 target adults) with a wait-list design respectful of cultural norms of inclusion. We will evaluate the relationship between ceremony and adult substance use and identify multilevel factors (i.e., psychosocial, neurocognitive) through which traditional practices convey protection against substance use. We will assess and develop a menu of implementation strategies (Sub-aim 2) to support community priority of long-term sustainment of the ceremonial practice.