To begin our fifth day in North Carolina, we took a
tour of the Addiction and Recovery Center that lies within the mountains of the
Snowbird community. After our tour, we had lunch in Murphy before heading back
to the cabin. Tonight, we attended church service at Macedonia Baptist where we
were able to observe family dynamics and Cherokee culture through their sermon.
In this culture, childrearing practices are somewhat
different than what we are used to seeing. Addiction is very prevalent within
the Cherokee population, causing many of the children to be without their parents.
Instead of placing them into the system, they try very hard to keep the
children within their families. Sometimes, this means that the children are
cared for by their grandparents. This was the common family structure seen
tonight at the church. We also discovered that many of the children who were
with the parents or grandparents were children they had fostered or adopted.
Within this community, the most respect is given to Cherokee
Elders. They are given this respect by other members of their community because
of their wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Growing up, they paid close attention
to their elders, so they are now able to teach younger generations about the
culture and traditions of the past, so everyone looks to them for advice.
The Cherokee people are also known for their high
levels of resilience. I feel that this can be most attributed to their
self-awareness and knowing who they are and what they want for their lives.
This culture is also known for their strength and willingness to always find
the best in every situation. Having such a close-knit community as a part of
their daily lives also helps to support these individuals in getting through
tough times.
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