Jaime Geronimo Vela

"Storytelling": Indigenous Learning Method Jaime Geronimo Vela

Can Diné Storytelling Enhance Diabetes Prevention? A Qualitative StudyThe purpose of this qualitative study was to explore storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge) as an educational method to help implement diabetes prevention strategies among Native Americans. Native Americans are 2.3 times more likely than Whites to be diagnosed with diabetes, and die from the disease at a rate 200% higher than the U. S. population. This high prevalence rate warrants immediate interventions. This study built on research in Indigenous education and public health on the importance of storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge) as a means of "transformative learning" with the potential to influence behavioral change. In this qualitative study, I focused on Navajo (Diné) storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge), asking, "What can we learn from Diné storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge) as an educational method to implement diabetes prevention strategies?" Using Seidman's (2013) phenomenological interview sequence with four purposively selected Navajo adults, I elicited their stories about traditional Diné values and practices, including gardening, which may be tied to improved diet, a known factor in mediating the risk of diabetes (Center for Disease Control, 2011). I then crafted narrative profiles for each participant (Seidman, 2013), an analysis strategy that allows participants to tell their stories. Within-case and cross-case analysis revealed four recurring themes: tradition, health and well- being, family/kinship, and culture transmission. These themes suggest a pedagogy of diabetes prevention in the form of storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge) as a way of learning Indigenous traditions, values, beliefs, and culture. Storytelling (oral transmission of knowledge) represents a promising educational practice to educate all tribal members in strategies to promote health and well-being, including diabetes prevention.