La Belle, J. W., & Easley, C. (2007). National Resource Center for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Elders.

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of the National Resource Center (NRC) for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Elders paper on “Boarding School: Historical Trauma among Alaska’s Native People” (see Appendix A). Together, they represent a project thesis in partial fulfillment for a Masters of Arts degree in Rural Development which I received in December 2006. The concurrent theme was to build capacity within this NRC of the many elder issues in Alaska. This paper focuses on the steps to leading a community to wellness from boarding school trauma.

The objectives for combining these reports was to deepen the understanding of events surrounding elders who were part of the boarding school era, and to share a perspective on resiliency and how leaders have the solutions within themselves for individual and community healing. While much has been written about the first and third objective, more discussion is required for a perspective on resiliency.