Turtle Talk

From The Morning Sun:

Purple Painted for a Cause
Friday, October 24, 2008 5:44 AM EDT
BY PATRICIA ECKER
Sun Staff Writer

In the same spirit that the color pink is used as to signify breast cancer awareness, the color purple has been the catalyst for education, discussion and unity on the Isabella Reservation.

“Paint the Rez purple” was simply an idea thrown out to the community by the members of the Domestic Violence Awareness program of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Domestic as a way to show support for October’s Domestic Violence Awareness month.

“It’s an idea that Lacie (Kelly, case manager) came up with,” Angie Noriega, domestic violence coordinator said.

Kelly said she saw a news story where an entire town was painted pink in support of breast cancer awareness.

The purple ribbon is part of a national campaign to encourage support and make a statement against domestic violence.

“Last year was our first year (promoting the color purple to show support for domestic violence awareness),” Noriega said. “This year, the streets are lined with purple signs, and the Tribe has posted (the campaign) on their web site.”

Noriega said her office has received e-mails and phone calls from employees, Tribal members and other Tribal communities in Michigan who have commended the efforts of the Tribe for bringing attention to this disproportionately high statistic within Native American communities.

Three out of four Native American women have been the victims of domestic violence, and Native American women are stalked at a rate, at least twice that of any other group in the nation, according to the United States Department of Justice.

“We’ve received good responses from survivors,” Kelly said. “They have said that it feels like they have gotten support from their co-workers (because several Tribal Operations departments have begun decorating office space, cubicles, hallways, and even themselves in the color purple).

“A competition began to see who could be more “purple,” she said.

Kelly said Kevin Ricketts, probation officer at Tribal Court, painted himself purple, and that different departments have been printing out literature and slogans that encourage people to “Break the Silence,” “Stop the Abuse,” and list suggestions to help someone who is being abused.

“The gaming commission printed off the power control wheels and hung them in their offices,” Kelly said.

Nimkee Public Health offices decked their halls with purple streamers, purple beads, and staff members dyed their hair purple.

“One of the ladies wore her purple hair to a school activity after work, and she was questioned about her purple outfit,” Kelly said.

Her presence at a off reservation event, stimulated dialogue and the domestic violence program has been asked to speak at the local high school on this national social issue.

“I was out at lunch, and I was able to talk to a woman from CMU about why we were wearing purple,” Kelly said.

The campaign has become an outreach tool for the Tribal department which began three and a half years ago.

The Domestic Violence Awareness Program is under the umbrella of the Behavioral Health Services, and they offer the community support groups, prevention education, a batterer’s intervention program, case management, and a domestic violence shelter.

“A group of community women formed a group that advises us,” Noriega said. “We need that perspective from people who have survived.

“They are a resource of information.”

Because of the awareness generated over the past few weeks, there has been an increase in participation in the department’s support groups, Kelly said.

She said she has received phone calls and e-mails from women who have decided to come back for help.

Josh Lintz, social worker for the Anishnaabeg Child and Family Services, said that his strength within his department is his knowledge and expertise in domestic violence treatment.

“One of the reasons I got involved in this is because it is good to have men involved,” Lintz said. “We’ve noticed an increase in the number of alcohol situations that involve physical abuse.

“They seem to go hand in hand. In our department, we are seeing more families with links to abuse when they’ve come in for services.”

Noriega said that traditional teachings are offered during the batterer’s intervention group in regards to the equal role’s men and women play in the Tribe.

Between July and September, seven men from the community have come forward and asked for help from the domestic violence department, Kelly said.

The color purple was selected when a domestic violence advocate was involved in a homicide, and her mourners wore her favorite color as a statement against domestic violence at her funeral, Noriega said.

A walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 from the Behavioral Health building at 2800 S. Shepherd Road to the Tribal Operations building.

“If you’re part of the human circle, you are welcome,” Behavioral Health Administrator Hunter Genia said. “We are honoring our family, and honoring our community.

“It speaks to our tradition that historically we are a people who seek balance and harmony.”