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From the beginning of the day, I felt a negative vibe emanating from my soul and body. The first destination was Western University. I was familiar with my surroundings and felt comfortable. We prepared for an entry into the University’s cadaver lab with a ceremonial smudging of sage and giving thanks to Mother Earth and her elements. We also honored to wear an herb on our ears called “Ruda” that will keep us protected from lost souls or negative energies. We walked to another building in the campus and entered through stairs. We were outside the door and I was feeling uncomfortable about my surroundings. When I entered the door and put on gloves, I felt the hairs on my neck stand. The room was cold and felt like it was empty even though I was able to see over twenty covered bodies. The bodies were covered with white plastic sheets. Only two or three were uncovered in the chest area for showing.

We were separated into four groups to see different stations on different body parts and affects deceases had on them. It was overwhelming at first to know these were living people, but my curiosity over came it. I witnessed the affects aneurysms had on hearts, an artificial heart valve and cancer that spread to multiple parts of a body internally and in the exterior. This helped me think about the lifestyles and changes I wanted to have in my life to prevent the same result. This day struck me at a physical and mental level. It has helped me look at myself in a totally different way and what I will become in the future.

This morning, after being rushed for breakfast, we were rushed to get ready to meet in the parking lot. Today we went to Western University of Health Sciences to learn about ourselves on a deeper level. Today we were to examine cadavers and learn about the relationship we have with those who pass away and the impact they have on our lives. Before heading into the cadaver lab, our elder Vicente Candonache smudged us with sage as and gave us Ruda to place behind put ear as he performed a ceremony. The purpose was to protect us from along with blessing any bad energies with the dead bodies. As we examined the cadavers we were given the chance to hold and examine human hearts. This tested our limitations from the harsh smell of formaldehyde to the realization of standing in front of a human with their chest cut open, a person who pretty recently walked and breathed as we do. As we stood there over cadavers with open hearts and other hearts sitting on the table, my group began to look at each other. Curious of why these specific bodies are in front of us. I asked how these bodies were chosen and what are done with them after. We learned that these people all wanted to be apart of a caver lab. To help teach and inspire youth and young doctors about medicine and the human anatomy. After these bodies are not to be used they are cremated and send to their families of spread out at sea. We did not feel as awkward with these bodies, knowing that after death they are being treated with respect and keep their rights.

My day started off with the usual indigenous games, then breakfast. The day took a big shift from doing the usual writing classes with Shleva to going to Western University’s anatomy lab. I have been to the lab a couple of times before, so there wasn’t anything too crazy or shocking about the lab. What was different this time though is that since the program is full of very spiritual people we went through a ceremony before we went in with Tata Vicent. He brought a plant called rudda in Spanish (not sure about the name in english) from the garden at Pitzer, he told us that this plant is ancient remedy for ear aches but its also keeps you safe from different negative energies that linger with death. When we went into the lab a couple of students had difficult times being in the presence of deceased people so they had to step out; I was fine and actually became more familiarized with different human anatomy terminology that I had been taught before but forgot. I want to thank the native american doctor who facilitates the medical programming for us, she is someone who I have learned so much from in the past couples of years and someone continues to inspire me; thank you Kaydee (I think thats how you spell your name). Later on in the evening we had a workshop that basically was students sharing how they feel and the professor expanding on the idea of taking a different approach on tackling different social justice issues. The different approach is using our ancestral and traditional philosophies, culture, and tradition. Another topic the professor wanted to put a big emphasis on was the way in which our different languages and styles of talking are suppressed, oppressed, cut down, by this western educational system that doesn’t seem to work for most minorities.

If any of the mentors or staff read tonights blog post please fight for us to cut indigenous games tomorrow or the day after that so we can sleep in a bit and become well rested and ready for the day. I find that telling us to sleep during our breaks is a little difficult because some of us aren’t used to napping so I and Im sure other students would definitely benefit from time to sleep in.

Today in the Gross Anatomy lab, all of us were studying the organs of human being. As I was holding a human heart, I was amazed about how real that moment was. I was holding someone’s organ that beats with emotion and feeling. It was someone’s heart that beats at a fast pace when they feel love and excitement. I was always told that I have a huge heart. Not literally but emotionally. For me, it feels better to give than to receive because it gives me a warm feeling. It’s that type of warm feeling when you do something good and someone gives you appreciation. Even the smallest good deeds is always a good deed because there isn’t a lot of good people in this world anymore. So I really like to help people and that’s why I volunteer the most I can such as student council and National Honor Society. I don’t do this to get other people’s approval, i help people because it’s just how I was raised. Being a daughter of two Air Force veterans isn’t easy. My parents are always on me, but I know they are stern because they care about me. So by having a big heart, I hope to inspire and be a good role model.

Today I felt very groovy, humble, excited, shaky, nervous for some damn reason. I had some very fun interactive conversations with a very well educated professor she gave me the welcoming to such an open space, the activity that she asked us to do was very different she made a few points that caught my attention. What she had to say was just very mind blowing to me personally and also her friend she said some very strong wisdom words that I for sure walked away with and that I will keep in mind and bring it up in any situation that I come across in. But overall today was very nice Jumba Lamba Womba day and I for sure enjoyed thanks to my positive attitude and the friends that make the day extra special but yeah see ya later my natives.

Today was a pretty chill day for me , i woke up kinda late but had a great start still. We had breakfast hen headed over to western university to the cadaver lab. I didn’t get to go because i wasn’t old enouGH, BUT thats ok because physically and mentally i don’t think i was ready. I did get to do the virtual reality one though. Technology is so beneficial know. My mom would have never had the luxurious content things that we have today , that is why i am so grateful. After we came back we had sack lunches but that wasn’t so bad then we had some free time and even though i’m really shy i sang for some people here at the program. After i kind of felt unshy, then we got on the computer and i was even confident enough to show them some talent shows i’ve been in before. Then we started watching funny auditions on x factor and stuff and then we were watching wild’n out and those were funny. After we worked on some math with veesenthay and then it was free time so i headed to the gym with a few of my friends from here and we were putting in some work and then it was time for dinner. I kind of regret eating right after exercising because i just burned off a lot of calories and then gained them al right back, but thats ok.After dinner we had a lecture about our future kind of, its hard to say because we were on a lot of topics. Over all it was a blessed day.

Today was the anatomy lab at Western U, and don’t even get me started on how much I love anatomy and medicine because today I wanna talk about something close to that. I want to bring up the fact that it is very hard for native people to be in a lab like that. Up close to cadavers, also know as dead bodies given to schools or organizations for study. Our teaching’s usually don’t allow us to be around dead bodies, because they could still be caring spirits around and to avoid getting to deep I just wanted to bring it up. Especially, because we did protect ourselves with medicine before going in, but we also got to witness and learn amazing things today. If we didn’t use prayer to the creator, so he can protect us, we wouldn’t be given these opportunities. The ways of our people are changing, but it may not be a bad evolution. Our ancestors may have not approved then of these certain practices, but I know that they’re proud of us for building our futures. Especially because we are practicing in safe ways, with medicine and support from elders and our communities.

Thank you to Kaydee for being apart of this program, and being such a huge role model in my life. I will make my own path in modern medicine and traditional medicine, but just know that you’re another reason why I am following through with my dreams.

P.S. I want to be able to read the anatomy book in Navajo if possible Kaydee!

P.S.S. I love you so much! *tink*

Hysh’qe

Panamea

Thank you,

Katherine Jefferson (Kat)

Today we went to the Gross Anatomy lab. This was my second time participating in going in. Its a really cool experience its something where in moment your questioning yourself. But if you don’t do it you’ll regret it. I learned so much today, going to the anatomy lab has made me double take on what i want to be when i grow up. Actually no i still want to be a juvenile probation officer  but the medical field does sometimes interest me very much. We went able to take any pictures in the lab today sorry mom. Most people will be disgusted about this but how many people can say at my age. That they’ve gotten the chance to take apart the human body and replace everything back together. I would say that was the best part of today. I got a better understanding other than in books of the human body and it was super interesting.

Today was an interesting day. It all started with waking up at 6:00 and getting ready for indigenous games. After the games we had breakfast and then got ready to go to Western University so we can see the cadavers. When we got there were taught some of the protocol and some of the rules before we went into the lab. After we were taught the rules we went outside to get smudged by Vicente. The reason why we did this mini ceremony was to bless us and protect us just in case there was any evil spirits that were attached to the bodies.  After we were blessed it came the time to go into the cadaver lab. As I was walking to the lab I had a weird feeling about going into the lab. It was weird because I’ve been to a morgue before and I was used to it, but this time it seemed different. Well I still went through it and it was worth it. When we walked through the door the sight was interesting. There were steel tables in rows with white bags on them. At that moment I realized that they were the bodies. I really didn’t get scared, but I got interested. We got our gloves and then we got right into looking at the inside of the chest cavity. I got to see the heart, the lungs, the rib cage, the diaphragm and everything else in the chest cavity. In all together today was pretty interesting and intriguing.