Health behaviors may seem meaningless or superficial until explained within the context of culture. Cultural knowledge involves searching for hidden meaning or rationale for a behavior. Children need the opportunity to explore how different cultures explain suffering, treatment of illness, and promotion of health. Some Native American children may be taught to regard a healthy lifestyle as part of their relationship to the natural world. Teaching children to respect and value multiple pathways to healthy living is essential in order to establish shared values and beliefs about health.
Every culture has stories of how people get sick, get better, and stay healthy.
One exercise is for learners to identify and share stories from their cultural heritages. Students work in small groups that are mixed ethnically. They discuss their own ideas about causes of illnesses and ways to stay healthy. Students then complete a take-home assignment in which they find a traditional story from their culture that explains how people get sick, get better, and stay healthy. The exercise helps them to understand the cultural roots of healing.