Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 10, 1 October 1990 — Hawaiians can tackle drug abuse problem [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiians can tackle drug abuse problem

By Deborah Lee Ward A good hard look at the drug and substance use problems in our families is the first step towards building a drug-free community in today's world according to organizers of recent statewide eonferences for families on "Building a Drug-free Community." In the Hawaiian communities in Kona, Waimanalo, Kaua'i and Keaukaha, the conferences focused on problems of aleohol and drug abuse in Hawai'i. There were 196 participants. Specia! guest speakers were Andy , Phyllis and Ivy Chelsea (father, mother and daughter), members of the Alkali Lake Indian Band of British Columbia, Canada. At eaeh conference they screened their hard-hitting documentary film, "The Honour of All." The film tells the story of their tribe's 14-year process of change from 100 percent alcoholism and no self-esteem to 95 percent sobriety and a regained culture. The Alkali Lake Band successfully used the Alcoholics Anonymous approach but they made it their own community focus. The Chelsea family's example as cataly,sts in the community shows change ean begin with just one person. At the conference some positive steps to get off drugs and/or aleohol were offered: • Stop self-blame. • Recognize you have a problem. Get help for yourself and join a support group; • Don't ask anyone else to get you a drink (even the kids), and don't share drugs with anyone else; • Commit to healthy and positive social activities and look for non-drinking social activities; • Don't let anyone drive drunk. The Chelseas have traveled extensively to present their message of hope to native peoples and other groups. "The Honour of All" film is available from the Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawai'i. For more information eall 522-5050 or toll free 1-800-782-8133. At the Kaua'i conference, an attorney who handles child abuse cases said that drugs and aleohol were eommon factors in 93 reported cases of child abuse and that 40 percent of those cases involved Native Hawaiians. She said aleohol is pervasive in Hawaiian culture, Hawaiians like beingin groups and people feel more pressure to drink when they are in groups. Not meaning to, families tend to help alcoholics with what is called co-dependency, the lawyer said. "Hawaiians tend to feel it is not the plaee of the younger generation to tell parents what to do. It takes courage to look at whether it is really a problem you want to dea! with." A Kaua'i physician said that until Hawaiians say 'We're going to do something about it ourselves' change won't happen." The lawyer added, "We need to recognize (this) is not just a haole disease. Hawaiians ean say 'The 'ohana ean take care of it' by getting help together." The conferences were sponsored by the Coalition for a Drug-free HaWai'i, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Hstate's Native Hawaiian Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program.

Sarah Sheldon (left) presents a ho'okupu to guest speaker Andy Chelsea on behalf of the Anahola homesteaders Kupuna Ke Ola Pono

Project. Chelsea and his daughter lvy also spoke to the kupuna group duringtheirvisitto Kaua'i.

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