^^THROP. PAP. EASTERN CHEROKEE GROUPS — KUPFERER 225 



"native" or toward "Wliite." The literature also mentions education 

 as one basic criterion for separating disparate groups of people.^ 



Consequently, in the effort to place Cherokees in groups according 

 to the degree of acculturation, I propose to focus this study on two 

 sociocultural variables: health and medical practices, and attitudes 

 and behavior toward education. Although these variables have been 

 described as pertinent in the literature and although Thomas has 

 talked of them in conjunction with the Conservative Cherokee, with 

 few exceptions they have not been the object of deep examination. 

 In an examination of culture change among Mescalero Apaches, 

 Peter Kunstadter (MS., 1960) used, as an index of health behavior, 

 the number of visits to the free Public Health Service clinic made by 

 individuals during a 2-year period. Although such an index was 

 appropriate to his study, I include under the rubric of health and 

 medical practices a greater range of verbaUzations and behavior. 

 To what extent are Indian doctors used? Are the skills of both 

 Indian doctors and White doctors combined in treatment of illness? 

 Are Public Health physicians or physicians in private practice used 

 most frequently? Are there discernible differences in attitudes and 

 behavior among those who attend scheduled Public Health clinics? 

 What is the response of children to health instruction offered in the 

 Indian schools? 



In addition to what the informants say about education — is it 

 valued or disvalued — I am interested in knowing what is done in 

 regard to it. How have the educational experiences of the adults 

 affected them in terms of their behavior and in respect to the goals 

 or aspirations which they hold for their children? Do the children 

 attend school regularly? What schools do they attend — reservation 

 schools or nearby community schools? ^ If they attend public schools, 

 why do they? To what extent do the children communicate what is 

 learned in school to the parents? 



Dominant values and constituent behavior — interpersonal rela- 

 tionships, concept of self, nonempirical beliefs — wiU be examined to 

 determine whether there are sufficient differences in these variables 

 to identify groups and whether these differences correspond in any 

 meaningful way to disparate behavior in health and education. 



In summary, the task of this study is a threefold one. Do health 

 and medical practices and educational practices vary sufficiently 

 among the Cherokee to employ them as primary variables in de- 

 scribing acculturation? Are there other cultural variables which 

 cluster about the key ones in a salient manner? On the basis of the 



' See, for example: Warner et al., 1947; Voget, 1952, pp. 89-92; Spindler and Goldschmidt, 1952, pp. 68-83. 

 ' Coiinty and city schools adjacent to the reservation are called public schools by the Indians. 



