a woman outside

Traditional indigenous beliefs are a powerful tool for understanding the pandemic

Native American spiritual leaders say this is a time to recalibrate for a better future.

Jillene Joseph, a member of the Gros Ventre or Aaniiih people, enjoys a moment of sunshine at her home in Gresham, Oregon. The director of the Native Wellness Institute is deeply worried about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but she also wants people to consider “the blessings of this virus.” Because of social distancing, photographer Josué Rivas took the portraits in this story through videocalls.

Photograph by Josué Rivas, National Geographic

“What are we going to do?” Jillene Joseph asked the board of the Native Wellness Institute. It wasn’t a rhetorical question.

It was mid-March, and the board was holding an emergency meeting as schools and businesses began shutting down due to the novel coronavirus. The Oregon-based institute addresses trauma in indigenous communities, usually through in-person trainings that are rooted in ancestral teachings and traditions. Joseph, the executive director, knew she had to find a new way to help community members who were adjusting to stay-at-home orders.

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