Halito.

Saholhchifoat Sonya Frazier. Chikasha micha Chata sia. Hello. My name is Sonya Frazier. I am Chickasaw and Choctaw. This is the traditional introduction for my people. I am so proud and humbled to address you as the first President of the Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association (OINA). 2020 has been a challenging year for us all especially for our families, our culture and our Indigenous communities. It has been a reflection of our traumatic history causing deep seeded wounds to reopen. But like with any infected wound, it will need to be cleaned with love and healed from the inside out with the help of Indigenous nurses.

Indigenous nurses have always been and still are the natural healers of their communities. To address the inequalities related to Indigenous communities and health will always begin with knowing and understanding the history. “To be Native to a place we must understand its community” Braiding Sweetgrass. As Indigenous nurses, we are unique in so many ways, not only individually but culturally and spiritually too. We must have a balance of understanding of the two worlds we live in every day. The western world and the Indigenous world.
OINA was created during a time of much needed healing and to give a platform for Native Nurses to share, learn and heal together along with our Non-Native relatives. Indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge is a restorative combination. To restore the old ways with the new ways. We are asking you to join OINA because representation matters. We must continue to advocate and represent our ancestors, families, and communities in a good way. We are all related and our minds are one. Please join the OINA circle of healing and like us on Facebook at Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association.

Yakoke,
Sonya Frazier RN, BSN President, Oklahoma Indigenous Nurses Association

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