Being influenced: a Cherokee way of mentoring.

This article reports research findings related to how the Cherokee male achieves self-reliance and how health care professionals can facilitate and incorporate the Cherokee concept of self-reliance into heath care of the Cherokee. Self-reliance to the Cherokee has been defined as a cultural domain with a composite of the three categories: (a) being responsible, (b) being disciplined, and (c) being confident (Lowe, 2002, 2003). Two sample groups of 12 to 14 Cherokee adults were interviewed and observed. The results reveal that mentor-type relationships influenced the participants in the development of Cherokee self-reliance.