I’m a doctor, but I am currently not practicing. I teach pharmacology at the local community college. I grew up on the reservation, in the towns of Heart Butte and Browning. I ended up studying medicine in kind of a roundabout way. I went to the University of Montana in Missoula because that’s where everybody who went to college from here went. If you were an Indian from Browning going to college, you didn’t go anywhere else. I got a degree in microbiology, and then I went to Montana State University to get a degree in biomedical sciences. Then I earned my M.D. at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. That was four years of torture, and then I had a year of interning in surgery at the University of North Dakota. Eventually I ended up back here.

Right now I am teaching and raising a family. I did some research in biophysics last summer. That was fun.

It’s been interesting being back here. I was gone for about 20 years. The biggest difference is the social breakdown of the Blackfeet people. Alcoholism, drugs, car accidents, domestic violence—back then, these things were only whispered about. Now it’s like, commonplace. You go to the P&M gas station and stand by the beer corner and watch cold packs of Bud Light suddenly disappear as the hours go by.

When a person got drunk and missed work back in the 60s and 70s, it was a shameful process. Now it’s like, “Well, I’m really hungover, I can’t come to work.” “Oh, OK.” And everyone laughs. I wish I knew why things were so different now. A couple of years ago we had Red Ribbon Week, where everyone is supposed to abstain from drugs and alcohol. The community got together and there was a march. Kids and parents carried crosses down the street and we talked in front of the high school students saying, “You’re killing yourselves.” We were having an accident once a week. And I mean, kids were dying. For about three years, we had a funeral every week because of drugs or alcohol.

There’s an enormous amount of emotional and physical pain here already. The economics here are what cause this pain. There’s also social and psychological isolation—we’re way up north here. Then there’s this cultural isolation. Since the 60s, we’ve been trying to regain our identity as Blackfeet people. That is a good thing in some ways, but we cannot forget that the whole world is around us. I guess that what changed here was attitude. People stopped caring. They stopped caring because all they can think about is trying to survive.

DR. KEN CRAWFORD

COMMENTS

Subject: No REZ only MOTHER EARTH as a WHOLE Date: Jun 03 2007 01:49:51 AM Author: Native Egyt Be aware that in ONE THOUSAND YEARS (give or take ) your spirituality will be wiped out of existence! The bones of your fathers will be unearthed and defiled as our ancient ones have. You will be remembered as evil, incest perversed, visionist of hell! bent on killing every god fearing human! There were no slaves or defilers of our earth mother, stars or sun (RA) we lived in peace and welcomed all. (OUR MISTAKE) We respected all who visited with a difference of belief. We were builders scholers dancers and singers in all lifes activities. NOW WE HAVE NO PLACE only stories (lessons) and Language only spoken by 3670 who silently teach those who KNOW the truth of sands of all time! Hold TRUE! Subject: Quit being a dead beat dad! Date: Apr 17 2006 02:43:16 AM Author: Let\'s just say I know you Alright first off I'd like to say congratulations on being such a pompous asshole. Yeah you might have a degree in medicine but it doesn't do you any good when you get fired from the IHS because you came to work half shot. Secondly you need to start raising your family and not your mistresses family. You kicked out your 2 girls and you shun your own grandchild...but I guess you have a good reason for that. I am disgusted by you and that woman you call a wife. She is just as sickening as yourself I don't know how both of you could walk around pretending to be good people when you know you aren't. Take care of your real family first and start being a real man before you try and raise somebody else's kids. Take it easy and please quit boasting about your so called degree. It doesn't mean shit when you can't even use it. Thanks for making yourself sound so pathetic. I needed a good laugh today. Subject: re:richard hines Date: Mar 07 2006 11:28:42 AM Author: "minemane" Hey you Richard this is all about human nature.. in any group of people there isnt going to be some uniformed standard of what is. Everyone is different within a select population its humanity with all its quirks including being a individual even within the context of a cultural or "race". The problem is these articles leave these human beings who happen to be blackfoot(native) to be judged by others but instead of the judgement of ones character its all based on these judgers racist preconcieved stereotypical notion of shit they think should be about natives.Theres ignorance and then theres chosen ignorance.. these ones being the racist judgers wont learn anything from this segment because they have chosen not to plain and simple... Wildrice_woman-at-yahoo-dot-com Subject: b Date: Mar 07 2006 11:25:50 AM Author: b Are you coach richard hines from the highschool? Subject: so called Date: Mar 05 2006 07:42:19 PM Author: OGRed NdN gurl So called genX, white boring boy, redneck.. we Natives are sick an tired of your "we don't have this and we don't have that" you can't always have ur skitzo ways red knuckle articals on how to steal kidneys...blech..ooops Subject: Blackfeet Reservation (con't) Date: Feb 22 2006 12:27:47 PM Author: Richard Hines (con't) Most of the problems discussed here are similar to other imoverished and under-educated groups around the world. I'd argue education is the way out, but what if that is not taken advantage of? The schools are here, and the monied programs are in effect, but from what I've seen in 4 years, for the majority the WILL is not here yet to make the steps. Perhaps we people here do need to stop being a "Program Tribe", pull off the band-aids and bleed a little. Some will certainly be lost in a dramatic fashion, but what price is being paid now with the majority of us here slowly dying of social cancers? Subject: Blackfeet Reservation Date: Feb 22 2006 12:25:47 PM Author: Richard Hines Having read through this website I find a few interesting things: First off I think that there is a lot of unrecognized diversity here amongst the Blackfeet people and the non-Blackfeet who live here (folks from other tribes and non-Amerins), all under the umbrella of the larger Blackfeet social system. These groups do not necessarily really interact with each other, or get along with each other when they do including folks you might label as: Alcohol/drug users, white collar workers, laborers, traditionalists, missionaries, business folks, etc. That is why some folks say this has been a great representation of the reservation and others a poor one, I'd say it's both. Also everybody wants to put their best face forward, and everyone has critics & friends. So the stories are interesting to read and the posts as well, but all should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially some of the posters, as this type of anonymous venue breeds the type of post that is only meant to inflame folks. Not to cast stones, but some of the folks interviewed for this magazine do not have impeccable reputations with regard to what they are discussing. Drugs & alcohol do bury a lot of Blackfeet, this is true, but other issues not really discussed here put almost as much pressure on the social fabric: Domestic abuse and diabetes and general poor health are two major ones, amongst others, which weigh heavy on the Blackfeet Nation. (con't) Subject: shoot the messenger Date: Feb 16 2006 07:15:42 PM Author: paddym vice is screwed either way. If they had done a more positive slant, people would gripe about that. Most of this issue was turned over to the people it's about. There are huge problems and injustice towards the Indian community. At least vice had the nuts to do something different and to give a voice to folks who don't always have one... Subject: shoot the messenger Date: Feb 16 2006 07:09:34 PM Author: paddym vice is screwed either way. If they had done a more positive slant, people would gripe about that. Most of this issue was turned over to the people it's about. There are huge problems and injustice towards the Indian community. At least vice had the nuts to do something different and to give a voice to folks who don't always have one... Subject: i just read this whole issue Date: Feb 06 2006 02:45:09 PM Author: reader you people who are saying there are just drug users and shit in here are so wrong. did you not see the multiple articles with blackfeet spiritual leaders? there is even one about medicine pipes. what about the lady who is organizing jobs for blackfeet or the metal band? or the boxing gym. anyone who thinks this issue is negative towards indians is a fucking idiot who didnt take the time to read it Subject: talk about throwing your pearls to swine Date: Feb 04 2006 03:12:52 AM Author: krysti Well, as a Blackfeet indian (living in California) I was pretty excited to see this issue on my reservation. But, it seems that Viceland is more geared to a recreational drug using, pervert breed of people who (for the most part) can't appreciate reading about a totally different culture of people. I'm just glad that plane fare to Montana is prohibitively expensive, so the Blackfeet will never be forced to see your fugly mugs, or listen to your moaning about how boring anything remotely different from Starbucks and MTV is. Subject: at least our women shave Date: Feb 03 2006 12:58:03 PM Author: jimmy two weasles the rez is not like they say on this site its all wrong and whoever wrote this better not come back to browning. Subject: Awesome Date: Jan 31 2006 11:05:18 AM Author: AIM The articles are awesome!! way to go viceland!! two thumbs up! And for all you anti-Indian butt heads, this is some good information for youz! Learning about the 1st people that occupied this continent you call America. The day of Indian is coming, we will only grow stronger spirtually and continue finding are true identity which is being a Native American ,1st american and continue to fight for what is ours. Subject: something´s missing Date: Jan 30 2006 11:54:03 AM Author: birdwoman I appreciate the fact that Vice is covering the Blackfeet of Browning. But I think you should have included the fact that Blackfeet have struggled and regained positive aspects of their culture, such as religious ceremonies and their language. I know, firsthand, that many of the Blackfeet struggle with myriad problems, but it should also be said that they are resilient in spirit. Subject: Injuns Date: Jan 26 2006 06:43:35 PM Author: Malone An entire issue on Injuns and there's no mention of domestic violence? What the fuck? Subject: hey Date: Jan 22 2006 08:30:51 PM Author: chad 'nessa, I'm up for it. Where you at? Subject: Articulation Date: Jan 21 2006 01:21:51 AM Author: voidgazing The interviews would have been better served by author commentary- they should have evoked what its like on a rez, what its like to hang out with a dude who's just quietly drinking himself to death but still somehow seems to have his shit more together than you ever will. He doesn't really- just this one essential part of his shit that matters more than all the others, and that most folks never find. Its fucking soulcrushing- but uplifting and beautiful at the same time. These people have heart- more than you can imagine if you've never spent any time on a reservation. Subject: redskins Date: Jan 18 2006 07:34:38 PM Author: sweet fucking jesus what happened to the interesting shit vice used to correspond on? Subject: vice Date: Jan 18 2006 12:28:26 AM Author: jake First decent issue in a while, thanks for easing up on the words "riff" and "bananas", you can tell those are ya'lls cool words to say... Subject: zzzz Date: Jan 17 2006 11:54:32 PM Author: Chief Sit on Cock I, too, was bored shitless with this issue. What's next, Rwandans? Subject: Say What...!? Date: Jan 17 2006 09:14:23 PM Author: Vanessa I think you should meet me before you say, "Indians are boring." Subject: congrats Date: Jan 17 2006 06:49:20 PM Author: josep good issue, what happened to skinema? Subject: teepees Date: Jan 16 2006 10:41:38 PM Author: chad I never knew! Times sure have changed. Indians might have a problem with alcohol. Finally, Indians are boring. Thank you Vice, for this informational, yet oddly dull, issue! Subject: blech Date: Jan 16 2006 08:04:27 PM Author: paulie damn this issue is booring. ugh!