Just Say Coyote: The Use of (Ethnic) Narrative in Drug Abuse Prevention

This paper investigates the role of storytelling and other live performances in changing young people's attitudes toward drugs. In particular, it describes a program in Lubbock, Texas which brings anti-drug performances to classrooms and uses narrative forms derived from the folk culture of the audience (Anglo, Spanish, Hispanic, and Navajo). The paper describes a typical session for each type of training the program offers (drug education and multicultural drug education). It then analyzes the sessions in terms of health care issues: cultural conceptions of health, perceptions and beliefs about health concerns, and culturally appropriate strategies for preventive health. It is suggested that these narratives can create viable alternative frames of reference that can redirect behaviors when participants sense themselves acting heroically and when this heroic action is linked to traditional community values and themes. It is observed that even though it is difficult to describe exactly how, compelling reasons for saying "yes" to health and "no" to drugs are evoked and that performances of drug abuse refusal skills affirm the potency of myth and narrative in the form of new stories that are healing rather than destructive. Twenty-five references are attached. (SG)