# The Protective Role of Ceremony Against Substance Use for American Indian Adults

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $577,106

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Alcohol and other drug use inequities have devastating impacts on American Indian (AI) communities. Ojibwe
ceremonial leaders assert that drug use continues to take the most lives and cause the most grief within AI
families and communities. These leaders attend community ceremonial events to offer their tobacco, food, and
prayers to take care of their community members. It is cultural events and activities that bring the most healing
to AI communities who are gravely affected by the sequelae of unjust historical and contemporary policies by
the United States government.
This project seeks to engage AI adults with community and spiritual worldviews via ceremony (Gii’igoshimong).
In doing so, we will attempt to buffer the effects of historical trauma, personal trauma, and lifelong risk factors
for substance use, thereby improving substance use behaviors, related outcomes, and overall health. The
Community-Based Participatory Research will enroll Elders and ceremonial practitioners (Aim 1), and AI adults
who have not completed Gii’igoshimong in the past (Aims 2 & 3) to implement a randomized controlled trial (N
= 300 target adults) with a wait-list design respectful of cultural norms of inclusion. We will evaluate the
relationship between ceremony and adult substance use and identify multilevel factors (i.e., psychosocial,
neurocognitive) through which traditional practices convey protection against substance use. We will assess
and develop a menu of implementation strategies (Sub-aim 2) to support community priority of long-term
sustainment of the ceremonial practice.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10841061
- **Project number:** 1R01DA057904-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Miigis B Gonzalez
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $577,106
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-15 → 2029-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10841061

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10841061, The Protective Role of Ceremony Against Substance Use for American Indian Adults (1R01DA057904-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10841061. Licensed CC0.

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