Asian and Pacific Islander Healthy Marriage

African American Healthy Marriage

Hispanic Healthy Marriage

Native American Healthy Marriage

"Native Americans, individuals whose origins can be traced to the first people to occupy the region now known as North America, are less likely to be married and more likely to experience divorce compared to other ethnic groups in the U.S[PSI1]."

There are 4.3 million Native Americans in the United States, representing 562 different tribes and speaking 292 different languages. Different ceremonies, traditions and customs among tribes influence attitudes and beliefs related to marriage. In general, marriage involves the entire family, not just the husband and wife. However, traditional tribal ceremonies may not be recognized by the U.S. government as a legal marriage. Understanding these cultural factors is important to efforts to support healthy relationships.

To strengthen Native American families and communities, the Native American Healthy Marriage Initiative (NAHMI) was created. It has three major components:

Education and Communication
Enhancement of Partnerships
Identifying Resources

The NAHMI is working to bring culturally relevant resources to Native American leaders and support the delivery of services to youth, individuals considering marriage, engaged couples and married couples. The Administration of Native Americans has funded 22 grants to-date to tribal leaders and elders to develop grassroots programs, increase access to community resources and promote a more positive experience with "government-sponsored" programs. Direct funding to tribal governments to provide marriage-related services to tribal citizens allows for the development of programs and policies that have the support of the community and are tailored to meet unique local needs.

Healthy marriage service providers are adapting and creating programs to include culturally appropriate messages and examples. Although there is limited research on this field, programs are being evaluated to determine strategies to effectively strengthen couple relationships among Native Americans.

In order for marriage and family researchers to accurately understand Native American marriage, they must be aware of its unique qualities. However, comparatively little research has been conducted on Native American family life, and especially on Native American marriages.

To learn more visit the Web site for the Native American Healthy Marriage Initiative.

Interested in facts and figures? Please see our Cultural Impacts on Marriage and Relationships section

Additional Resources

U.S. Census Bureau - American Community Survey Reports: We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. Issued February 2006.
U.S. Census Bureau News - Minority Population Tops 100 Million.
The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2000 - This report summarizes the American Indian population in the United States and discusses its distribution at both the national and state levels. It includes characteristics of the total American Indian population and selected tribal groupings.
The Native American Healthy Marriage Initiative - Web site seeks to support projects that include approaches to improve child well-being by removing barriers to form and sustain healthy marriages and strengthen families in Native American communities.