The spirit, mind and soul are as essential to look after as the physical body. That is why many healthcare institutions offer quiet spaces for religious contemplation and do their best to accommodate personal beliefs. However, Indigenous Peoples and their practices often get left behind in these conversations
Indigenous Peoples experience kidney disease at rates up to four times higher than the general population of Canada. And yet, they are often left behind by medical systems that traditionally lack supports grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing. The physical demands of treatment are only part of their journey, where emotional, spiritual, and social support is needed to ensure holistic health and healing.
Healthcare institutions deal with people at their most vulnerable. This is especially true of palliative and end-of-life care facilities responsible for safely guiding individuals onto their next spiritual journey while providing support for families preparing for the loss of a loved one.
For Indigenous Peoples seeking critical end-of-life care, accessing healing practices that reflect Indigenous traditions, knowledge and culture is not only a necessity, but a moral right.
The oldest residential school in Canada opened its doors in 1831, and for the next 139 years saw countless Indigenous children walk through its doors. Many of those children would never leave. Today, their communities and families continue to search for answers to what happened within the walls of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School.
Since 1972, the Woodland Cultural Centre has remained a beacon of Indigenous resilience and creativity, standing proud and resilient against systemic cultural erasure. Despite living within the walls of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School, it has become one of Canada’s most significant Indigenous-led cultural institutions.
Trust between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church is strained. Historic injustices have left a legacy of mistrust and a fear of the intentions of religious institutions. Many living today have been personally victimized by the clergy.
Guiding young Indigenous Peoples to develop skills tied to their traditional culture through hands-on learning is the oldest form of knowledge sharing in Indigenous communities. Whether through storytelling or practical guidance, it builds bonds between the youngest and eldest and fosters pride in one’s community. This is how communities keep ancient traditions alive and instill sacred teachings in the next generation.
For generations, the people of Frog Lake First Nation in Alberta have carried their history, language, and teachings through stories that have been spoken, sung, and shared around fires and in family homes. Today, like many other Indigenous communities, that ancient and sacred knowledge is at risk of being lost forever. As many Elders age, Frog Lake’s history is disappearing with them.
Poor health, higher rates of chronic illness, and diminished mental well-being are only a few of the barriers Indigenous Peoples face when compared to the general population of Canada. Systemic challenges stemming from poverty, limited access to nutritious food, intergenerational trauma, and barriers to culturally safe care have led to Indigenous Peoples being left behind in the healthcare space.
