Hands Back Hands Forward

Health is a process of decolonizing spirit, heart, body and mind.  Understanding the history and processes of colonization and the effects on health and well-being (using a holistic model of health) is an important starting place when considering how to ensure current and future generations of Aboriginal youth will thrive as their ancestors once did (Waziyatawin, For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonization Handbook, 2005).

Due to the history of residential schools and many other governmental interventions which have tried to destroy Indigenous cultures and peoples, schools are seen by some as an agent of colonization. Using a decolonizing lens to explore health and well-being in present day, we can identify ways to create healthy schools and communities that nurture rather than do harm; this involves learning about systems of wellness before colonization began, learning about the effects of colonization, and learning about present-day issues that continue to affect the health of Aboriginal people in BC and Canada.

Implementing the Vision: BC First Nations Health Governance is “an evocative documentary explaining issues in First Nations health and the efforts to address them.” Using a story-telling approach, the complex history and the progress in First Nations health in BC is told in four parts. In Chapter 1 – System of Wellness, some of the traditional philosophy of wellness are described by Elders and Aboriginal community menbers in BC:

Learn More: Resources

• Implementing the Vision: Chapter 2- A Knowledge Gap
• Implementing the Vision: Chapter 3- Current Health Services
• Implementing the Vision: Chapter 4- Stepping into Governance
• First Salmon Ceremony: The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have celebrated the return of the salmon to their natal streams for thousands of years. The long tradition of the sacred First Salmon Ceremony was broken more than 60 years ago as salmon runs dwindled and some runs were driven to extinction. With efforts to recover salmon showing some successes, the Tribes were able to resurrect the First Salmon ceremony, which had to be recreated from the memories of tribal elders.
• When Your Hands are Tied: a not for profit educational film created to be freely distributed. This film explores the unique ways in which native youth are finding to express themselves in the contemporary world while maintaining strong traditional lives.
• Pedagogy of the Land: a course taught by Dr. Celia Haig-Brown at the Faculty of Education in York University. This course explores indigenous understandings of the land as the first teacher.