- Indigenous doctor incorporates traditional practices in modern medicine
Media: CBC Radio
This radio interviews Dr. Marcia Anderson DeCoteau about how she incorporates traditional medical practices in modern medicine. While combining the two practices, she experiences that many indigenous patients are afraid of racism towards them in the healthcare system, but would like to treat in the traditional ways. This is a case to show how important it would be to put indigenous knowledge into real practice.
- Forget Smokey the Bear: How First Nation fire wisdom is key to megafire prevention
Links to the site: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/british-columbia/fire-fighting-first-nations-firekeepers-annie-kruger-penticton-bc-wildfire-mega-fire-1.4205506
Media: CBC News
This article describes how an indigenous firekeeper can be the key to B.C.’s recent out-of-control wildfire. A firekeeper, is a traditional career in aboriginal communities, who light up fires on purpose to keep trees and forests in a healthy shape. In the article, the author goes on stating that North America cracked down the firekeeper practice in the early 20th century as the governments did not believe in such practice and concerned that it will cause more fires instead. However, the author stated that the stop of this practice might be the reason why today’s wildfires are more and more uncontrollable. This article provides a great edge that can be used to prove the usefulness of traditional knowledge.
- Junk Science Week: Treating aboriginal ‘traditional knowledge’ equal to science in environmental reviews can make things far worse
Media: Financial Post
In this post, author Frances Widdowson strongly opposes the Canadian government’s equal recognition of ‘indigenous knowledge’ and ‘western science’ by argueing that the traditional is not evidence-based science. The author questions that the traditional is rather protoscientific and can not be verified and justified. While I cannot agree with the author on many of his statements, I do think that he is correct that the government should not just simply recognized the two are equally important.
- Understanding Indigenous Canadian Traditional Health and Healing
Links to the site: http://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2049&context=etd
Media: Library and Archives Canada
This research study provides an in-depth understanding of traditional health and healing practice in Canada. The researcher explores the topic by conducting interviews with 16 indigenous people who uses ceremonies, medicines, teachings and elders from their cultures in their healing work. It is useful for us to learn about their traditional practices and generalize to other fields.
- Understanding Indigenous Canadian Traditional Health and Healing
Links to the site: http://www.muiniskw.org/pgIssues01_Firekeeper.htm
Media: Mikmaw Spirit
This article provides a systematic overview of the job duties of firekeeper, as well as how a firekeeper mentor and teach future students of the field. Using this as an example, I can apply the similar practice into other professional training fields.