Hands Back Hands Forward

In our literature review entitled “Learning from Shi-shi-etko’s Story: Indigenous Approaches for a Healthy School“, we used the children’s book Shi-shi-etko by Nicola Campbell as an inspiration for exploring Aboriginal  health and healing. Shi-shi-etko has only four days left before she is taken away from her home to attend residential school. “Shi-shi-etko’s people have always lived in North America” and have always understood their relationship as one with nature and their responsibility to the land. In this community, children are loved and raised together by parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, brothers, sisters and Elders. As the day to leave comes near, Shi-shi-etko’s sense memories of the land, like the smell and texture of wet soil after rain or the sound of her mother’s singing carried by the wind flowing through the valley, high up with the eagles, are all that she will be able to take with her to school.

Shi-shi-etko’s story is about a journey of learning through one’s heart, mind, body and spirit. Using her story as inspiration, we explore the topic of Aboriginal health by providing an overview of relevant literature and Indigenous epistemology and by suggesting principles for making health a priority in an Aboriginal-focused school. In our conclusion, we suggest that considerations for health should be part of all curricula, social and community gatherings, and administrative decision-making. To aid in this goal, we propose the adoption of seven principles for creating a healthy Aboriginal Focus School:

1. Health is interwoven into all aspects of school life.
2. Health is addressing the needs of the whole person: spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual.
3. Health is decolonizing the spirit, heart, body and mind.
4. Health is nurturing The Learning Spirit.
5. Health is creating a safe and welcoming community for everyone.
6. Health is embracing one’s relationship and responsibility to nature.
7. Health is building an extended-family community.

For our project, we have created blog posts which give an overview of each of the seven principles; for each principle, we have provided links to additional resources and examples of principles being enacted in schools and communities.

Gloria Lin and Patty Hambler