Module 2: Foundational Learning. Indigenous Health – Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Indigenous Wellness Values
While there is significant diversity among various Indigenous cultural groups, there is commonality regarding values related to individual and collective wellness. For example: Indigenous people accepted their own responsibility for wellness adopting a wholistic, balanced approach to wellness with a natural diet, and exercise. Despite this personal ethic, there is also a focus on a collective state of well-being. For example, an individual’s sense of well-being was considered in relation to family wellness, community wellness and the nation’s overall well-being. This also extends to the natural environment, with Indigenous societies practicing sustainability with the use of resources. Consider the following quote from the First Nations Health Authority:
Communities and families greatly valued wholistic approaches for preventative health care. When a member of a community fell sick, the family and community would provide support and comfort, a practice that is as much in evidence today as it was in the past. A sense of place and belonging was recognized as one of the factors affecting health. Custom and wise leadership ensured that people had roles in their communities that took advantage of their particular skills, everyone contributing to the overall well-being of the group. In terms of child-rearing, it was commonly understood that children were raised and nurtured not only by their parents, but by their extended families too, especially grandparents, uncles and aunts. ( FNHA, n.d.)
While health is considered a personal responsibility, the individual exists in relation to the community via kinship. As such, it would not be atypical for a patient to come to a medical appointment with family there to support in various capacities.
FNHA. (n.d.). Our History, Our Health. First Nations Health Authority. Retrieved June 3, 2024, from https://www.fnha.ca:443/wellness/wellness-for-first-nations/our-history-our-health