Week 8: Indigenous Medicine in Canada Flashcards
Indigenous First Nations groups in Canada
- First Nations
- Inuit
- Metis
Canadian population that identifies as Indigenous
~5%
Edmontons Indigenous populations
second largest Indigenous population in a city in Canada
Aboriginal traditional healing
broad term that describes the many different healing traditions within the different belief systems in Canada’s Aboriginal cultures.
- traditional versus mixed with Christianity or wholey Christianity
Tradition healers
often Elders in the community
- know the ceremonies and healing practices
Traditional spiritual beliefs related to healing
Stress balance and harmony of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual healing
Medicine wheel
often used to represent holistic health: balance amoung physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional aspects of life
- representation and colours may differ across cultural groups
What are some methods used by traditional healers?
- sweat lodges
- smudging
- healing circles
- ceremonies such as dancing, drumming and singing
- herbs
- cultural foods
sweats
cleansing and healing ritual that uses steam and sometimes herbs
smudging
Burning scared herbs such as sage or sweet grass and carries hands through smoke to their bodies where they need healing
How is traditional food important for culture and health?
Traditional foods are important to culture and line between food and medicine is blurred. Many elders believe return to traditional foods will restore balance and include those they ate before Europeans. Berries, games, nuts and seeds.
How is the line between food and medicine blurred?
food is medicine and medicine is food
How are medicinal plants treated?
great reverence and respect, in acknowledgment of their gifts and service to people
How is allopathic and Indigenous medicine blended?
- practitioners working closely with elders
- hospital programs for Indigenous patients
- Dr. James Makokis
What are the sacred herbs?
cedar, sage, sweet grass and ??
