Volume 14, numéro 2, 2023

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Indigenous Elders carry knowledge systems that are embedded within their respective land-based systems of knowledge. When Indigenous Elders pass away, their knowledge systems, if not preserved and documented, also pass away, which has lasting impacts on the continuance of Indigenous knowledge and practices of health and well-being. As a result of the enduring presence of settler colonialism, Indigenous Elders pass away at far earlier ages in comparison to their non-Indigenous counterparts. This article shows the results of an Indigenous health and well-being research project led by an Anishinaabe community in partnership with an Anishinaabe researcher. Guided by Anishinaabeg Elders and a Community Advisory Board, this research project preserves and documents Elders' knowledge of the land for community use and asks, how does knowledge of the land inform our health and well-being practices? In this article, we argue that Elders' knowledge is integral for regenerating critical well-being practices. We demonstrate that placing Elders' knowledge at the forefront of our well-being is an actionable practice of ganandawisiwin or good health. Without such knowledge and practices, we risk missing an opportunity to learn about well-being practices from our most precious knowledge holders.

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As a result of the colonization of Canada, Metis have faced many political and socioeconomic challenges, one of which is the lower educational achievement of Metis students vs other Canadian students. In this study, we examined whether full-time kindergarten (FTK) vs half-time kindergarten (HTK) was associated with improved educational outcomes for Metis students in Manitoba using linked, population-based administrative data from 1998/99-2012/13. The cohort included 271 FTK and 405 HTK Metis students. We used generalized linear models with binomial distribution to calculate predicted probabilities and risk ratios for the outcomes (assessments of numeracy and literacy in Grades 3, 7 and 8; student engagement in Grade 7; high school graduation). However, we observed no significant differences in outcomes between FTK and HTK students, suggesting that FTK is not sufficient to overcome the structural barriers to academic success Metis students may face.

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Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) can experience multiple layers of adversity that increase vulnerability to justice involvement. Given the systemic overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the justice system, community-based interventions are important for supporting Indigenous individuals with FASD who are justice-involved, yet little is known about individual experiences with such interventions. In this community-based study, we conducted interviews with 12 adults in an FASD-informed Indigenous justice program, revealing stories of coping, growth, and hope. Findings suggest that blending FASD assessment with restorative justice approaches can contribute to physical, human, family/social, and community/cultural resources that support wellbeing. We describe tangible strengths and processes to leverage in practice and policy for supporting justice-involved individuals with FASD across settings and communities.

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Indigenous communities have painful histories of colonization, resulting in historical trauma and adverse current community conditions (CCCs). This is a mixed method study of Administration for Native Americans grants that includes analysis of project summaries and CCCs as well as a analysis of impact and effectiveness scores finished projects are given by ANA evaluators. The results show that all grants included in the analysis are addressing colonization and almost half of the grants are utilizing culture as a protective factor. The projects using culture as a protective factor have significantly higher effectiveness ratings, which means they are achieving their objectives more than those not using culture. Grantee project examples are in the discussion. The paper concludes with policy implications for funders.

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This article examines the changing nature of Indigenous healthcare and policy in Manitoba focusing on two critical healthcare gaps in the province: the health transfer policy, a policy that continues to be counterproductive to Indigenous health and well-being; and the intended closure of Grandview’s EMS station and its failure to consider First Nations and Métis perspectives and access to care. Drawing on over a decade of community-engaged research in the province, our research argues for the need to move beyond soft reconciliation efforts in Indigenous health to reinterpreting Canada’s colonial history by recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ hard rights to healthcare. Reconciliation should bring about changes to bureaucratic structures and challenge non-Indigenous peoples’ values. Health system changes in Indigenous communities, without consultation, will continue to negatively impact community life and wellbeing. This article is intended to contribute to a broader discussion about the future of Indigenous healthcare, policy, and reconciliation efforts in Manitoba.

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How would the usage of Indigenous languages contribute to overcoming the epistemological gap between Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Impact Assessments? This article examines incommensurabilities that arise in Sakha-Russian and Cree-English translations of EIA through the translations of the most common words in samples. Without being embedded in Indigenous languages, TEK and other knowledges are easily decontextualized, and results in the loss of layers of meaning. This study adopted a linguistic anthropological approach to language combined with content analysis and guided by a poststructuralist mode of analysis. We argue policies around EIA/EAs must be shifted to center Indigenous languages as the source of TEK and ensure that there is space for these languages to be used in the consultation processes.