Why Community Support Is Essential For Indigenous People

863 Words2 Pages

Matthew Hood Ms. Godfrey NBE3U 16 Apr, 2024 Why Community Support is Essential for Indigenous Peoples Approximately 4% of the children who attended the residential schools died of starvation, thirst, and hypothermia. Although it may not seem like much, if 4%, 1 in 25 people, passed away because of those issues, imagine what everybody else had to go through. Because of this, many Indigenous people have bonded together solely based on the trauma they faced so early on in their lives. The effect and impact of community support in Indigenous cultures have brought people together, kept people safe, and formed a system of support and influence to help people with their lives. In Indigenous communities, community support involves the collective provision …show more content…

Smye et al. states, Despite this history, it is important to note that many Indigenous people are living well, e.g., as noted in the 'First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum' report, "First Nations have maintained their cultural knowledge in their ways of living (with the land and with each other) and in their language. These foundations have ensured First Nations people have strength, laughter, and resilience" [22]—in fact, cultural continuity has been put forward as a determinant of Indigenous peoples' health [27].” Even with all of their struggles, many Indigenous peoples have preserved their cultural knowledge, traditional ways of living, and native languages. This cultural continuity is a key determinant of Indigenous health, as it serves as a protective factor against discrimination and social suffering imposed by colonial systems. By recognizing and centering these cultural strengths and relational supports within service delivery, healthcare providers can design more aware and responsive approaches that align with the current realities of Indigenous peoples, while normalizing their marginalization. Some lessons can be learned from Indigenous communities' resilience and self-determination from deconstructing colonialism and assimilation, which still influence their access to mental health and drug-related …show more content…

Accessed 17 Apr. 2024. The. "Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism." College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, www.bcpharmacists.org/CulturalSafetyAndHumility. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024. The. McCue, Harvey A. & Co. "Education of Indigenous Peoples in Canada" The Canadian Encyclopedia, 17 April 2023, Historica Canada. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-people-education. Accessed 18 April 2024. Smye, Victoria et al. "Social Suffering: Indigenous Peoples' Experiences of Accessing Mental Health and Substance Use Services." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 Feb. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9958899/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.

Open Document