Module 1 - Intro to Indigenous Health and Wellness
Name the three constitutionally recognized Indigenous groups in Canada
First Nations, Metis and Inuit
What four dimensions of wellness were emphasized in the Medicine Wheel discussion?
Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
What does “pre-contact” mean in the context of Indigenous history?
The period before sustained European arrival and colonization; it varies by Nation or region.
In what year was the Indian Act enacted?
1876.
What does the term stereotype mean?
A generalized belief that people in a group share the same characteristics or behaviours.
Give two examples of social determinants of health.
housing, income, food, education, employment, clean water, access to care, social support.
Name two examples of Indigenous health or healing knowledge that existed before European contact.
plant medicines, midwifery, ceremonial healing, traditional healers, land-based health knowledge.
What was a central purpose of the residential school system?
To assimilate Indigenous children by separating them from family, language, culture and community.
What does Peggy McIntosh mean by the “invisible knapsack” of privilege?
Unearned advantages that are often invisible to those receiving them and are maintained through systems.
In Charlotte Loppie’s tree metaphor, what do the roots, trunk and crown represent?
Roots: distal determinants; trunk: intermediate determinants; crown: proximal determinants.
How did displacement from land affect Indigenous food systems?
It reduced access to traditional food sources and disrupted harvesting, hunting, mobility and teaching younger generations.
What changed with Bill C-31 in 1985?
It restored eligibility to many who had lost Indian Status and established registration categories 6(1) and 6(2), along with rules related to the second-generation cut-off
What does Leroy Little Bear mean by jagged worldviews?
The fragmented or sometimes conflicting worldviews resulting from the collision of Indigenous and Eurocentric philosophies through colonization.
How can institutional racism affect whether an Indigenous patient receives timely, quality care?
Stereotypes, procedures and unequal treatment can result in delayed assessment, inadequate treatment, reduced trust or avoidance of care; systems need accountability and cultural safety.
Name two infectious diseases associated with European contact that had devastating effects on Indigenous communities.
Smallpox and influenza; other historically supported examples may be accepted.
What is the difference between the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, and what did they have in common?
Residential schools institutionalized Indigenous children through schooling; the Sixties Scoop involved removing children into foster and adoptive homes, often non-Indigenous. Both separated children from their families, communities, and cultures and formed part of assimilation.
How is systemic racism different from individual racism?
Individual racism involves personal attitudes and actions; systemic racism occurs when institutions, policies, and practices create or maintain racial inequities
How does Brian Sinclair's experience demonstrate systemic problems within healthcare?
His death after waiting 34 hours without appropriate assessment or treatment highlights how institutional failures, neglect, and racism can affect Indigenous patients' safety and access to care.
How did colonialism change the traditional roles and authority of Indigenous women?
Colonial patriarchal policies reduced women's decision-making authority, undermined governance and community roles, and imposed discriminatory rules affecting status, rights, and belonging.
What is the difference between the Indian Act and a Treaty?
The Indian Act is a federal law created by the Canadian government to regulate First Nations people and communities. Treaties are agreements made between Indigenous Nations and the Crown that establish promises and obligations.