Medicine keepers: Issues in indigenous health

Abstract

This paper examines issues of indigenous health with particular reference to North America and Australia. The authors, an indigenous woman and a non-indigenous male, present basic thoughts about indigenous health and exemplify their implications by referring to issues like land, nutrition, education, and women. Indigenous peoples view health and wellbeing in a comprehensive way, including spirituality and as such the amended WHO definition of health reflects indigenous ways of dealing with health and wellbeing in the human community. To me, health is being spiritual, keeping in a good mind. Keeping myself away from the 'evil one', keeping spiritual, keeping strong. (Salish Cultural Leader) Western medicine is so linear and not very conducive to healing (for me). There is no connection to the spiritual aspect of healing (in Western medicine). (Cree Cultural Leader)