Interior Health (IH) staff in the East Kootenay were given the opportunity to discuss and learn more about the incorporation of traditional Indigenous medicines used by members of the Ktunaxa Nation and other Indigenous peoples in the area while receiving care within Interior Health facilities.

This cultural awareness training known as “Medicine for the People” is an information session series currently taking place throughout the IH region.

One of the key purposes for the sessions is to inform and prepare IH staff to implement a new IH Access to Traditional Indigenous Healing Practices (ATIHP) policy, which is in development to update the existing Smudging Guideline.

The policy will support Indigenous clients with an increased access to their traditional Indigenous healing practices, particularly at bedside, as part of their health care journey with IH. The sessions support networking and collaboration of IH staff and health care practitioners with members of the Host Nations.

“Incorporation of our traditional medicines and healing practices is essential to serve the holistic wellness of Indigenous peoples. The knowledge of our traditional medicines goes back thousands of years and was passed down through our oral history.

“This is why we have unwavering belief in our medicines. Nothing should sway us or stop us from relying on our medicine,” said Lenora Starr, MSW, Indigenous Cultural Safety Practice Lead with Indigenous Partnerships.

Medicine for the People information sessions are intended to provide a safe space for health care practitioners and IH staff to ask Indigenous staff and local First Nations partners questions, to have a brief hands-on and experiential introduction to traditional medicines and practices and to support IH staff in feeling confident and comfortable to make space for and assist Indigenous clients with accessing their traditional medicines while receiving care from IH.

The sessions were developed and are facilitated by Lenora Starr, MSW, Indigenous Cultural Safety Practice Lead with Indigenous Partnerships.

The East Kootenay sessions took place in late November in Creston at Creston Valley Hospital and Cranbrook’s Dr. F.W. Green Memorial Home, in collaboration with Jared Basil, Ktunaxa Cultural Framework Ambassador, and Diane Whitehead, Collaborative Health Coordinator, IH, and member of the Ktunaxa Nation. Other areas these sessions have occurred are Williams Lake, Kelowna, and Merritt with plans to hold sessions in Salmon Arm, Grand Forks, Invermere, and Lillooet.

“Integrating Indigenous medicine into modern healthcare strengthens systems of care by honoring ancestral knowledge while advancing scientific practice,” said Diane Whitehead, Collaborative Health Coordinator, IH, member of the Ktunaxa Nation.

Medicine for the People was created after several ATIHP Working Group and IH Policy department members suggested a hands-on experiential learning opportunity for IH staff prior to the new policy rollout.

The information sessions are intended to provide IH team members the space to learn about the history of Indigenous medicine, and provide a general overview of Indigenous healing ceremonies, including smudging and pipe ceremonies.

Staff will not be providing the traditional wellness practices nor be responsible for leading ceremonies, but are an important part of creating the space in the facility and care planning for these practices to be integrated.

“The Medicine for the People cultural sessions was another meaningful step in cultivating safe spaces for individuals who choose to incorporate traditional medicines and practices in their health and wellness journey. The sessions allowed for meaningful dialogue that we hope will equate to practice changing moments that allow for the empowerment of all involved,” said Jared Basil, Ktunaxa Cultural Framework Ambassador.

Lead image: IH staff and health care professionals taking part in the Medicine for the People information session in Cranbrook on Thursday, November 20. IH photos

Interior Health

Article Share