Traditional Medicine
Societies throughout the globe have developed cultural practices and expertise focused on maintaining or restoring the spiritual and physical well-being of its peoples through the use of medicines. There are different approaches to healing which have been defined as western, alternative, and or traditional medicine. All disciplines have contributed a wealth of knowledge towards our understanding and improvement of health and well-being; however, we will be focusing on traditional medicine as it has strong historical, spiritual, and cultural roots within First Nation and Inuit world views. Traditional medicine is today still the primary form of health care for 80% of the world’s population, mainly in developing countries.
Traditional medicine knowledge holders have a profound understanding that there exists a binding relationship between environment and the use of plants as medicine. Knowledge holders put a great deal of importance on environmental factors such as time, place, and method of collection on the quality of treatment of body and soul. The well-being of community is often equated to the holistic well-being of its people. The knowledge is passed on from generation to generation through storytelling and other traditional practices.
“Traditional medicine knowledge holders have a profound understanding that there exists a binding relationship between environment and plants as medicine”– Assinewe 2002 Click on a link below to check out how these communities are engaging in climate change adaptation!
Alberta
Beaver Lake Cree Nation
New Brunswick
Maliseet Nation Conservation Council
Northwest Territories
Acho Dene Koe
Yukon
Champagne-Aishihik
Little Salmon Carmacks
Ross River Dena
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