Little and Hip: Native Health Services

Receiving health care in a hospital can be a stressful experience for anyone. It is even harder if you are not from the majority culture, speak a language other than English and have different beliefs about how to deal with your personal well-being. These are difficulties that can be faced by Native patients requiring hospital care.

Using the wellness model, Native Health Services assists clients in finding and maintaining a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. Responding to clients with an awareness of cultural and spiritual diversity, Native Health Services provides an alternative for clients seeking traditional Aboriginal approaches to health care.

Counselling services are designed to reflect the importance of nature, spirituality, prayer and the circle. They speak to the four primary points of the medicine circle - physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. They promote the traditional, humble way of life. Elder Harry, who welcomed us so warmly, plays a key role in counselling on lifestyle management.

As First Nation and Métis people, they themselves have the right to control own health in regards to matters that are important to communities, cultures, identities, traditions, and languages.

They will achieve success through the strength of the people, with respectful and honest partnerships and by taking personal responsibility for own health.

The four guiding values are:

Respect will guide relationships, decisions, and actions.

Humility is the quality that permits us to go more than halfway to help others.

Honesty is to proceed in a manner where responsibility and change go hand in hand.

Compassion is our caring approach to people, families, and communities.

Also Elders are the foundation of culture and are the teachers of traditional knowledge. They are the link with past, present and future. They are spiritual leaders and teachers and have the wisdom and experience to provide down to earth guidance and advice on how best to improve and ensure the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health of all communities.

They also work to increase cultural awareness and provide practical holistic knowledge to staff working in the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. We had the opportunity to spend a day at Native Health Services - enjoying the company of, and receiving teachings of Rick Kotowich, Elder Harry Francis and George Favel.

Notice the building is round - according to Aboriginal traditions there are no corners and so there is nowhere to hide and we can all be open and share.

This is the healing room.

We were invited to take part in a smudging ceremony with the Elders. The smudging ceremony is a purification ceremony. Any one of the four sacred medicines can be used. Sometimes all of the sacred medicines are used. The most common one is mshkwadewashk, otherwise known as sage in English.

The burning of various medicine plants to make a smudge or cleansing smoke is used by the majority of Native North American peoples. It is a ritual cleansing. As the smoke rises, our prayers rise to the Spirit World where the Grandfathers and our Creator reside. Negative energy, feelings, and emotions are lifted away.

Glasses and rings can interfere or block energies and must be taken off.

Generosity and sharing meals is an important part of Aboriginal peoples’ cultures. To honor these traditions First Nations Peoples usually share soup (meat and vegetable) & bannock (like polar bread) with guests. Rick's sister had generously cooked and we all shared a feast.

Typical Prairie food!

Notice the star blankets in the background. The meaning of the blanket is a complicated story. To give a blanket is to demonstrate great respect, honor and admiration for an individual. When receiving a blanket as a gift, the giver holds the individual in very high respects for their generosity and accomplishments. It is believed that receiving a blanket will bring good dreams and prosperity.

When a blanket is placed on an individual, it is like wrapping the respect and admiration of everyone in the community around them physically and spiritually. Blankets are meant to be “circular” or wrapped around a person so that no square edges or corners. Just fluid lines of color and texture, which convey a sense of motion. They feature frequently in this region and they are beautiful.