MODULE 05 Colonization and Health – Impact on Indigenous Communities

MODULE 05: Colonization and Health – Impact on Indigenous Communities

INTRODUCTION

  • This module focuses on the relationship between colonization and health impacts on Indigenous communities.

  • Introduction involves a video presentation hosted by Brad Stoner and Colleen Davison.

  • Discusses various topics including Indigenous Peoples, colonization, and health impacts caused by colonization.

  • Emphasizes the importance of land acknowledgments and the opportunity to create a personal acknowledgment of traditional territory.

  • Provides an overview of key concepts regarding Indigenous Peoples globally, specific demographics in Canada, and the Indian Act.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of Module 05, students will be able to:

  1. Discuss colonization and Indigenous determinants of health comprehensively.

  2. Describe various social and physical determinants that affect Indigenous Peoples’ health.

  3. Identify useful resources for further learning and action surrounding these determinants.

MODULE ASSESSMENTS

  • Interactions within the module will not be graded, but responses will be recorded for instructor review.

  • Opportunities to download answers and feedback to questions at the end of the module.

CONTENT WARNING

  • The content may be difficult to process due to its sensitive nature, particularly for those with personal histories relating to these topics.

  • Offers a list of support services available to students who may need assistance, including the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre and Student Wellness Services.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  • Critical component in recognizing traditional Indigenous stewards of the land.

  • Functions as a form of gratitude and recognition of the ongoing relationship between Indigenous peoples and their territories.

  • Encourages the practice of creating personal land acknowledgments as a tool for decolonization.

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

  • Emphasizes the historical significance of the territory and its continuous connection to Indigenous Peoples today.

  • Acknowledges the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, highlighting shared stewardship of resources amongst the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe.

SECTION 01: INTRODUCTION TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND COMMUNITIES

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

  • Defined as those who inhabited a country or region prior to the arrival of settlers.

  • Encompasses about 5000-6000 distinct groups across 70 countries, totaling approximately 300-350 million individuals globally (approx. 5% of world's population).

  • Highlights diverse groups such as Peruvian Indigenous, Maasai, Yellowknife Dene First Nation, Maori, and others.

NOMENCLATURE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF CANADA

  • Commonly refers to three groups: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, each with unique cultures and histories.

  • Estimated 1.6-1.7 million Indigenous persons in Canada.

  • Definitions:
      - First Nations: Term for Indigenous Peoples in Canada NOT including Métis or Inuit.
      - Inuit: Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic regions.
      - Métis: Collective cultures and identities emerging from mixed European and Indigenous ancestry.

BREAKDOWN OF INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS IN CANADA

  • 2016 Census reported:
      - Multiple Indigenous Identities: 21,310 (1.3%)
      - Inuit: 65,025 (3.9%)
      - Métis: 587,545 (35.1%)
      - Other Indigenous Identities: 22,670 (1.4%)
      - First Nations: 977,230 (58.4%)
      - Total Indigenous Population: 1,673,785.

USING THE TERM "INDIAN"

  • Considered outdated and offensive in most contexts, but used in legal frameworks such as the Indian Act, where it defines certain rights.

  • Commonly utilized in the U.S., referencing "American Indian/Alaskan Native."

  • Queen's Office of Indigenous Initiatives provides guidance on appropriate terminology.

THE INDIAN ACT

  • Introduced in 1876, revised in 1951, established colonial oversight, reserves, and defined "Indian" status under Canadian law.

  • Central to colonial practices and identity politics.

  • Emphasizes the need for examining Indigenous identity, status, and belonging.

SECTION SUMMARY

  • Section focused on familiarizing students with Indigenous communities, their populations, and significant historical contexts related to colonization.

SECTION 02: INTRODUCTION TO COLONIZATION

COLONIZATION

  • Defined as the establishment of settlements in a new territory and the assertation of political control.

  • Associated terminologies and roles of medicine in colonial efforts are explored; medicine served as a tool in the assimilation process.

COLONIZATION AND MEDICINE

  • Medicine’s role linked to the desire to promote Western medical practices while disseminating colonial dominance.

  • Canadian Indian Hospitals established by the federal government furthered assimilative policies at the cost of traditional Indigenous health practices.

NORTH AMERICA PRE-CONTACT

  • An estimated 18 million inhabitants present with diverse cultures/languages prior to European contact.

  • The impact of introduced diseases led to significant population declines; smallpox and TB devastated Indigenous communities.

THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM

  • Operated from 1880 to 1996; compulsory attendance for Indigenous children initiated in 1884.

  • Aims included cultural assimilation and language suppression; an estimated 150,000 children forcibly removed from families.

  • Documented abuses and high mortality rates observed within these institutions (at least 4100 deaths). 215 unmarked graves discovered at one school.

IMPACTS OF COLONIZATION

  • Associated with violence, loss of livelihoods, cultural dislocation, health disparities, and systemic anti-Indigenous racism.

UNIQUE IMPACTS OF COLONIZATION

  • Each Indigenous group's colonization experience is distinct; the intersection of diverse traumas and historical contexts should not be oversimplified.

HEALTH CONCERNS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH COLONIZATION

  • Various health issues correlate with post-colonial conditions:
      - Lifestyle and Diet Changes: Increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes associated with traditional lifestyle dismantling.
      - Poverty and Living Conditions: Correlates with high exposure to TB, toxins, injuries from poor conditions.
      - Social Injustice: Trauma leads to higher incidences of substance abuse, violence, and mental health issues.

COLONIZATION AND FOOD INSECURITY

  • Indigenous populations face alarming rates of food insecurity, notably lower than non-Indigenous populations:
      - Non-Indigenous (11.1%)
      - Indigenous off-reserve (28.2%)
      - First Nation on-reserve (50.8%)

  • Food Insecurity: Defined as insufficient access to quality nutrition; hydrogenated by systemic barriers entrenched in colonial policies.

FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

  • Food security pertains to accessibility of nutritious food, while food sovereignty highlights Indigenous rights to self-determined agricultural practices.

  • Highlights initiatives like Feed the Children Canada focusing on restoring traditional food systems.

ON-RESERVE HOUSING

  • Current challenges in housing conditions on reserves include overcrowding and necessity for major repairs amongst substantial portions of the population:
      - Inuit (40%), First Nations (23%), Métis (8%);
      - Additionally, 19% of Indigenous peoples live in repair-needing dwellings.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

  • Report reveals extensive discrimination and negative encounters faced by Indigenous peoples when engaging with the healthcare system.

BREAKING THE CYCLE OF NEGATIVE OUTCOMES

  • A model presented in the "In Plain Sight" report aims at addressing Indigenous discrimination, focusing on building indigenous self-determining structures within healthcare systems.