Tsleil-Waututh health, sickness, disease and treatment: an exploratory ethnography

The theologically based healing practices of Canadian First Nations people has begun to receive attention from a variety of people: scientists, therapists, health care practitioners, ecologists and academics. This apparent wholistic ideology is considered to be a forerunner to health care maintenance and preventative therapeutic interventions in terms of the process of healing amongst certain groups in Canada. Nonetheless, Status Indian people in Canada continue to experience greater rates of disease, mortality, and social ills than the average Canadian citizen. This research project focusing on the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation citizens involves experiences with sickness, disease, health and treatment. It observes and translates the peoples' health care experiences beginning with experiences of historical relationships within their contexts, the influence of religion, the evolution of those relationships, and the decisions that influence health care choices both past and present. This study is relevant to social work because it provides a community specific example of culturally interpreted explanations of health care practices and experiences both past and present.Arts, Faculty ofSocial Work, School ofGraduat