Conceptualizing the Ontology of Indigenous Health & Land

Indigenous communities face disproportionate health inequalities within the healthcare system, as well as inadequate access to healthcare that recognizes and prioritizes traditional ways of healing that require proximity and interaction with their homelands or spaces connected to their traditional ways of living. The purpose of my research was to further understand this deeply profound connection between Indigenous communities and their relationship to land that is indicative of their overall health and quality of life. To best gather information regarding the pursuit of this study, I analyzed multiple texts, podcasts, and relevant social media posts (via Instagram). All of which were written and presented by varying Indigenous scholars and grassroots activists hailing from different communities across North America. In conclusion, I found that Indigenous communities perceive their relationship with the land as an ongoing effort to resist assimilation and cultural genocide, reclaim traditional cultural knowledge and teachings, as well as heal from colonial violence and intergenerational trauma