Exploring Cultural Healing and Mental Wellness in a Northern Saskatchewan First Nations Community

Several health inequities exist between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in Canada. These disparities are a result of colonization, which aimed to disconnect Indigenous Peoples from their land, language, and connection to community. This forced assimilation severed connection between Indigenous Peoples and traditional methods of promoting wellness. Connecting to culture appears to play an important role in enhancing mental wellness among Indigenous individuals and communities. The aims of this project were to: a) explore the role that culture has in promoting mental wellness for First Nations individuals from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB), b) empower young adults from the LLRIB to share their stories of connecting to culture and the impact that this has on their lives. This community-based project was conducted in collaboration a Community Advisory Committee. Using purposive and subsequent snowball sampling, 5 participants between ages 18 and 25 from the LLRIB were recruited to partake in a two-part photovoice project. First, participants captured photographs representing their experiences with connecting to culture and the role that this has in improving their mental wellness. Following this, the participants attended a one-on-one discussion with the student researcher where they shared the stories behind the photographs they presented. Data were analyzed using narrative analysis. Narratives were arranged into one of four overarching categories based on the First Nation Mental Wellness Continuum Framework: hope, belonging, purpose, and meaning. Taking a strengths-based approach, the positive influence of culture and community on individual wellbeing is evident and we gain an understanding of how connecting to culture acts as a protective mechanism when addressing suicide prevention. Implications of findings contribute to a greater understanding of the role that connecting to culture has in improving the wellness of Indigenous Peoples. The results of this project could guide future research endeavours with Indigenous communities to explore wellness of other communities. Overall, the project improves understanding of the idea that Indigenous Peoples find strength and wellness within their culture from connection to community, land, and language