Indigenous Wellness

While wellness may mean something different among various Indigenous communities, we can learn about what wellness means for Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island, which includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures. We can all grow to feel confident in our health and wellness with the knowledge of our ancestors to guide us along the way.

From Cedar to Sweetgrass: Let’s Talk About Wellness

This article explores what wellness means for Indigenous peoples. This includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures.

In the Western world, we often think that wellness is the same thing as health. They are both parts of our overall wellbeing, but it is wellness that looks to make our way of life better. Wellness is different for each person and is made up of many things, for example:

check-ups with a doctor
exercising in the park
enjoying a healthy meal with family and friends

The Indigenous communities across Turtle Island have wise teachings on wellness that we can all learn from. For wellness and health to thrive, the human spirit must be connected in harmony and balance with the world we live in. Our health is a reflection of our communities and culture in many ways. When we take to heart our teachings and traditions, our health and compassion for others blossoms.

Note: We use the term Turtle Island for all of North America. The name comes from stories handed down by Indigenous peoples. A turtle holds the world on its back as it floats in the oceans. It prospers and thrives when our forests and homes are healthy.

We are exploring what wellness means for Indigenous peoples. This includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures. The title “From Cedar to Sweetgrass” stands for the sacred medicines that many Indigenous Peoples use in ceremonies and everyday life to support wellness. Cedar and Sweetgrass are two of the four medicines that are often used. The others are Sage and Tobacco.

Let’s try and explain what wellness is.

Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all. There is no right or wrong way a Nation, person or community may use the term. And it can change at different points in our lives. The First Nations Health Authority created the image below. The circle shows the way our First Nations knowledge keepers look at health and wellness and our understanding that wellness is a part of every aspect of our lives.

This tool was created from the wisdom of Elders, healers and partners across the province of so-called British Columbia. These ancestral lands were not given up to the colonizers and had Indigenous names and titles. This includes the territories of many Nations and Indigenous land protectors.

The model is made up of five circles and can apply to all peoples, Indigenous or not.

The Outer Ring is an image of strong children, families, Elders and people in communities.
The Centre Circle stands for individual humans. We all deserve wellness and wellness starts with us.
The Second Circle shows how mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health are shared to create a balanced life. All of these things need care and attention and are the basis of wellness.
The Third Circle represents the basic values that support wellness – respect, wisdom, responsibility and relationships.
The Fourth Circle includes the people in our lives and the places we come from:
- the Nations our culture is born in
- our families (as defined by you)
- the land we live on
- our community
The Fifth Circle shows the causes of our health and well-being – including the social, cultural, economic and environmental causes.

These are all important aspects of our lives that reflect our wellness and health. This holistic model of wellness can help guide us on what we need to care for in our lives when we are feeling lost. For example, unless we take ownership over our own health, we won’t be able to make changes to our mental, physical or spiritual well-being.

We may also feel we cannot take responsibility for our emotional well-being because it is difficult to build meaningful relationships with others in our community or circle of care.