Aboriginal Healing: Regaining Balance and Culture

This ethnographic study explored the question, How do urban-based First Nations peoples use healing traditions to address their health issues? The objectives were to examine how Aboriginal traditions addressed health issues and explore the link between such traditions and holism in nursing practice....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Transcultural Nursing
Main Authors: Hunter, Linda M., Logan, Jo, Goulet, Jean-Guy, Barton, Sylvia
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1043659605278937
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1043659605278937
Description
Summary:This ethnographic study explored the question, How do urban-based First Nations peoples use healing traditions to address their health issues? The objectives were to examine how Aboriginal traditions addressed health issues and explore the link between such traditions and holism in nursing practice. Data collection consisted of individual interviews, participant observations, and field notes. Three major categories that emerged from the data analysis were: following a cultural path, gaining balance, and sharing in the circle of life. The global theme of healing holistically included following a cultural path by regaining culture through the use of healing traditions; gaining balance in the four realms of spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health; and sharing in the circle of life by cultural interactions between Aboriginal peoples and non-Aboriginal health professionals. Implications for practice include incorporating the concepts of balance, holism, and cultural healing into the health care services for diverse Aboriginal peoples.