Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory
Indigenous peoples globally are pursuing diverse strategies to foster mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness by reclaiming and restoring their relationships to land. For Anishinaabe communities, the land is the source of local knowledge systems that sustain identities and foster mino-bimaadiziwin...
Published in: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127285 https://doaj.org/article/c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e 2023-05-15T13:28:53+02:00 Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory Elana Nightingale Chantelle Richmond 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127285 https://doaj.org/article/c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/12/7285 https://doaj.org/toc/1661-7827 https://doaj.org/toc/1660-4601 doi:10.3390/ijerph19127285 1660-4601 1661-7827 https://doaj.org/article/c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 19, Iss 7285, p 7285 (2022) indigenous wellness indigenous mental health environmental repossession indigenous identity Anishinaabe connection to land Medicine R article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127285 2022-12-31T02:49:24Z Indigenous peoples globally are pursuing diverse strategies to foster mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness by reclaiming and restoring their relationships to land. For Anishinaabe communities, the land is the source of local knowledge systems that sustain identities and foster mino-bimaadiziwin, that is, living in a good and healthy way. In July 2019, the community of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg in Ontario, Canada hosted a week-long land camp to reclaim Mountain Lake and reconnect Elders, youth and band staff to the land, history, and relationships of this place. Framed theoretically by environmental repossession, we explore the perceptions of 15 participating community members and examine local and intergenerational meanings of the camp for mental wellness. The findings show that the Mountain Lake camp strengthened social relationships, supported the sharing and practice of Anishinaabe knowledge, and fostered community pride in ways that reinforced the community’s Anishinaabe identity. By exploring the links between land reclamation, identity, and community empowerment, we suggest environmental repossession as a useful concept for understanding how land reconnection and self-determination can support Indigenous mental wellness. Article in Journal/Newspaper anishina* Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 12 7285 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
indigenous wellness indigenous mental health environmental repossession indigenous identity Anishinaabe connection to land Medicine R |
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indigenous wellness indigenous mental health environmental repossession indigenous identity Anishinaabe connection to land Medicine R Elana Nightingale Chantelle Richmond Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
topic_facet |
indigenous wellness indigenous mental health environmental repossession indigenous identity Anishinaabe connection to land Medicine R |
description |
Indigenous peoples globally are pursuing diverse strategies to foster mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness by reclaiming and restoring their relationships to land. For Anishinaabe communities, the land is the source of local knowledge systems that sustain identities and foster mino-bimaadiziwin, that is, living in a good and healthy way. In July 2019, the community of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg in Ontario, Canada hosted a week-long land camp to reclaim Mountain Lake and reconnect Elders, youth and band staff to the land, history, and relationships of this place. Framed theoretically by environmental repossession, we explore the perceptions of 15 participating community members and examine local and intergenerational meanings of the camp for mental wellness. The findings show that the Mountain Lake camp strengthened social relationships, supported the sharing and practice of Anishinaabe knowledge, and fostered community pride in ways that reinforced the community’s Anishinaabe identity. By exploring the links between land reclamation, identity, and community empowerment, we suggest environmental repossession as a useful concept for understanding how land reconnection and self-determination can support Indigenous mental wellness. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Elana Nightingale Chantelle Richmond |
author_facet |
Elana Nightingale Chantelle Richmond |
author_sort |
Elana Nightingale |
title |
Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
title_short |
Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
title_full |
Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
title_fullStr |
Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
title_full_unstemmed |
Reclaiming Land, Identity and Mental Wellness in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Territory |
title_sort |
reclaiming land, identity and mental wellness in biigtigong nishnaabeg territory |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127285 https://doaj.org/article/c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
anishina* |
genre_facet |
anishina* |
op_source |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 19, Iss 7285, p 7285 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/12/7285 https://doaj.org/toc/1661-7827 https://doaj.org/toc/1660-4601 doi:10.3390/ijerph19127285 1660-4601 1661-7827 https://doaj.org/article/c6a4851fd7d24b0caaefdca64003044e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127285 |
container_title |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
7285 |
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1765997009065476096 |