DECOLONIZING INTERVENTIONS

Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A Knowledge Set for Practice

Author: Kathy Absolon 

 

Main Ideas/Thesis:

This article is written for individuals who desire to see wholistic approaches from a different lens, one that is Indigenous. This theory is organized mainly by diagrams that are followed and directed based on the feelings of the individual. 

 

Throughout the article you notice that Absolon uses the word holistic in a different spelling. This being because she believes it represents the ‘whole’ as in wholistic, complete, balanced and circular. One needs to focus on all outputs in life to better ones self, she discusses. 

 

Definitions: 

• “Wholistic theory includes an intermixing and consideration of time and space: the past, present, future; directions and doorways of life; the ecology of creation such as earth, sun, water and air and all their occupants; and values that retain the balance and harmony of all of the above.” 

 

Main Arguments: 

Indigenous theory is enriched within Indigenous epistemologies, worldview, cultures, and traditions. Indigenous wholistic theory is wholistic and multi-layered, which encompasses the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical elements of being. 

 

Indigenous theory is earth based and adopted from the teachings of the land, sun, water, sky and all of creation. 

 

To be a wholistic practitioner one should remember and reconnect with wholistic knowledges, pick up bundles and activate them again. ‘Picking up bundles’ means to relearn, reclaim, pick up and own the teachings and practices that emanate from wholistic theory and knowledge. It means to live and practice “a good life”. 

 

Indigenous Wholistic theory focuses on how one feels and then what those feelings stem from. As explained in the diagram found on page 76 of the article/chapter. 

 

Throughout Absolon’s paper she discusses the North, East, South and West and how these play into healing one’s self.

• North: Collective work, healing, methodologies of practice. 

• East: Identity/location, cultural histories, indigenous epistemology, indigenous knowledge, worldview, philosophy, genealogy of knowledge 

• South: Relationships, kinship systems, community, elders and protocols, socio-political

• West: Develop critiques and mechanism of colonization, anti-colonial, assert indigenous knowing’s, knowledge of political contexts of practice

 

Conclusion:

As a whole, the conclusion is that one should work around the diagram and discuss key points to determine the healing process. The centre is considered the fire, “self”, and where harmony and balance exist. To assess this balance and harmony one must work on oneself via the Indigenous Wholistic approach and make contact with each doorway, north, south, east and west. 

 

Reference:

Absolon, K. (2010). Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A Knowledge Set for Practice. First 

Peoples Child and Family Review. 5(2). p. 74-87. Retrieved from 

http://www.fncfcs.com/sites/default/files/online-journal/vol5num2/Absolon_pp74.pdf 

 

 

Relationship is Everything: Holistic Approaches to Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health

Author: Jeannine Carriere and Cathy Richardson

 

Major Arguments: 

 

The holistic approach promotes decolonization and contextualized approaches, including depathologizing understandable responses to colonial violence and oppression

 

Within Indigenous epistemology, mental health is considered broadly and encompasses a holistic framework, honoring the well-being of mind, body, and spirt as well as the realm of emotions. 

 

Various Indigenous models and metaphors are used to represent holistic wellness including the following: 

• The Cedar tree

• The Medicine Wheel

• The Medicine Wheel of Responses

• The Circle of Courage

• The Sacred Tree

• The Tree of Life

 

Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model can be a helpful bridge for considering the individual in relation to the family, community, society and Earth, although it does not overtly acknowledge the stresses of colonialism. 

 

It is important to find models and metaphors that can bring the stresses of colonialization into the context of discussion. 

 

Practices of resistance are central to the lives of Indigenous people who experience multiple forms of oppression, which can undermine mental health and holistic well-being

 

The holistic approach is consistent with the Indigenous philosophy of the relational and connected reality of humans in their environment 

• Aboriginal people express a relationship with the natural world that can only be described as ‘ensoulment’ which for them is the deepest level of psychological involvement with their land and which provided a kind of map of the soul. 

• The psychology and spiritual qualities of Indigenous people’s behaviour reflected in symbolism are thoroughly informed by the depth and power of their participation mystique with the Earth as a living soul

• It is important to recognize that spirit and matter are not separate, they are one and the same

 

Practice must move from an individualist to a more collectivist focus if personal and collective well-being is directly linked to the health of the earth, ecosystems and social relations between people 

 

Conversations about dignity and its importance are necessary especially within helping professions 

• Dignity is linked to Indigenous teachings about respect relating to giving people choice and sovereignty in the decisions they make in their lives

 

It is important to recognize the realities that colonialism has inflicted as well as the historical and social context of suffering endured by Aboriginals. With this knowledge, comes an invitation to restore collective processes rather than merely and inappropriately apply western individualistic practice and assumptions onto Indigenous people. 

 

Indigenous and response-bases ideas speak of how individuals have agency, spirit, decision-making ability, pre-existing capacity and knowledge of self preservation 

 

It is important to structure safety into the discussion, elicit resistance knowledges and highlight client capacity, knowledge and pre-existing ability. 

 

Consider a social justice approach identifying violence and colonialism as problems in the social world, not merely in people’s minds

 

Reference:

Carriere, J., & Richardson, C. (2013). Relationship is everything: Holistic approaches 

to  Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health. First Peoples Child and Family 

Review. 7(2). 8-26. Retrieved from http://journals.sfu.ca/fpcfr/index.php/FPCFR/article/view/214/190