Introduction
For modern communities to honor the cultures and knowledge of Indigenous peoples, it is essential to treat their heritage with respect. Medicine Wheels and Medicine Wheel Pedagogy are known as significant Indigenous gifts. According to Bell (2014), the Medicine Wheel is simultaneously a practice and a metaphor for the ongoing interrelatedness and interconnectedness of all processes.
Medicine Wheels were used by Native Americans as guides on various paths and journeys, helping them find balance and wisdom (Bell, 2014). For example, Indigenous persons lined up stones in specific ways, creating a circle with ‘stone mountains’ in the middle. For them, this was a spiritual and sacred practice that later received a pedagogical aspect, and Medicine Wheel Pedagogy appeared. Since not all ‘things’ are physical and visible objects, these wheels are used to see and comprehend these ‘non-physical ideas’ better, thus acting as a unique “compass for human understanding” (Bell, 2014, para. 4). Therefore, this tool helps individuals and groups to learn, teach, and contemplate, using the four directions of the wheel: vision (awareness), time (relating), reason (knowledge), and movement (action and wisdom).
The topic selected for this paper is health, one of the most essential values and rights one may have. I define health as the absence of diseases, disorders, and illnesses in a person’s body and mind. Being healthy means engaging in everyday activities, eating nutritious food, and avoiding the need for medical services. Ultimately, I believe health is everyone’s right to receive quality medical care when needed.
South Quadrant
My experiences with health can be divided into several categories: improvement practices, issues, and raising personal awareness. First, to stay healthy, I exercise regularly and adhere to a balanced diet, avoiding fast food and opting for nutritious meals instead. I consider myself healthy when I am emotionally and physically stable, have lots of energy and capacity to engage with people and participate in various activities, and do not experience pain or other problems. My mind is healthy when I can control my reactions and attitudes, think clearly, and be comfortable with myself and others. Finally, I also do regular health checkups to ensure that I have no diseases or conditions, or if I do, to address them promptly.
Further, I would like to highlight an issue I observed concerning health and healthcare. There was a situation when I needed to receive specific medical help, but due to the facility’s internal error, my family and I were denied services. The mistake was identified and corrected soon, but before that, I managed to experience the inequality that numerous people face daily.
Health is a fundamental right everyone should have, but our healthcare system does not guarantee equality and fairness. This unpleasant experience sparked my interest in raising awareness about health in general and the guidelines and rules that this system adheres to. I hope that in the future, more high-quality practices and services will be made available to all people, regardless of their background.
West Quadrant
The selected topic cannot be fully explored without learning the views of First Peoples. Thus, two sources created by Indigenous authors are used further in this section. Jennie R. Joe is an American anthropologist who explores the values and practices of Native American tribes. Her statements can be trusted because she is from the Navajo Nation.
In her article, Joe (2001) says that most Native American communities consider harmony and balance as the basis of health. One is considered healthy when there is no discomfort or pain, relationships with oneself and others are peaceful, and harmony is achieved with all elements and processes of the environment (Joe, 2001). First Peoples respect a person who is healthy and survives to old age, but the author notices that Native Americans’ health has deteriorated.
Indigenous males and females face numerous medical concerns and issues, and the highlighted causes are poor education, poverty, cultural changes, and unemployment. The same problems are mentioned in a book edited by Jennie R. Joe and Francine C. Gachupin (Jemez Pueblo), which consists of chapters prepared by other Indigenous researchers. For Native American tribes, balance is the key element of health, but finding this balance in contemporary settings is extremely challenging (Joe & Gachupin, 2012). There is a severe impact on other cultures, making Indigenous individuals consider themselves immortal and risk their health (Joe, 2001). The latter is a serious problem with more potent effects than preventive measures or interventions.
North Quadrant
“We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian healthcare system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 3).
I feel that this call to action can be highly effective in maintaining the traditions and practices of Indigenous communities, and I would like to support this initiative. One step I can take is to inform young Native Americans about the importance of respecting their ancestors’ heritage. I aim to raise awareness about the benefits of integrating Indigenous healing practices with contemporary methods and encourage Aboriginal youth and adults to advocate for their physicians to incorporate such combinations. If the demand grows, the Canadian government and medical workers will take more efficient actions.
Conclusion
Considering social media’s growing popularity, I would select social networks to perform my actions. Several months would be enough for me to gather the required information and create insightful and engaging videos and posts to inform the audience. I would announce my intervention on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and then provide information regarding the need to preserve and use Indigenous healing practices. I respect and honor this heritage and believe that other humans, especially First Peoples, should also give credit to them, so I should work to mobilize such calls to action.
References
Bell, N. (2014). Teaching by the Medicine Wheel: An Anishinaabe framework for Indigenous education. EdCan Network. Web.
Joe, J. R. (2001). Out of harmony: Health problems and young Native American men. Journal of American College Health, 49(5), 237-242. Web.
Joe, J. R., & Gachupin, F. C. (2012). Health and social issues of Native American women. Praeger.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Calls to action [PDF document]. Web.