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Meeting the Health Care Needs of Elderly Métis Women in Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan

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Meeting the Health Care Needs of Elderly Métis Women in Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan Publisher / Éditeur National Aboriginal Health Organization January 2008, Vol. 4, Issue 1 janvier 2008, vol. 4, numéro 1 Guest Editor / Rédactrice invitée Caroline Tait The Journal of Aboriginal Health is an official peer-reviewed publication of the National Managing Editor / Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO). Gestionnaire de rédaction Danielle Soucy Copyright/Permission to Reproduce The Journal of Aboriginal Health is covered by the Canadian Copyright Act and international Editorial Advisory Board / agreements (all rights reserved). Written permission is required to reprint, reproduce, modify or Comité Éditorial redistribute any information or articles, in whole or in part, published in the Journal of Aboriginal Martha Greig Health for any purpose other than personal photocopying. Beverly Jacobs Dawn Martin-Hill Disclaimer Pamela Williamson The Journal of Aboriginal Health is intended for education and informational purposes only. The articles and contents herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the Copy Editors / Réviseurs views of NAHO. NAHO assumes no responsibility or liability for damages arising from any error or James Sinclair omission, or from the use of any information or advice, contained in this publication. Emily Wilson Subscription Cover Design / Couverture The Journal of Aboriginal Health is distributed free of charge (price is subject to change with James Macdougall notice). To receive your free subscription, please contact NAHO or sign up online (www.naho.ca). Changes of address should be forwarded to the editorial office (see contact details in masthead). Layout / Mise en page James Sinclair Submissions The Journal of Aboriginal Health accepts article submissions on the topic of Aboriginal health Translator / Traducteur on an ongoing basis. All submissions should be directed to the attention of the Managing Editor. Christine Hébert Articles are published in the language in which they are submitted. Contributors / Auteurs Gwen K. Healey, Lynn M. Meadows, Lynn Lavallée, Colleen Varcoe, Sheila Dick, Révisé par des pairs, le Journal de la santé autochtone est une publication officielle de Donna Kurtz, Jessie C. Nyberg, Susan l’Organisation nationale de la santé autochtone (ONSA). Van Den Tillaart, Buffy Mills, Ghislaine Goudreau, Cora Weber-Pillwax, Sheila Droit d’auteur et permis de reproduction Hardy, Helen Madill, Stan Wilson, Helen Le Journal de la santé autochtone est protégé par la Loi sur le droit d’auteur du Canada et par Vallianatos, Erin A. Brennand, Kim Raine, des accords internationaux (tous droits réservés). Pour toutes fins autres qu’une photocopie Queenie Stephen, Beatrice Petawabano, personnelle, tout renseignement ou article paru dans le Journal de la santé autochtone ne peut David Dannenbaum, Noreen D. Willows, être réimprimé, reproduit, modifié ou redistribué en tout ou en partie sans permission écrite. Brigette Krieg, Diane Martz Avis de non-responsabilité Editorial Office / Buréau de la rédaction Le Journal de la santé autochtone vise uniquement à instruire et à informer. Les articles et les Journal of Aboriginal Health contenus qui y sont présentés reflètent les opinions des auteurs, et non nécessairement celui National Aboriginal Health Organization de l’ONSA. L’ONSA n’assume aucune responsabilité à l’égard de tout dommage résultant d’une 220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1200 erreur ou d’une omission, ou de l’utilisation des renseignements ou conseils prodigués dans la Ottawa, ON K1P 5Z9 publication. Tel: (613) 237-9462 Fax: (613) 237-1810 Abonnement [email protected] Le Journal de la santé autochtone est distribué gratuitement (des frais pourraient être fixés sans www.naho.ca préavis). Pour vous abonner gratuitement, veuillez communiquer avec l’ONSA ou vous inscrire en ligne (www.naho.ca). Les changements d’adresse doivent être communiqués à la rédaction ISSN 1710-0712 en chef (voir les coordonnées dans le bloc-générique). PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40043978 Soumissions RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO NAHO Le Journal de la santé autochtone accepte continuellement des articles qui lui sont soumis au 220 LAURIER AVE., SUITE 1200 sujet de la santé autochtone. Tous les articles proposés doivent être acheminés à l’attention du OTTAWA, ON K1P 5Z9 rédacteur en chef. Les articles sont publiés dans la langue dans laquelle ils sont soumis. Journal of Aboriginal Health, January 2008 1 Editorial Canadian Aboriginal Women and Health ollectively, this group of papers represents the weaving together of diverse Aboriginal women’s voices, experiences and knowledge. Emerging from the collection is an intergenerational narrative describing Aboriginal women’s resilience, resistance and strength in the face of Chistorical and present-day adversity. While the papers are diverse in their geographical and cultural locations, methodological approaches, data analysis, and interpretation, each author challenges the reader to re-imagine a future for Aboriginal women, their families and communities that looks remarkably different from present day realities—a future that draws upon the wisdom of Aboriginal cultures (traditional and contemporary), while simultaneously recognizing that the local realities of Aboriginal peoples are entrenched within a global system that in all likelihood will never fully embrace nor nurture their worldviews. Specifically, deep-rooted practices of gender subordination coupled with economic and cultural marginalization have come to intersect in ways that uniquely silence and oppress Aboriginal women in all regions of Canada. These papers, however, offer counter narratives in which First Nations, Inuit and Métis women resist their subordination and its detrimental impact upon their health and wellness. In areas of health care policy and delivery, a growing Similarly, Jennifer Poudrier and Janice Kennedy explore association between health and personal responsibility has local understandings of the healthy body and body image further added to the marginalization of Aboriginal women. of First Nations women from the Battleford Tribal Council As this association has increasingly captured the imagination Region in Saskatchewan. They found that understanding and workings of Canadian government policy makers, the socio-cultural, historical and gendered context of individual self care and “lifestyle” modification have been women’s lives in relation to healthy body weight and image identified as central catalysts for improved health and well- is essential for developing local supports to assist women being. As this set of papers illustrates, this trend has resulted in caring for themselves and their families. Gwen Healey in an increased burden placed upon Aboriginal women to be and Lynn Meadows research how Inuit women living in responsible not only for their own health but also for that of Nunavut negotiate health and wellness in an increasingly their families and communities. Simultaneously, the proven non-traditional society. Women identified a loss of health benefits of well-situated and sustainable resources traditional practices and language as negatively affecting (e.g. affordable and safe housing, water and food security, their health and that of their community, and expressed a access to education and employment) are downplayed growing tension between traditional Inuit practices (e.g. in strictly “lifestyle” and individual-focused prevention traditional midwifery and adoption) and the non-Inuit approaches to health (Klienman, 2006). medical policies and interventions that marginalize and The crossroads of traditional and contemporary devalue local knowledge and customs. life, including what Aboriginal women include in their From downtown Toronto to remote and isolated definition of traditional practices, is a central question taken northern communities, the geographical place where up by many of the authors. As illustrated by the papers, Aboriginal women live plays a central role in how historical processes and events provide the underlying they access health and social services, build social and social landscape upon which Aboriginal women and their cultural networks, and define themselves as Aboriginal communities negotiate their health and wellness needs peoples. Diane Martz and Bridgette Krieger examine the within a modern-day context of rapid change. In a study health care needs of elderly women in a northern Métis conducted among the James Bay Cree, Helen Vallianatos community. They point out that despite living close to, and colleagues investigate the perceptions and concerns and experiencing similar health concerns as, First Nations of young mothers and Elders about weight gain during reserve communities, Métis peoples are not provided the pregnancy and postnatal weight loss following birth. same level of health benefits—particularly Non-Insured 2 Journal de la santé autochtone, janvier 2008 Editorial Health Benefits—as status First Nations. Colleen Varcoe This group of papers is being published at a time examines the intersecting risks of violence, substance when Canadian Aboriginal women and communities are abuse and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among mourning the loss of Dr. Gail Valaskakis, one of Canada’s impoverished rural Aboriginal women. She illustrates how leading Aboriginal researchers and a mentor to many of even minor cutbacks to rural programming (legal aid, social the country’s Aboriginal scholars. Dr. Valaskakis worked assistance) can have enormous impacts upon the health tirelessly to help secure social justice,
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