“Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people
Canada legally recognizes three Indigenous identities: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Métis People are a distinct Indigenous nation with unique history, culture, and traditions. Historic and ongoing colonization and assimilation policies negatively affect Indigenous Peoples’ mental, physical, emot...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2512663 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850218302317527040 |
|---|---|
| author | Heather J. A. Foulds Jamie LaFleur Shara R. Johnson Samantha Moore Adam McInnes Leah J. Ferguson |
| author_facet | Heather J. A. Foulds Jamie LaFleur Shara R. Johnson Samantha Moore Adam McInnes Leah J. Ferguson |
| author_sort | Heather J. A. Foulds |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Canada legally recognizes three Indigenous identities: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Métis People are a distinct Indigenous nation with unique history, culture, and traditions. Historic and ongoing colonization and assimilation policies negatively affect Indigenous Peoples’ mental, physical, emotional, cultural, and social health. Colonization and assimilation impacts on Métis People specifically are unclear, but health impacts and experiences differ from First Nations’. Objective The purpose of this narrative study was to understand Métis adults’ stories of culture and social support in relation to their health and wellbeing. Methods In partnership with Saskatoon Métis Local 126, 19 adults (9 females, 30 ± 11 years) participated in conversational interviews and photovoice reflections. Results Four themes represent the importance of culture and social support to Métis People’s health: 1) Métis Identity: “It was really empowering to learn about where I come from”; 2) Kinship, Community, and Culture: “Métis are people who gather”; 3) The Métis Environment and Land Connection: “Where I go to recharge”; 4) Knowledge, Impacts, and Intentional Steps for the Future: “Taking what’s good and making that in a way forward”. Conclusions Culture and social support are important protective factors in facilitating positive health outcomes for Métis People. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-10efcd5b88e042e7b0b28c7e8e148400 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| spelling | doaj-art-10efcd5b88e042e7b0b28c7e8e1484002025-08-20T02:07:48ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312025-12-0120110.1080/17482631.2025.25126632512663“Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis peopleHeather J. A. Foulds0Jamie LaFleur1Shara R. Johnson2Samantha Moore3Adam McInnes4Leah J. Ferguson5University of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanMember of Saskatoon Métis Local 126, Citizen of Métis Nation-SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanCanada legally recognizes three Indigenous identities: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Métis People are a distinct Indigenous nation with unique history, culture, and traditions. Historic and ongoing colonization and assimilation policies negatively affect Indigenous Peoples’ mental, physical, emotional, cultural, and social health. Colonization and assimilation impacts on Métis People specifically are unclear, but health impacts and experiences differ from First Nations’. Objective The purpose of this narrative study was to understand Métis adults’ stories of culture and social support in relation to their health and wellbeing. Methods In partnership with Saskatoon Métis Local 126, 19 adults (9 females, 30 ± 11 years) participated in conversational interviews and photovoice reflections. Results Four themes represent the importance of culture and social support to Métis People’s health: 1) Métis Identity: “It was really empowering to learn about where I come from”; 2) Kinship, Community, and Culture: “Métis are people who gather”; 3) The Métis Environment and Land Connection: “Where I go to recharge”; 4) Knowledge, Impacts, and Intentional Steps for the Future: “Taking what’s good and making that in a way forward”. Conclusions Culture and social support are important protective factors in facilitating positive health outcomes for Métis People.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2512663indigenousidentitycommunitylandhealingwellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Heather J. A. Foulds Jamie LaFleur Shara R. Johnson Samantha Moore Adam McInnes Leah J. Ferguson “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being indigenous identity community land healing wellbeing |
| title | “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people |
| title_full | “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people |
| title_fullStr | “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people |
| title_short | “Community traditions, community kinship, language, and land bring me a lot of joy”: the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of Métis people |
| title_sort | community traditions community kinship language and land bring me a lot of joy the importance of culture and social support in the health and wellbeing of metis people |
| topic | indigenous identity community land healing wellbeing |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2512663 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heatherjafoulds communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople AT jamielafleur communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople AT shararjohnson communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople AT samanthamoore communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople AT adammcinnes communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople AT leahjferguson communitytraditionscommunitykinshiplanguageandlandbringmealotofjoytheimportanceofcultureandsocialsupportinthehealthandwellbeingofmetispeople |