Rationale and Background

Public Health authorities first implemented a national roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations to prioritized populations, including segments of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Despite the prioritization of these populations, certain barriers may impede the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations across our communities for numerous complex and context-specific reasons. One of the barriers identified by our communities and by service providers, decision-makers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers is a lack of culturally-safe and relevant educational materials about vaccination. It is critical to address this need urgently due to the rising rates of covid within some of our communities as well as the ongoing barriers related to a lack of cultural safety in the health care system.

FIRESIDE CHATS

With Indigenous Healthcare Professionals, Traditional Practitioners and Trusted Community Members

Interactive PDF Guides available in:

Eastern Objibwe, Ojibwe-Cree, Cree, Mohawk, and Michef

  • Waneek Horn-Miller, Mohawk Olympian, Mother & Motivator
  • Dr. Ojistoh Horn, Bear Clan Family physician from Kahnawake, Working in Akwesasne
  • Kahentinetha Horn, Otiskareh:Wakeh — Spitting Bear Clan, Kahnawake
  • Leonard Benoit, Qualpi Mi’kmaq Indigenous Patient Navigator—Wolf Clan, Toronto Regional Cancer Program
  • Dr. Karen Hill, MD.D, CCFP, Assistant Professor
    Department of Family Medicine McMaster University
    Co-Auntie “The Aunties Dandelion” Indigenous community-based engagement, films, lectures, workshops and research support.
  • Dr. Amy Montour, BScN, MSc, MD, CCFP (PC), McMaster University
    Brant Community Health Care System
    Haudenosaunee, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory
  • Elva Jamieson, Traditional Medicine Practitioner and Teacher – Lead, Juddah’s Place
    Six Nations Family Health team, Soahac =Chippewa, London, Windsor, Owen Sound,
    Oneida Medical Centre, Ogwanohgwatrae:’ Six Nations Traditional Medicine Aamjiwnaang Health Centre, Sarnia,K/Gaweniyo Schools, Cultural Immersion School
  • Six Nations, Cayuga Nation, Wolf clan of the Six Nations confederacy located at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.
  • Ashley Montour, BSc, RPN
    Haudenosaunee, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory

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  • Clay Shirt, Knowledge Keeper
    Organization: Waakebiness-Bryce, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto
    Wolf Clan of Saddle Lake Alberta, Treaty 6
    Pauline Shirt, Cree Spritual Consultant
    Affiliations: Co-founder of the Kapapamahchakwew – Wandering Spirit School
    Red-Tail Hawk Clan of Saddle Lake Alberta, Treaty 6
  • Luanna Shirt, Indigenous Cultural Knowledge Educator/ Indigenous Language Advocate
    Nehiyaw/Anishinaabe Kwe/Bizhiw Dodem
  • Les Harper
  • Dee Sheridan

This project aims to build on other community-led and allied initiatives that share the goal of advancing access to quality and safe healthcare services for our communities and meeting the needs of those who are systemically marginalized. Specifically, this project aims to provide timely, accurate, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant information about medical concepts related to available COVID-19 vaccinations with the explicit aim of empowering informed consent and decision making of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples living in urban and related homelands.

The Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health (GCWP-IH) in partnership with Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC), Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) and The University Health Network, Indigenous Health (UHN) and Shkaabe Makwa (CAMH) will develop public-facing and community-centered informational resources/ tools (i.e., video blogs and infographics) tailored for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Using a strength-based, relatable approach that resonates, this initiative will provide accessible resources that recognize and respect Indigenous worldview(s), rooted in upholding principles and standards of Indigenous knowledge translation through oral storytelling; sharing traditional knowledge(s) and healing practices that can build immunity with western biomedical scientific information and acknowledging traumatic experiences in healthcare.

  • Design information products and tools that use plain language while ensuring that materials are culturally and contextually relevant for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples living in urban and related homelands
  • Highlight additional resources related to available COVID-19 vaccinations, beyond the scope of this initiative, aligned with the key project objectives and overarching commitments
  • Adopt a variety of methods to deliver messaging (e.g., social media, websites, radio, print, videos) to ensure communication is accessible and reaches as many people as possible
  • Draw on personal experiential narratives from First Nations, Inuit and Métis storytelling practices to explain statistical, western biomedical and public health information specific to COVID-19 transmission, spread and prevention
  • Bring facts to life and model behaviour(s)/values of:
    • kind honesty, integrity, humility, wisdom, love, respect, relevance, responsibility, reciprocity, courage, bravery
  • Use decolonial approach and framework to situate and unpack the concept of “vaccine hesitancy”, address the relationship between biomedicine and traditional knowledge and medicine, and explain COVID-19 vaccinations

ACCURATE, RELIABLE & HOLISTIC WELLBEING

Harnessing community, peer-reviewed evidence and regulatory recommendations from the Centre for Effective Practice.

  •  Ingredients and allergies.
  •  Possible side effects.
  •  Where to get vaccinations.
  •  Differences between vaccines.
  •  How are they administered.
  •  Who are they currently available for.

  •  Complimentary practices.
  •  The relationship between biomedical definitions of health and culturally situated definitions of wellbeing.
  •  Drawing from both systems of knowledge.

  •  How might it be related to colonial histories and ongoing experiences of anti-Indigenous racism?
  •  Define the various underlying factors for vaccine hesitancy generally and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples specifically.
  •  Examine how colonialism, racism and mistrust challenge vaccine uptake amongst First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations, which directly impacts their health and health outcomes.

  •  Vaccine safety.
  •  Pregnancy and vaccination.