Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day and we’re celebrating the vibrant cultures, communities, and traditions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada.
Here in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, we are honoured to partner with several Mi’kmaw community groups working to improve the mental health and wellbeing of those they serve.
One example is the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre’s Life Promotion & Cultural Revitalization Training Program, delivering the Feather Carriers life promotion program in partnership with Indigenous communities across Nova Scotia. The goal is to shift the approach to suicide prevention: from reacting to pain to promoting life. Feather Carriers’ life promotion teachings were developed in response to the epidemic of suicide in Indigenous communities by addressing the root cause of suicide: the loss of meaning and connection to life.
“When individuals have a healthy sense of identity, a sense of connection to each other and to their ancestors, and a sense of place and purpose in creation, they have the tools and confidence needed to handle painful and tragic times in their lives.” – Jennifer, Program Manager, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre
Today and every day, join us in supporting Indigenous voices and wisdom.
