More than a structure: Exploring the relationship between Indigenous homemaking practices and wholistic wellbeing

Abstract

Indigenous conceptualizations of home extend beyond the physical and social environments in which a person lives. Home can be conceived as the relationships that connect a person to all that surrounds them including people, plants, animals, insects, and land as well as ancestors, stories, languages, songs, and traditions. These relationships, and the homemaking practices that facilitate them, have direct and significant implications on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples. This article explores the strengths of Indigenous homemaking practices to promote the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples in the settler state of Canada. Through summarizing relevant literature, this paper is an initial step in the reclamation and revitalization of Indigenous homemaking practices.

Keywords

• Indigenous
• Housing
• Homemaking
• Decolonization
• Health promotion