Article Text
Abstract
Sexual health has been a part of Indigenous communities since time immemorial. Prior to colonization, Indigenous peoples used teachings, traditions and ceremony to pass knowledge about sexuality, including sexual health, from Elders to youth for generations. People were revered for who they were, be it woman, man, child, Two-Spirit, or Elder. These traditions and ways of knowing were disrupted with the arrival of settlers in what is now called Canada, who used deliberate strategies including residential schools to separate Indigenous peoples from family and culture. As a result, generations of Indigenous peoples have lost these opportunities to learn about sexuality and sexual health within Indigenous contexts, and have instead been subjected to sexual health messages from dominant White settler culture. The impacts of this historic and ongoing colonization include Indigenous peoples developing shame regarding sexuality, and a loss of the respected role of Two-Spirit peoples. Today, Indigenous communities, organizations and programs are creating new opportunities for Indigenous youth to access traditional knowledge around sexuality. In doing so, Indigenous peoples are resisting these impacts of colonization to improve sexual health and wellness for the Indigenous peoples in what is now called Canada. This symposium aims to continue the process of restoring traditional Indigenous teachings and ceremony about sexual health, through an interactive dialogue between Indigenous Elders and youth.