IDS 344SEM—Indigenous Health and the Environment

This course examines how Indigenous knowledge and wisdom see the whole person (physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual) as interconnected to land and in relationship to others (family, communities, nations). Indigenous cultures focus on a holistic understanding as opposed to a compartmentalized knowledge base. Indigenous knowledge and wisdom passed down through generations has the capability to maintain the wellness of the individual and thereby the community. For thousands of years, Indigenous communities met the material and non-material needs of societies without putting the biodiversity and functional integrity of human health and associated ecosystems at risk. This course is anticipated to integrate Indigenous worldviews in light of modern times with a goal of better navigating our overall well-being.