“We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Indigenous healing practices and use them in the treatment of Indigenous patients in collaboration with Indigenous healers and Elders where requested by Indigenous patients.”
– Call to Action #22, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2015

Join us in supporting the Reclamation of Traditional Healing Practices

Connecting to identity and culture are at the core of finding a healthy path for many Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) clients. Central to providing this care is the Traditional Healer. As the only Indigenous Health Centre in Canada with Traditional Healers on staff fulltime, AHT sees daily how colonization has eroded Indigenous teachings, practices and ceremonies in Canada and we know that support to ensure this valuable knowledge is shared with the next generation is critical.

Anishnawbe Health Toronto affirms the need for formalized training for Traditional Healers in the urban context to build capacity and ensure the preservation, continuance and growth of traditional healing knowledge and practices. To this end, AHT is developing a first-of-its-kind foundational traditional knowledge training program for Osh-ka-be-Wis, or Traditional Helpers. AHT has received overwhelming support for this program from Indigenous Traditional Healers, Osh-ka- be-Wis, traditional people, Elders, and academics from across Ontario.

Anishnawbe Health Foundation has made it a priority to raise the seed funding for this project. To date, we have leading support from the Laidlaw Foundation and the Toronto Foundation’s Black and Indigenous Futures Fund. You can join us in supporting this project to accelerate the learning for this vital resource and by making a donation today.

For further information, view our Traditional Healing Knowledge Fact Sheet