Musqueam Land-Based Healer

About Musqueam

We are traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people. Today, we are a strong, growing community of over 1,300 members. We live on a small portion of our traditional territory, known as the Musqueam Indian Reserve, located south of Marine Drive near the mouth of the Fraser River. The name Musqueam relates back to the River Plant, the name of the plant is məθkʷəy̓. There is a story that has been passed on from generation to generation that explains how we became known as the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) - People of the River Plant. We have always moved throughout our territory using the resources it provides for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering. We remain distinct and our cultural practices are strong, despite the devastating impacts of residential schools, colonial laws banning our ceremonies, and other attempts to assimilate our people. Our lands and waters continue to support our cultural and economic practices while serving as a source of knowledge and memory, encoded with our teachings and laws. To learn more about Musqueam, please visit www.musqueam.bc.ca 

Reporting to the Musqueam Primary Care Manager, the Land-Based Healer coordinates, provides, and promotes traditional health practices, knowledge, and beliefs of Musqueam healing and wellness to community members. Methods of treatment and healing focus on a return and reconnection to Musqueam land and cultural practices. The MIB Land-Based Healer will act as a conduit to connect community members with various traditional healing solutions with skilled knowledge keepers within the community.

Land-Based Healing - Common Guiding Principles:
• Focuses on culturally safe models of care and is viewed as an essential element of a
quality health system
• Views Musqueam language and culture as foundational
• Is controlled locally, fosters collaborations with a variety of healthcare programs available
both at Musqueam and in the Vancouver area
• Improves the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities through connection
to Musqueam cultural practices and social supports
• Honours local strengths and resources, promotes self-determination and building
expertise at home
• Targets multiple determinants of health (ex. language acquisition, cultural values, life
skills, human-nature relations, ethics, and social cohesion)
• Fosters connection to Musqueam traditional territories and land-based values
• Integrates the First Nations Wellness Model

Examples of Land-Based Healing initiatives include but are not limited to:
• Culture and language camps
• Traditional food harvesting projects with education around nutrition and wellness while
supporting community berry picking, fishing, hunting, trapping, etc.
• Cultural activities for people struggling with addiction, helping them to spend time on
the land doing these
• Programs for Elder and youth knowledge transfer of traditional land uses such as the
revitalization of ceremonial practices, rites-of-passage activities, reconnection to
land/history/teachings, traditional medicine gathering, etc.
• Programs for teaching traditional birthing and parenting practices
• Programs for integrating local Musqueam healers into existing land-based activities
• Programs for revitalizing local indigenous ceremonies and celebrations on the land
• Hunting and fishing projects that support food security
• Coordinating and providing online classes/workshops on topics such as storytelling,
drumming lessons, prayer, etc.

Qualifications:
• Post-secondary education in a relevant field such as nutrition, counselling, drug and alcohol, public health, etc.
• At least 2 years’ experience in the medical or health field
• Outstanding communication and organizational skills, ability to compassionately relate and provide relevant resources to community members on an individual and group basis
• Understanding and appreciation of Musqueam land and cultural practices as they pertain to physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social healing
• Assets: Musqueam language speaker, respected local member