Atikamekw Nehirowisiw Mirowatisiwin

Abstract

The Atikamekw Nehirowisiw Nation stands out for its strong culture and proactive policies and interventions to ensure the wellness and healing of members of three Nehirowisiw communities. As part of the Kahnawà:ke Schools Diabetes Prevention Project’s Community Mobilization Training study for promotion of healthy lifestyles, we explored perspectives of wellness among members of the Nehirowisiw community of Manawan. This participatory project involved youth, elders, and community intervention workers through an adaptation of the concept mapping methodology outlined by Kane and Trochim. A Photovoice activity followed by photo-elicited talking circles were used to brainstorm how wellness is manifested in the community. Brainstorming was conducted through talking circles for intervention workers and Elders. Over 800 statements about wellness were generated, and similar statements were combined to obtain a final set of 84 statements. Participants sorted the statements in thematic clusters and rated the priority (most important to address) and feasibility (most possible to address) levels of each statement. Statements ranked with high priority and high feasibility were considered strengths of the community. The Nehiromowin language, family relations, the available healing paths, connection to Nitaskinan — the territory — and environmental protection are the community's main strengths. Here we discuss these strengths, and the role they can play in helping the community face a variety of challenges. We present how the process of identifying community strengths can be used in the development of strategic mobilization plans for the promotion of wellness.