Weaving The Sacred: Stories of Healing and Traditional Ecological Knowledge as a Pathway to Indigenous Wellness

Abstract

This study examines how Indigenous people perceive and practice wellness and healing through storytelling, relationships, and connection to land. Rooted in Indigenous research methodologies and using the Cedar Rose as a framework, it emphasizes lived experiences and survivance while rejecting deficit-based trauma narratives. By employing conversational interview techniques and considering the researcher’s positionality, the study treats stories as valuable data rather than as extractable material. The research advocates for decolonizing approaches in research, education, and wellness that honor Indigenous knowledge systems and emphasize relational accountability and self-determination.