Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program - Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health

The Café Scientifique event will build upon our successful community-based and Indigenous-led initiatives drawing on the historical, cultural, and traditional perspectives of wholistic health and wellness (spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing) unique to Indigenous peoples and communities. The event will be held in a hybrid format (mix of in-person and virtual) on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam Indian Band. Through a co-creation and participatory action research process conducted in a sharing circle format, Indigenous community leaders, Elders, and scholars will be able to further explore their thoughts and concerns regarding opportunities for healthy lifestyle behaviour promotion and wholistic wellness from a sex and gender perspective. This approach will be used to increase the empowerment and self-determination of Indigenous peoples within Canada. The ultimate goal is the co-creation of knowledge mobilization resources related to the promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviours and wholistic wellbeing (including toolkits with guidelines and recommendations, video vignettes, and Infographics) that can be used by Indigenous peoples across Canada. This Indigenous-led and community-based event will reflect the strengths and aspirations of Indigenous peoples and communities. The findings will be shared with Indigenous community participants, leaders, and available online as in accordance with the First Nations Principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP™). It is anticipated that the hybrid Café Scientifique event and related knowledge mobilization resources will be used to enhance the cultural ties to wholistic health and wellness within Indigenous communities throughout Canada.