CERAH Speaker Series, October 19, 2023, 12:00-1:30 p.m. (EST)

Journey to the Spirit World: Indigenous Approaches to Caregiving for those Who Are Seriously Ill

Presenter: Elton Beardy, Cultural Practitioner, Traditional Healing Program, N’doo’owe Binesi, St. Joseph’s Care Group

Elton Beardy is Anishinini from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug. Working within St. Joseph’s Care Group as a Cultural Practitioner, he provides cultural services dedicated to holistic healing as part of the N’doo’owe Binesi Traditional Healing Program. His practice is deeply rooted in his people’s traditional spirituality, which he shares with clients and fellow staff in both clinical and non-clinical settings. As an apprentice of grief, the teachings he has been given inform his approach to palliative care, and his understanding of death and dying as a sacred journey, one that is to be acknowledged and honoured if one’s life is to be lived fully.