Improving community wellness through the inclusion of traditional knowledge: a participatory action research study in Nunavut

Nunavut communities struggle with a variety of social and emotional challenges, which are evidenced by elevated rates of: completed suicides among youth, childhood sexual assault, domestic violence and addiction. However, this struggle is not congruent with traditional Inuit culture, as many of these issues have only arisen since colonization occurred in the mid 1950’s. In an effort to account for this incongruence, this participatory action research project uses the methodology of descriptive phenomenology to interview ten elders from a Nunavut community. These interviews enlighten the reader on the traditional knowledge and lived experience of elders (including historical trauma), and put modern Inuit culture into perspective. They also identify values and beliefs that have the potential to improve community wellness. The themes that emerge include: respect, leadership, family connection, inclusion of traditional knowledge, working together, and resiliency. Unsurprisingly, the project’s results are consistent with other community wellness research projects in Nunavut that recommend community-based solutions focused on resilience and strength. This project expands on this generalization to provide concrete solutions that communities can utilize to improve community wellness.