“My Two-Spiritedness is a gift from the creator.” River Holland-Valade is reclaiming their traditional Indigenous identity as a peer support worker
For River Holland-Valade, working in healthcare is a way for them to reclaim their traditional roles and responsibilities as a Two-Spirit person.
“Prior to contact with European settlers, Indigenous Peoples who would have been considered Two-Spirit were often not only accepted by their communities, but had special and important roles and responsibilities,” said River, a member of the Métis nation.
“Historically, Two-Spirit people were often medicine people, counsellors, mediators, led spiritual ceremonies and gave newborn babies their names,” said River, who is a Peer Support Worker at De dwa da dehs nyes Aboriginal Health Centre.
The Aboriginal Health Centre is one of St Joe’s community partners that serves Indigenous Peoples in Hamilton and the surrounding region. As St Joe’s recognizes National Indigenous Peoples’ Day on June 21, it’s important to acknowledge the role that Indigenous Peoples, including Two-Spirit people, play in healthcare.
Click here or the video above to watch a video of River talking about what it means to be a Two-Spirit Indigenous person working in healthcare.
Two-Spirit is the embodiment of the masculine and feminine. While once celebrated and entrusted with important community roles, European settlers forced many Indigenous Two-Spirit people to hide their identities and stop practicing their traditions for fear of safety and rejection.
Indigenous knowledge-keepers consider Two-Spirit people to be highly sensitive to the emotions of others and having great empathy for all living things.
“That’s why we work so well in helping professions like healthcare, and why our Two-Spirit ancestors were considered to be excellent medicine people and mediators,” said River.
As a Peer Support Worker, River works with a collaborative team to provide culturally safe and holistic mental healthcare — including counseling, groups, outreach, navigation, case management and peer support — for Indigenous People living in Hamilton, Brantford/Brant and Niagara.
“For me, being a Two-Spirit person and working in the healthcare sector as a mental health counsellor is one way that I’m reclaiming my traditional roles and responsibilities as a Two-Spirit person,” said River.
“I encourage everyone to learn more and recognize the contributions that Indigenous Two-Spirit people have made to the world, in particular to the advancement of healthcare as we know it.”