An exploration of cultural grounding in Indigenous health promotion: perspectives from First Nations communities in Canada

This article explores the evolving field of Indigenous health promotion, highlighting the use and endorsement of conventional health promotion models despite ongoing efforts toward decolonization. Although some Indigenous-led initiatives exist, such as the Kahnawà:ke Schools Diabetes Prevention Program (KSDPP), deeply entrenched funding models perpetuate dependency on colonial governments, marginalizing traditional knowledge and leadership within Indigenous community health systems. Drawing on community-engaged and participatory research, this study explored the potential of community mobilization to decolonize health promotion in Indigenous communities. The study, conducted during the delivery of KSDPP Community Mobilization Training sessions, explored diverse First Nations community member perspectives on culturally grounded health promotion: what it looks like and how it is implemented. Utilizing talking circles, the study identifies four core knowledge translation processes that illuminate both the nature and practical implementation of culturally grounded health promotion. These processes were grouped as experiential education, social-collaborative, adaptive, and personal cultural healing. The findings underscore the urgent need to recognize and support the ongoing shift toward Indigenous-led health promotion interventions grounded in culture and to challenge the continued reliance on Western health promotion frameworks in Indigenous settings.