Alberta Health Services announced Wednesday that smudging and other Indigenous ceremonies will be allowed in all AHS sites across the province.
The announcement comes in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day and with the adoption of the Patient Access to Indigenous Spiritual Ceremony police. It ensures “all patients are supported to hold ceremonies no matter where in the province they are receiving care,” states a news release from AHS.
The inclusion is also a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, which calls on health care systems to incorporate traditional healing practices for Indigenous patients and families.
Dedicated AHS Indigenous Wellness Core staff, hospital liaisons and traditional wellness coordinators will be available to assist and support patients in ceremony facilitation, AHS added.
“AHS understands the importance of ceremony in Indigenous culture and supports its patients and their families to practice smudging and other ceremonies in our sites,” said AHS president and CEO Mauro Chies.
“With the adoption of the Patient Access to Indigenous Spiritual Ceremony policy, we ensure all patients are consistently supported and feel safe to incorporate spiritual ceremonies while they are in our care.”
Smudging and pipe ceremonies are a significant part of Indigenous healing and are practiced by many cultures as a way of cleaning the body, mind, spirit and emotions.
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