ka pamihiwehk mino pimatisiwin: kichi ininiw ahkosowinow kakiskaocik ahkosowinow HIV (Promoting mino pimatisiwin: Urban Aboriginal Women Living with HIV)

Abstract

This research projects examine the impact of HIV among urban Aboriginal women living with HIV in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Despite the antiretroviral tereatment and HIV prevention strategies, new HIV positive cases for urban Abvoriginal women are increasing. Previous studies have failed to address the disparities of urban Aboriginal women living with HIV. Attempting to understand the lived experiences of urban Aboriginal women living with HIV, Indigenous methodologies, storytelling and talking circles were used for data collection. Incorporating the natural law of respect, the women in this project are acknowledged as the experts or knowledge keepers of HIV. This project is a way of reclaiming traditional knowledge. To reclaim our tradition, we need to decolonize ourselves, our thoughts of where we came from, who we are and where we are going. Stating our identity, as women, mothers and grandmothers, we can pick up our medicine bundles. In doing this, we establish our traditional resposibilities as iskewewak (women) in caring for our people through the achimo (story) of the seven sacred teachings. This research project is like digging up ancestral roots of knowledge or reclaiming our achimowak (stories), ka is kisiskenitamen (ways of knowing), ka is totaman (ways of doing),ekwa ka is itastasiwin (ways of being). We are the agents of change, the shapeshifters creating a paradigm shift in research. This is my medicine story.