About this episode
In the fifth episode of Indigenous Ivan, Ivan Eagletail reflects on health as something that extends beyond the physical body to include the mind, emotions, spirit, family and community.
Ivan discusses the devastating historical effects of disease and colonialism on Indigenous Peoples, including the impact of smallpox on the Tsuut’ina Nation. He shares teachings passed down by Elders about prayer, traditional plant medicines, offering tobacco and approaching Indigenous knowledge with respect and proper protocol.
He also speaks candidly about alcohol, addiction, grief and intergenerational trauma, while emphasizing the strength that can be found through ceremony, cultural identity and walking the Red Road. Drawing upon teachings from his family, his years as an educator and knowledge shared with him at the University of New Mexico, Ivan invites listeners to consider the connections between spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.
This deeply personal episode presents health not simply as the absence of illness, but as a relationship with Creator, the natural world, our communities and ourselves.
The experiences and traditional beliefs discussed in this episode are shared for cultural and educational purposes and are not a substitute for professional medical advice.