At the 2019 Traditional Roots Herbal Conference, Dr. Gary Ferguson wrapped up the event with a stirring talk about the tangible ways that culture supports healing.
Dr. Ferguson is Aleut/Unangan, originally from the Shumagin Islands community of Sand Point, Alaska, and has worked across the state to address the social, economic, cultural and environmental factors that contribute to the health and well-being of Alaskans. (See more of Dr. Ferguson’s bio here.)
Here’s how he described the class:
Many of our natural healing approaches have a deep connection to indigenous cultures around the world. As we examine the cultural roots of these modalities, as we deepen our understanding of the contexts from which our medicines come, we deepen both our understanding and practice of these healing agents and techniques. In this workshop, we will dialogue around the healing plants along with the stories and ceremonies that go with them from the indigenous cultures of the North.
But the class was bigger than the description. Dr. Ferguson talked about deep, systemic and ancestral trauma and the ways reconnecting with culture can heal it. It gave us chills. Truly.
The talk was so powerful, so important, we’re making the whole two-hour session available for free. We hope you’ll find this as stirring as we did, and help share Dr. Ferguson’s important message widely.
–The Traditional Roots team
