With Reserves: Colonial Geographies and First Nations Health

Abstract

Health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples persist globally. Northern interior British Columbia, where many Indigenous people live on Indian 1 1. Canada's constitution recognizes unique relations with three distinct groups of peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. “Indian” is a problematic misnaming of these Indigenous peoples used herein for historical accuracy only. reserves allocated in the late nineteenth century, is no exception. This article reviews findings from fifty-eight interviews with members of thirteen First Nations communities in Carrier, Sekani, Wet'suwet’en, and Babine territories. The results suggest that colonial geographies, both physical and social, along with extant anti-Indigenous racism, are significant determinants of the health and well-being (or lack thereof) of many First Nations in the region.