Sioux Look-out
In March 2013, Shanne McCaffrey and Jeannine Carriere representing the ICWRN, travelled to the Sioux Lookout and the Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Ontario. Their role with the ICWRN was to encourage dialogue about research and how it could be successfully integrated and developed into the vision of their hospital. The grounds are synonymous with holistic healing including traditional foods, spirituality, health and wellness approaches and Eurowestern medicine.
“MenoYaWin” in the Anishinaabe language means “health, wellness, well-being”, and refers to holistic healing and wellness, the “whole self being in a state of complete wellness.”
Hospital Vision:
Programs and services include all hospital programs, as well as the merging of traditional and modern healing practices through the development of the Traditional Healing, Medicines, Foods & Supports Program.
Programs and services include all hospital programs, as well as the merging of traditional and modern healing practices through the development of the Traditional Healing, Medicines, Foods & Supports Program.
Hospital Specifics:
Meno Ya Win is a fully accredited 60 bed hospital and a 20 bed Extended Care facility. We provide health services to all residents within Sioux Lookout and the surrounding area, including the Nishnawbe Aski communities north of Sioux Lookout, the Treaty #3 community of Lac Seul First Nation, and residents of Hudson, Pickle Lake and Savant Lake.
“MenoYaWin” in the Anishinaabe language means “health, wellness, well-being”, and refers to holistic healing and wellness, the “whole self being in a state of complete wellness”.
Design Plan:
The hospital was designed by Métis architect, Douglas Cardinal and is amazing and has many references and symbols in the way that it is constructed to reflect an Indigenous way of knowing, doing and being. It has local flag stones and a fire pit and is built in the shape of a Y with the centre having a large circle.
Our care is based on recognizing the relationship of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of all people.
It was really powerful and enlightening with good ideas, excellent food, some traditional and really good laughs with everyone.Shanne McCaffrey – Guest and ICWRN Facilitator.