A strengths and hope perspective on leisure, health and physical cultural practices of Indigenous women : stories of wellbeing from Canada and Australia

In this chapter we consider leisure and health in a (w)holistic way in relation to a marginalized population group, Indigenous peoples in colonized/invaded countries, specifically Australia and Canada. Lavallée and Lévesque (2013), in ‘Two-eyed seeing’, argue for the use of the term ‘wholistic’ vs ‘holistic’, since the former spelling ‘emphasize[s] the concept of wholeness when the four areas of health – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – are in balance’ (2013, p. 208). We are convinced by their argument and thus will use the concept and spell it in the same way. In particular, we focus on four case studies, two from each country. The first case study from Canada titled ‘Physical Cultural Practices, Reconciliation and Inclusion: Indigenizing the “Whitestream” Approach to Sport’, considers Waneek Horn-Miller, a Mohawk Olympian, broadcaster, activist and role model from a health and wellbeing perspective. She represents a powerful example of how a single Mohawk woman can contribute towards a hope-enhancing environment in Canadian sport.