GOOD MEDICINE

Photography as a discipline emerged at an historical moment that witnessed the birth of what French situationist Guy Debord called “the society of the spectacle.” This phrase refers to an evolution of capitalism characterized by a commodity culture simultaneously privileging image, display and visuality (Abigail Solomon-Godeau 1992). Noted American photography critic Susan Sontag said that the photographic image has the power to capture and transform an individual into an object that symbolically can become the possession of another (1977). And Edward Said (1978), among others, has argued that colonial powers have used photography strategically to represent non-Western peoples as an exotic Other, in order to achieve political and economic dominance (Robert Hirsch 2000). This use of photography as a tool for collecting evidence and writing colonial narratives has become known as photo-colonialism, and the goal of the Good Medicine project is, at least in part–  designed to usurp this tradition. 

Culture and ethnicity affect health and wellness by influencing how people link with the health care system, their access to health information, and their lifestyle choices. Culture and ethnicity are products of both personal history and wider situational, social, political, geographic, and economic factors. Culture and ethnicity are important in shaping the way people interact with a health care system, their participation in programs of prevention and health promotion, access to health information, health related lifestyle choices, their understanding of health and illness, and their priorities. “Dominant” cultural values largely determine the social and economic environment of communities. The result: some people face greater health risks due to marginalization, loss/devaluation of culture and language, lack of access to culturally appropriate health services. Some persons or groups may face additional health risks due to socio-economic factors, which are largely determined by dominant cultural values that contribute to the perpetuation of these conditions.

Medical care and social services are a fundamental part of any community. 

One practical way to promote health and wellness is to support a medical establishment that understands and appreciates the needs of the community it serves.

This can be achieved by facilitating education and opportunities for individuals to work within their own communities to promote health and wellness.

Close your eyes and imagine a healthy community. What do you see?

I see happy families, good friends, strong houses, safe neighborhoods, great schools, honest government, diversity, democracy, fresh air, clean water, good food, books, wine, the beach. I see creativity, humor, peace, and above all, I see love.

What do you see?

‘Good Medicine’ is looking for First Nation filmmakers with a voice and strong creative drive to make a six (6) minute short high-definition film exploring what constitutes a healthy First Nation Albertan community? Check out our call here

‘Good Medicine’ is an experimental documentary project that will commission five (5) First Nation filmmakers to each produce one six (6) minute short high-definition video interpreting the question: What constitutes a healthy community from First Nation Albertan perspectives?

The goal of this project is to explore the breadth and myriad issues surrounding the concepts of health and wellness in the context of First Nation communities in Alberta. Treatment of these ideas is left open to interpretation and can include social, cultural, educational, economic and political perspectives.