Bringing wellness back to the land - where it belongs.
Why the Land Still Heals
For the Nlaka’pamux Nation, the land is more than a place. It’s medicine. It’s memory. It’s a teacher. At NHSS, we are rebuilding connections between health and territory through land-based wellness initiatives that support healing in ways Western systems often miss. Whether it’s through traditional food gardens, cultural camps, or teachings shared around the fire, we know that some of the most powerful care doesn’t come from a clinic – it comes from being on the land with our people. Land-based healing has always been part of Nlaka’pamux life. Long before there were formal health systems, our ancestors practiced wellness through connection: to plants, to water, to food, to ceremony, and to each other. That way of healing isn’t gone, it’s just been pushed aside.
NHSS is working to bring it back, respectfully and intentionally, by:
- Supporting seasonal cultural camps and on-the-land gatherings
- Including Elders and traditional healers in program design and delivery
- Integrating traditional food and medicine gardens into wellness programs
- Hosting workshops that share knowledge of land-based healing and healthy living
These efforts are helping reconnect community members to culture, language, identity, and each other. Especially for youth, those living with trauma, and those who’ve been disconnected from land, this kind of programming is life-changing.
Healthcare That Doesn’t Fit in a Clinic
Not every form of healing fits into four walls. NHSS understands that many members of the Nation are seeking care that honors traditions, uses teachings, and includes ceremony. Land-based programs offer space for this kind of wellness to thrive.
Some of our programs include:
Supporting seasonal cultural camps and on-the-land gatherings
Including Elders and traditional healers in program design and delivery
Integrating traditional food and medicine gardens into wellness programs
Hosting workshops that share knowledge of land-based healing and healthy living
Land isn’t just the setting. It’s part of the medicine. And it invites a different kind of care—one that’s based on listening, connection, and belonging.
Nation-Led, Nation-Shaped
These programs don’t come from a textbook. They come from the voices of the community. NHSS collaborates with Elders, youth, families, and leadership to shape offerings that reflect the needs of each area.
We’re guided by questions like:
- What teachings need to be passed down right now?
- Where do people already feel safe and grounded?
- How can we support healing after years of disconnection?
- What makes people feel well in body, spirit, and mind?
From these conversations come real programs—rooted in place, and designed to grow.
The Land Will Always Be Here, and So Will We
The land is always here. Our job is to make sure the space, resources, and leadership are in place to make land-based healing accessible to anyone who needs it. Whether it’s an Elder sharing stories in a garden, a youth harvesting medicine for the first time, or a family finding strength together in the bush, NHSS will continue to support this work—not just because it’s effective, but because it’s ours.