Let the Land Heal You

Colonization has affected Indigenous communities and created a major shift in Indigenous ways of being,knowing, and doing. This letter explores how colonization has caused trauma for Indigenous communities,specifically Dene men in the Northwest Territories. As a Dene woman and current student in a social workprogram, I work to uphold my responsibility to learn and be a resource to my people. In this letter, I willdiscuss the impacts of colonization on Dene men as a source of trauma, and the importance of returningto the land to heal oneself through Dene practices. I begin by discussing Dene people’s relationship tothe land as conveyed through our Creation Story. Next, I provide an overview of Dene experiences ofcolonization and systemic oppression. I then reflect on healing our historical trauma by returning to theland and allowing the land to heal us through ceremony. Keywords: Colonization, trauma, Dene