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--- Harmonizing health care discussed at two-day conference The two-day Moving Forward Topther conference on harmonizing Indigenous wellness in medkine and health practices was described by some as a watershed moment in breaking down the walls between modern mainstream medicine and Indigenous rnedfcines and practices. After speeches and testimonials of personal experiences of Six Nations community members, the gathering broke into focus groups to discuss exactly, what a harmonized system would look like. PHOTO BY JIM WINDLE. By Jim Windle OHSWEKEN - A prece- dent was set about a year ago in a Brantford court room by Justice Gethin Edward who ruled that an 11-year-old Onkwehon:we girl could not be forced to undergo chemotherapy, but could pursue alterna- tive means including tradi- tional medicines. That decision caused ripples throughout the medi~l profession, which has opened the door to a new way of respecting both western and tradi- tional medicines on equal grounds.The first formal gathering of health care professionals, tradition- al practitioners and the Ontario Government was described by some as a wa- tershed moment in med- icine and Canada's heath care system. Among those who at- tended the two-day meet- ing of the minds at the Six Nations Community Hall were Chiefs of Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day, Minister of Aborigi- nal Affairs David Zimmer, President of McMaster Children's Hospital Peter Fit7.gerald, Elected Chief Ava Hill, President and CEO of Hamilton Health Selene- es Robert Macisaac, the Honourable Justice Geth- in Edward, and Minister of Health and Long Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins. Dozens of health care workers, doctors and tra- ditional healers together took up a good portion of the main auditorium of the Six Nations Communi- ty Hall on November 27th and 28th.The importance of this meeting was cap- tured by Regional Chief Isadore Day."This is a very important meeting for a number of people," Day told the 1\vo Row Times. "Commitments are be- ing made by governments to finally listen to First Na- tions both provincially and federally. What we need to do is to make sure that our Justice Getllln Edward. PHOTO BY JIM WIIOLE indigenous value systems and indigenous health care systems become part of the solution. We deftnitely want to use this opportu- nity effectively and include our position, our rights and jurisdiction on health and we want to make sure that becomes part of the dialogue. That's why this meeting is so important. It brings people together to make sure the leaders get that message."Day commended Six Nations and the Mississaugas of the New Credit for taking the lead, saying that the problems faced by fami- lies of two Six Nations girls who opted for traditional and alternative medicines should never be allow to happen again. Clllefs of ontarlo Replnal Chief, Isadore Day. PHOTO BY JIM WIIOLE "We need to be co- ordinated and work to- gether," said Day "There is both mainstream and traditional world views in healthcare systems and it shouldn't always be one or the other. It could be a combination of both and it makes sense to all of us to start combining these ef- forts and really give recog- nition to indigenous health care systems in the main- stream today. Chief Ava Hill also held out hope that things would change when it comes to recognizing traditional medicine as an alternative to the mainstream medical profession. "I think these meet- ings are very important," she said. "The importance of this has been expressed by the people we have had here speaking and making announcements. We've got the Minister of Health here, President of Hamil- ton Health Science, Region- al Chief Isadore Day, and I think; veryone knows the importance of what we are doing here." She was also pleased and encouraged at the number of frontline main- stream healthcare work-