Canada Day: Centering Indigenous Sovereignty in Birthwork
Canada Day is often celebrated with fireworks and barbecues, but for many, it’s also a day of grief. A reminder of land theft, cultural erasure, and the deep wounds of colonization. This Canada Day, let’s take the time to reflect on the foundations of our work: whose traditions we draw from, whose knowledge we uplift, and whose sovereignty we respect or overlook.
The truth is, much of what birth workers do today – holding space, honouring ceremony, and recognizing the sacredness of birth – are practices rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. Systems that have existed on these lands since time immemorial and continue to thrive in communities that protect and reclaim them from policies of forced removal, assimilation, and systemic erasure.
When we offer continuous labour support, affirm the role of extended kin, or talk about birth as a spiritual experience, we are participating in something that has always existed here. It is not new. It is not neutral. And it did not come from textbooks.
This Canada Day, we invite birthworkers to do more than reflect. We invite you to act.
Ask yourself:
- How has colonialism shaped the way I learned to support birth?
- Have I named and honoured the Indigenous roots of the practices I use?
- Am I unintentionally upholding systems that exclude Indigenous knowledge?
- Do I know the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation?
Take concrete action(s):
- Learn the different histories and contemporary perspectives of Indigenous peoples living in Canada.
- Indigenous Canada – free course offered by the University of Alberta
- Update your referral lists and partnerships to include Indigenous doulas and midwives. If you don’t know any, ask yourself why.
- Read Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, all 94 calls. Find one that connects to your work and commit to it.
- #22 & 92(i) are good places to start
- Follow Indigenous birthkeepers, elders, and educators, as well as platforms that share news and advocacy. Amplify their voices by resharing their work.
Canada Day doesn’t have to mean ignoring the past. We can’t rewrite history, but we can decide how we show up in the present.
Indigenous birth practices are not lost. They’re here. They’re vibrant. And they’re leading.
The question is — are we listening?
About the Author: Aunjrya Fleming
Aunjrya is the EDI lead for Doula School. She is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with a deep commitment to reproductive justice. She brings years of experience working with racialized, refugee, and 2SLGBTQIA+ families as a maternal health navigator, educator, and advocate. Aunjrya is passionate about building equity-informed spaces that center safety, dignity, and agency for all birthing people.
