Building structures of environmental repossession to reclaim land, self-determination and Indigenous wellness

In Canada, Indigenous health inequalities are sustained by colonial structures that create social disadvantage and limit Indigenous self-determination to Land. Drawing on the concept of environmental repossession, this study explores how Indigenous communities are building local structures to reclaim their territories and renew the values, responsibilities and knowledges tied to these places for wellness. Specifically, this study examines the meanings of the everyday work of the Department of Sustainable Development in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and shares lessons for other communities seeking to foster self-determination over Land, identity and wellness. Qualitative analysis of interviews with current and former department staff members support an advanced understanding of how repossession strategies are sustained by Indigenous communities to foster place-based goals and address structural barriers to wellness.