How do Indigenous People in Kjipuktuk Conceptualize Poverty?

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Relationship of Impoverishment to Health

Authors

Keywords:

Indigenous poverty, holism, Mi'kmaw culture, colonialism, community-based research

Abstract

This pilot study examines Indigenous conceptualizations of poverty in Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki (Halifax, Nova Scotia) to lay groundwork for a holistic model of Indigenous poverty that can link with holistic models of Indigenous health already in use. Using community-based methods and Mi’kmaw cultural practices, the researchers conducted sharing circles and interviews with 12 Indigenous participants who had experienced or were still living in poverty. Results strongly supported the distinctiveness of Indigenous experiences of poverty and identified starting points for a holistic poverty model.

Author Biographies

  • Madeline Rae, Dalhousie University

    Madeline Rae (she/her) is a queer white settler cis-woman from Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg, MB), with ancestors from Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, and England. Rae moved to Kijipuktuk in 2022 to study for her Masters of Social Work at Dalhousie University. She has experience working with and for Indigenous community members and is trained in trauma-informed therapeutic intervention and harm reduction. 

  • Margaret Robinson

    Margaret Robinson (she/her) is a Two-Spirit citizen of Lennox Island First Nation who grew up in rural poverty in the Eskikewa’kik district of Mi’kma’ki, which is governed by Peace and Friendship Treaties. Robinson earned a PhD from the University of Toronto and now works as an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University, where she holds the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Reconciliation, Gender, and Identity. She uses Indigenous and community-based research methods to understand how culture and identity support health and well-being.

References

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Published

2026-04-29

Issue

Vol. 47 No. 1 (2026): “Healing is an Act of Communion”: Critical Perspectives on Women’s Health, Wellness, and Disease

Section

Original Research

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Copyright (c) 2026 Madeline Rae, Margaret Robinson

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