The opening of an Indigenous traditional medicine pharmacy at Lu'ma Medical Centre marks a major step toward restoring culturally grounded health care for urban and away from home communities.

Lu'ma Medical Centre marked the milestone on April 24 with a ceremony to launch the pharmacy as part of its broader efforts to provide culturally safe, trauma-informed care.

During the opening ceremony, Elder Majorie White said the pharmacy had been part of Lu'ma's vision since the inception of the centre and added, half-jokingly, “that the next step is a fully Indigenous hospital."

Elder Seis'lom (Glen Williams), Kahwahteeket Muska Iskew (Katherine Cooper), a Knowledge Keeper and Elders Program coordinator at Lu'ma and Ashagimashkikiwinini (Dr. Michael Dumont), Lu'ma's medical director, were instrumental in bringing the concept to fruition. Each shared personal reflections on the meaning and importance of the pharmacy.

Kahwahteeket Muska Iskew (Katherine Cooper) said she dedicates her work to her grandmother, who faced legal challenges for making and using traditional medicines.

“We cannot separate medicine from language and land," she said. “We're here to celebrate using our medicine that others couldn't when it was made illegal by the colonial government."

Elder Seis'lom said the pharmacy represents the revival and repatriation of knowledge once suppressed.

“With a good way and a good heart, we are inclusive of all our people who have been pushed aside by colonialism," he said. “Now we can take care of our own like we used to, our Ancestors and our old people were pharmacists, physicians and spiritual healers and it can happen here at the pharmacy."

Lu'ma members can access the traditional medicine pharmacy by prescription following a consultation. For those familiar with the plants, the pharmacy can also provide the medicines in their raw form.

The goal is to help urban and away-from-home community members to build relationships with medicines from their home communities.

Dr. Dumont said offering both options reflects the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, allowing members to choose between traditional and Western care, or a combination of both, based on what works best for their wholistic health.

“We get calls from people all across Turtle Island," said Dr. Dumont. “But this model was built by the community."

Because many of Lu'ma's members are from across Canada, the goal is to stock medicines from across the country.

Community and knowledge sharing are central to the pharmacy's mandate. Its vision goes beyond providing traditional medicines to support other primary care centres in establishing similar programs.

While other primary care centres are exploring comparable models, Dr. Dumont said Lu'ma is currently at the forefront and is willing to share knowledge and experience.

The ceremony also recognized pharmacy students from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Working under professors Larry Leung and Jason Min, the students collaborated closely with staff and Elders and were praised by Elder Seis'lom and Kahwahteeket Muska Iskew for their dedication to cultural safety and humility.

The traditional medicine pharmacy is currently only open to current members of Lu'ma Medical Centre. Click the link here to get more information about the centre and how to access care.