What is Indigenous cultural health and wellbeing? A narrative review

Abstract

Indigenous cultural health is an emerging field of research and reflects the unique connections Indigenous peoples have with their Country, culture, and knowledge systems. This narrative review explores the concept of cultural health focusing on the interplay between culture, health, and wellbeing within settler colonial contexts. The review is mostly focused on Australian research, despite its international scope. A narrative review methodology was employed, search terms were compiled, and a title and abstract search was executed across two databases (Scopus, PubMed), confined to English language papers, with a focus on Australia. Three key themes were identified: Country; culture, and Indigenous knowledges. Country is vital to health. Culture practices offer frameworks for healing nurturing the relationship between people, Country and culture. Privileging Indigenous knowledges is a means to achieving health and wellbeing. Indigenous cultural health encompasses the interconnectedness of Country, people and culture, demanding a holistic approach that integrates Indigenous knowledges and practices. In Australia, these core components of cultural health must be situated in a contemporary context of ongoing colonisation. This narrative review underscores the importance of culturally centred approaches in addressing health inequities and enhancing the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.

Funding

This study was funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRF2009522 & MRF2025330).