Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health is an Indigenous health and cultural centre in Ottawa, Ontario, created by and for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. Rooted in Indigenous culture, it offers a wholistic model of care that blends contemporary and traditional approaches across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. The centre provides healthcare, mental wellness, healthy living, cultural programs, education, and advocacy services. Wabano is accredited through the Canadian Centre for Accreditation and is part of the network of Aboriginal Health Access Centres across Ontario. The National Council of Indigenous Midwives champions the reclamation and restoration of Indigenous midwifery as a sacred, community-rooted practice for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families across Canada. Operating within a holistic cultural paradigm, Indigenous midwifery views pregnancy and childbirth not merely as clinical occurrences, but as profound spiritual transitions and ceremonial events that strengthen family bonds and cultural continuity. Through initiatives like "Birth Back," the council works to return birthing practices to local territories, reversing historical disruptions and reducing the need for remote medical evacuations. Care is structured around complete maternal and infant wellness, offering comprehensive prenatal, birthing, and postpartum support, including culturally centered lactation education such as Milk Medicine. By combining ancestral traditions, sacred songs, and traditional medicines with modern clinical expertise, Indigenous midwives ensure both clinical safety and deep cultural protection, empowering communities to honor new life through self-determination and intergenerational healing arts. The center operates as a broad community hub, encompassing a primary care clinic, mental health and addiction support, maternal and early childhood programs, diabetes prevention, and specialized elder care. Beyond clinical medicine, Wabano promotes holistic well-being through community-led health education, Indigenous language instruction, movement classes, and cultural workshops that rebuild community resilience. By providing a safe, welcoming space rooted in ancestral wisdom, self-determination, and health equity, the Wabano Centre addresses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of the whole person within a supportive circle of care.