Urban First Nations Men: Narratives of Identity Striving to Live a Balanced Life

Dominant discourse contains an abundance of negative stereotypical images of First Nations males that are historically steeped in colonial issues. These images are locked in time and can influence both First Nations mens’ sense of self and health care providers’ practices. Using a strength-based perspective and the lens of Two-Eyed Seeing, this narrative study explored the identity of First Nations men living a balanced life in Toronto. Three First Nations men participated in two semi-structured interviews and Anishnaabe Symbol-Based Reflection. Findings indicate that their narratives of identity are focused on positive mindsets and resilience, and that positive First Nations identity is supported by having mentors, knowing family histories, and connecting with healthy Aboriginal communities. Implications of this research for nursing is the need to employ strength-based and postcolonial frameworks, and reflexive practices that reveal biases; this will facilitate nurses to resist racialized stereotypes and discrimination while promoting culturally safe care.