The morning light spills across the hospital corridor as Dr. Thomas Fiddler adjusts his traditional braids before starting rounds at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital. For the Cree physician, this simple act carries profound significance – one that until recently would have faced institutional barriers across Saskatchewan’s healthcare system.
“These braids connect me to my ancestors, to my community,” Dr. Fiddler tells me, speaking softly as nurses and patients move through the busy hallway. “For many Indigenous peoples, our hair isn’t just hair. It’s identity, it’s strength, it’s resistance.”
That connection between cultural identity and healthcare took center stage last month when the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) implemented a groundbreaking Indigenous Hair Policy – a first of its kind in Canadian provincial healthcare systems. The policy explicitly protects Indigenous healthcare workers’ rights to wear traditional hairstyles like braids, ensuring cultural practices aren’t sacrificed for professional advancement.
The change follows years of advocacy from Indigenous healthcare professionals who reported facing discrimination, pressure to cut their hair, or being passed over for promotions because traditional hairstyles were deemed “unprofessional” under conventional dress codes.
Elder Mary Thunderchild, who advised on the policy development, recounts painful history while we sit in the hospital’s newly established Indigenous healing garden. “During residential schools, one of the first things they did was cut our children’s hair. It was about erasing identity,” she explains, her voice steady but weighted with memory. “When institutions today still pressure our people to cut their hair, those wounds reopen.”
Saskatchewan’s Indigenous population has grown nearly 22% since 2016, according to the latest census data, making cultural competency increasingly vital in healthcare settings. SHA statistics indicate Indigenous peoples access emergency services at higher rates but report lower satisfaction with care – a disparity the authority hopes cultural policies will help address.
“This isn’t just symbolic,” says Dr. Janet Maxwell, SHA Vice President of Medical Services. “When Indigenous patients see healthcare providers who look like them and honor the same traditions, it builds trust. And trust is fundamental to health outcomes.”
The policy emerged from SHA’s Truth and Reconciliation commitment, which pledged substantive changes to address historical harms against Indigenous communities. Implementation has already begun across Saskatchewan’s 64 hospitals and healthcare facilities, with management receiving cultural sensitivity training specific to Indigenous hair traditions.
For Nurse Practitioner Sarah Moccasin, who works in northern Saskatchewan communities, the policy affirms what she’s always believed. “I refused to cut my braids throughout nursing school, even when instructors suggested it wasn’t ‘clinical,'” she recalls during our phone conversation. “Now I see young Indigenous nursing students who won’t face that same pressure.”
Not everyone has embraced the change. Some staff expressed concerns about practical implications, particularly in surgical settings. The SHA has addressed these by providing specialized surgical caps designed to accommodate braided hair while maintaining sterile environments – an innovation that surgical departments across Canada are now examining.
The policy follows similar movements across North America. In 2021, several U.S. states passed CROWN Acts (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), prohibiting discrimination based on hair texture and protective styles in workplaces. While those laws primarily addressed discrimination against Black hairstyles, Saskatchewan’s approach specifically centers Indigenous traditions.
Community impact extends beyond hospital walls. Jason Standing Bear, principal at Eagle Feather High School in Regina, reports that teenage students are following the healthcare policy developments closely. “Our students see healthcare as a pathway to help their communities. Knowing they won’t have to compromise their identity to pursue medicine or nursing – that’s powerful.”
The Saskatchewan Medical Association endorsed the policy last week, with President Dr. Annette Epp noting: “Cultural safety isn’t a checkbox exercise. It requires concrete policy changes like this one.”
For SHA Indigenous liaison Darlene Kingfisher, who spent five years advocating for the change, seeing the policy in writing still brings tears. “My grandfather was forced to cut his braids at residential school. Three generations later, I’m helping ensure no healthcare worker faces that same violation.”
Implementation challenges remain. Rural facilities with less diverse staff populations report slower adoption, and some departments struggle with consistent enforcement. The SHA has established a reporting system for violations and monthly community consultations to address emerging concerns.
As we end our conversation, Dr. Fiddler is paged for a consultation. Before rushing off, he pauses. “I had a young Indigenous patient last week who noticed my braids. His face lit up. He started asking questions about becoming a doctor.” He smiles, touching his hair thoughtfully. “That moment – that’s why this matters.”
For Saskatchewan’s healthcare system, this policy represents more than administrative change. It signals a broader commitment to creating environments where Indigenous knowledge and traditions aren’t just accommodated but valued – where healing includes honoring the cultural practices that sustain communities through generations.
The province’s approach may soon expand beyond healthcare. Education officials have begun consulting with Indigenous elders about similar protections for teachers and students, suggesting Saskatchewan’s leadership on Indigenous hair rights could influence institutions nationwide.
