Ian MacNairn | The Explorers Club 50

Sunset at Sun Dance. Credit: Ian MacNairn

Ethnographer & Physician

centering medicine from the land

meet ian

Ian MacNairn PhD MD is an ethnographer-physician working to combine his dual training as both a sociocultural Anthropologist and Emergency and Family Medicine physician. Ian’s focus over the past decade has been exploring the decolonization of medicine and impact of community on individual and collective health and well-being. His exploration has occurred while simultaneously deepening into the process of reciprocity and relationship building. This is what Ian understands as the foundation of medicine. And, as the Elders guiding him have taught, a foundation for the decolonization of medicine.

Nominated by: Myron Tetreault MI’23 Trevor Wallace FN’13 Simon Donato FI'09

Class of 2026 Location Canada

Follow ian's work:

With Wirangu Elder from Australia, Bill Walker.

My work has grown out of the many years of my post-secondary training, introduction and maturation into anthropological ethnographic and health research, medicine as a physician, and my burgeoning life of exploration. I first sat with Elders in traditional Indigenous ceremony in 2008. A pipe ceremony with Blackfoot Elder Casey Eaglespeaker. Over my years of travel, research, and exploring, I have met many Elders from around the world and developed strengthened and deepened bonds with them. These folks have become my family. I have been warmly and intimately welcomed into learning about traditional Indigenous medicine and ways of knowing and being. Full circle: many are now participating in the current expedition I am undertaking with The Explorers Club, titled Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ (‘All my relations’).

I have been guided by a central question: ‘what is medicine?’ I have been learning how to incorporate and integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being into the practice of medicine. Still, I recognize that it is incumbent upon me to humbly approach our dear Elders as the seat of knowing. The way to deepen my learning about medicine comes from those who hold the knowledge that has been passed down for generations since time immemorial. When I lean in more deeply to this process, I realize I am related to everyone I meet. And, as a physician, all those I can care for. In the deepest sense of knowing, this means all those I meet are my relatives. I am grateful to have been directed and guided in this way by many dear Elders. This is the nexus of my direction of exploring: how can I bring this understanding from Elders who have and continue to guide me, into the broader practice and teaching of medicine.

IanMacNairn with Ngarrindjeri Elder Moogy Sumner from Australia

Presenting gift to Eora and Gundungurra Elder from Australia

“How can I bring this understanding from Elders who have and continue to guide me, into the broader practice and teaching of medicine.”

- Ian MacNairn

Ian MacNairn with Dr. Cayla Gilbert and TEC Flag #146. Credit: Holly Champney

We live in a world with an increasing focus on personalized medicine that borrows from ever-enhancing technology and assistance from Artificial Intelligence. This is exciting, yet, the foundation of western medicine, especially medicine in North America, rests upon a foundation that has dispelled Indigenous ways of knowing and being from its inception. My current project is field-based ethnography exploring and championing decolonization in medicine by centering the voices, perspectives, and experience of Indigenous Elders and Medicine Knowledge Holders. I focus on exploring medicine from the land, including time on the land and in ceremony with Elders.

My work is with a vision for a novel integration of traditional ways of knowing and being in medicine with modern western medicine that is led by Indigenous Elders – our dear Knowledge Holders. That is, bringing forth knowledge that is not new. It is old knowing. Deep medicine preserved by grandmothers and grandfathers for thousands of years. I view this as a rounding of a circle: coming back around to resurface what was known and bring it to light in the care of my dear patients and in the teaching of medical and nursing students. The intention is not solely to seek out and learn from these Elders. My intention is to sit these Elders at the forefront of the work and champion their voices in the decolonization of the teaching and practice of medicine. My dream: to help them bring forth this deep knowing and medicine for the betterment and care of all our relatives; all my relations – Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ

View the EC50 print publication