FAQ

American physician Dr Andrew T. Still, founder of osteopathy health profession worked over 20 years in the Shawnee Tribes Reservation Land in the United States. There he was introduced to Cherokee Bodywork and Healing Arts. Dr. Still selected the physical body work techniques that included manipulation, mobilization, and soft tissue therapy techniques and organized it into a new manual therapy profession called osteopathy. As osteopathy was created from and has roots in the Cherokee traditional indigenous medicine, it is considered a heritage of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples Association of Osteopathy (IPAO) represents the interest of Indigenous Peoples in Canada in this healthcare profession.

Yes. A number of Nations and organization in Canada offer scholarships to their members to study osteopathy in Canada. It is exciting to see many Nations in Canada are offering scholarships to their own people to study osteopathy. Métis Nation of Ontario and Bigstone Cree Nation for example have offered a number of full scholarships to their members to obtain a diploma in osteopathic manual practice (DOMP) at National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada), an Indigenous owned osteopathy college at York University Heights in Toronto, Ontario, founded in 2010 by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD, a Southern Cherokee Tribe member and SCNRFP Minister of Education in 2019.

Museum of Osteopathic Medicine in US reports that Dr Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, founder of osteopathy had mentioned that the first osteopathic treatment he observed was performed by “Shawnee Indians” when they used manual techniques to fix a painful pelvis and he then took the techniques, adjusted it and used it in his own practice as a medical doctor.

The following four schools offer diploma, degrees and postgraduate courses/programs in the field of manual osteopathy. These schools are founded by the Southern Cherokee Tribe member, manual osteopath, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD, who served as the Minister of Education for the Southern Cherokee Nation and the Red Fire People in 2019.
– National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada), founded in 2010
– National University of Medical Sciences (Spain), founded in 2012
– National University of Medical Sciences (USA), founded in 2016
– OsteoLife Postgraduate Institute, founded in 2021

Dr Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, founder of osteopathy was so well versed in the language of Shawnee tribe that he would think in that language as well. It was known that whenever students asked him difficult questions that required thoughtful answers, he would throw his head back, squint his eyes and then answer in Shawnee language. Once he finished speaking then he would translate it to English for his students.

A number of organizations are created, founded and/or operated by Indigenous Peoples in Canada, the United States and elsewhere including, the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths, The American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners, Asociación de Osteopatía de Panamá – Osteopathy Association of Panama, Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada, Osteopathy TV, the Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario, Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners, National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada), OsteoLife Postgraduate Institute and National University of Medical Sciences (USA and Spain).

Dr Blanche Still, DO, (1876-1959) daughter of Dr Andrew T. Still, founder of osteopathy, similar to his father had a stroke later in life and no longer she could speak English. After her stroke she could only speak in Shawnee tribe language, giving rise to the idea that English may have been her second language and Shawnee language was the first language she learned, indicating the Indigenous roots of the Still family.

It is no longer appropriate to refer to an Indigenous person as native, Indian, or aboriginal. The proper term to use is Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous People or Indigenous person.

The World Osteopathy Day (June 22nd) is founded in 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by manual osteopath Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, PhD who served as the Minister of Education for the Southern Cherokee Nation & the Red Fire People in 2019. June 21st is the National Indigenous Peoples Day. This date was chosen to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day because it corresponds to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and a time of year that many Indigenous groups have traditionally celebrated their culture and heritage.

Toggle ContentFounder of osteopathy had indigenous roots. American physician Dr Andrew T. Still, founder of osteopathy was a mixed Indigenous People, from the Lumbee tribe. Dr Still’s grandmother, Mary Lyda was half Dutch and half Indigenous people, from the Cheraw tribe (later known as Lumbee tribe).