Glossary

Historical trauma refers to the collective and cumulative emotional, psychological, and spiritual wounding experienced by a group across generations (intergenerational), resulting from significant and targeted historical injustices. These events – such as conlonization, forced displacement, Canadian Indian Residential Schools, and systemic racism – are widespread among a specific population, intentionally inflicted by the dominant group, and result in profound and lasting collective distress. Historical trauma is characterized by four interrelated dimensions: colonial injury, collective experience, cumulative effects, and cross-generational impacts (the “4 C’s). Its consequences persist across generations and continue to influence health, well-being, identity, and access to systems and services.