Beyond shame, sorrow, and apologies—action to address indigenous health inequities

On 1 April 2022, Pope Francis made a historic apology to indigenous peoples in Canada for what he described as “deplorable” abuses occurring in church run residential schools. This statement is one of multiple apologies recently offered by world leaders for colonial injustices and abuses of indigenous people. For many, these apologies represent landmark events. However, as indigenous health scientists who bear witness to the real life impacts of colonisation on indigenous health today, we cannot help but raise the question: “How do these apologies get translated into tangible changes that reduce indigenous/non-indigenous health inequities?”

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