The Meaning of Elderhood
Indigenous elderhood is a respected cultural status and a way of living that is earned through wisdom, ongoing community service, and the stewardship of traditional knowledge.
In many indigenous cultures, aging is not viewed as a withdrawal from society, but, as an elevation to a vital leadership role. Compare this to Western society.
In Western society, retirement often means people are over-the-hill, sent out-to-pasture, or ready for the final sunset. In other words, retirees are starting the next chapter in life as non-productive, non-contributing members of society.
What is Elderhood?
The characteristics of elderhood are:
- Not Age-Based: While older adults hold vital life experience, not all older adults are considered Elders; the title must be earned through actions, balance, and community respect.
- Knowledge Keepers: Elders preserve and share oral histories, native languages, ecological insights, and cultural or spiritual practices.
- Intergenerational Teachers: Elders actively pass down wisdom, values, and traditions to younger generations to ensure community continuity and resilience.
- Community Contributors: Elders provide guidance on governance, act as caregivers, and offer a vision for the future that remains rooted in tradition.
What can Indigenous Elders Teach Today’s Retirees
Indigenous elders can teach today’s retirees how to transform the modern concept of “retirement” from a period of passive leisure into a powerful, purposeful phase of life focused on mentorship, community stewardship, and legacy.
Shifting from “Retirement” to “Elderhood”
- A New Social Role: Being an essential pillar of the community responsible for keeping the social fabric together.
- Purpose over Leisure: Providing a deep sense of purpose that combats the isolation and identity loss many retirees face.
- Guiding the Next Generation: Acting as educators of the young, passing down history, values, and survival skills. Engaging in two-way learning.
- Long-Term Thinking: For a retiree, this means shifting focus towards community volunteering, environmental activism, or local civic engagement.
- Life Balance: Having emphasises on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. That retirement provides the time to slow down, reflect, and nurture the emotional and spiritual sides of life that a busy career might have sidelined.
Successful Retirees
Successful retirees have taken a page from the Elderhood playbook. They recognize the need to plan for happiness and productivity. They evaluate what’s important to them and construct actions to satisfy their needs and wants. They share their experiences, their trials and their triumphs. They show their tools and techniques and how those can be used. They describe life’s challenges and wonderful opportunities but also of dangers that will occur and those to be avoided. They describe the gifts of life and what is required to successfully navigate the world.
If you are around or between the ages of 45 to 65, or newly retired, it’s time to explore your future as a retired person. Are you going to be sedentary and without purpose, or get involved and make a difference? Are you going to be an Elder?