An Overview of Indigenous Research

Methods and Methodologies

Looking Forward, Reaching Back

Our own Paradigm

Who has the right to create knowledge and by what means?

Research from Our Place and Paradigm

Fromourancestors:“Researchwasadirtyword

Conducted in Aboriginal lands 1.  Without permission, without knowledge

of the culture, 2. Without consultation, 3. Without involvement of Aboriginal

people, 4. Without Respect. Grab and go. 5. Indigenous peoples were objects of

curiosity and subjects of research to be seen, but not asked, heard or respected.

Researchers?“TheyareJustnosey.”“Theyjustwanttofindoutstuff.”“Theygotrichoffus.”“Theyneveraskuswhatweneed.”“NoneofthedataorsoluAonscomebacktous.”“Theytakeourstories,writethebookorwhatever

theirprofessorswantandnevergivebacktous.”“Theynevertelluswhattheyfoundandiftheydo,

itisinlanguagewedonʼtunderstand.”

CanIndigenousResearchMethodsChangetheimageofresearchersandhelpIndigenousCommuniAes

LiteraturefromUnitedStates

Dr.OscarKawagly

Dr.VineDeloria

Dr.BeatriceMedicine

Dr.JoeGone

Dr.MichaelYellowBird

Dr.KuKahakalau

LiteraturefromIndigenousresearchersinmainstreamuniversiAes:Canada,NewZealand,Australia,Botswana

Dr.MaggieKovach

Dr.ShawnWilson

Dr.BageleChilia

Dr.Linda,T.Smith

Indigenous

ò  Fromaplace:

ò  Aspeciesoffish,plantorhumanlivinginaparticularplace

ò  PolarbearsareIndigenoustotheArcticò  PenguinsareIndigenoustotheAntarcticò  SalmonareIndigenoustospecificstreamsinthe

Northwestbutcatfisharenot.

IndigenousPeoples

ò  APopulationofhumanbeingswhohavelivedinacertainplacesincebeforecolonization.

ò  Inthepast,Notnecessarily“IndianorNativepeoples”

ò  TodaythetermhascometomeanNativepeoplesorIndianpeoples.AndthekeywordisCOLONIZEDpeople.

CasuaryDance:Australia

What is Research?

ò Finding out how the world works and how humans interact with the world

Indigenous peoples have always been Researchers

ò  Discoveredthatbeans,squash,andcorngrowbetterwhenplantedtogether.

ò  Learnedthatsmokedbuckskiniswaterproofandunsmokedisnot.

ò  Learnedbytrialanderrororbywatchinganimalswhatplantstreatedcertainailments.

ò  Discoveredaspirin/willowreducedfevers;discoveredtheyewplantorrosehipspreventedscurvy

IndigenousResearchò  Comesfromthe

heart/passionoftheresearcherandwhyyouwanttodothatresearch.

ò  Researchermustunderstandandbesensitivetothecultureofthecommunity/ofthetribe.

ò  Tribesetstheagendaorcollaborateswiththeresearcherinwhatisresearched.

Western Methods

ò  Western Academia has influenced our voices as Indigenous researchers.

ò  The Academy has lost the value of Indigenous Research Methodologies.

ò  Emerging Literature in Indigenous Research Methodologies~ coming from Indigenous scholars in mainstream academies:

ò  Shawn Wilson, Margaret Kovach, Linda T. Smith, Beatrice Medicine

Research From Our Paradigm

World view, Lifeways~ 560 federally recognized tribes, many unrecognized, many Indigenous groups around the

globe: All have their own paradigm.

So Kootenai Paradigm, Mi’kmaw Paradigm, Salish Paradigm….

The Indigenous Paradigm

ò There is no one Indigenous Paradigm

ò Mi’kmaq Paradigm and how I fit into that landscape.

Indigenous Knowledge Creators

Indigenous Knowledge Creators

What Can Coyote Teach Us? Learning From the Animals

ò  Historically, Indigenous peoples were researchers; they watched animals and learned from their behaviors.

ò  Do the animals have something to teach us about ourselves ?

ò  So we begin with animals.

ò  How we gain knowledge by watching animals

Learning from the Animals

Clay eating parrots

Monkey eating plants with antibacterial elements and

rough leaves

CenteringTribalPlace-BasedKnowledge

ENGINEERING

Indigenous Research Choice of:

Method

Research Topics

How the question is asked ~ question of resiliency

Data Collection Methods~ study of the methods

Forms of analysis~ Qualitative and Quantitative

Presentation of the Data in ways the community understands.

The Research Path: Confusing…like going hunting, you need a path to

follow/ hunting for truth.

Conceptual Framework

ò This is the "path that researchers follow" to conduct research.

ò The framework comes from personal values, "place" and from an Indigenous or tribally centered epistemology.

The Conceptual Framework: Why do we need one? Gathering data is like hunting

1.  Makes visible the way we see the world.

2. Reflects the researcher’s perception of reality.

3. Demonstrates how the research empowers the community.

ò  4. Can demonstrate how the research helps the community heal from Historical Trauma.

ò  5. Demonstrates that the researcher understands the community’s culture.

ò  7. Demonstrates responsible ethics.

Community Interest and

Need

Community Empowerment

and Self Determination

Community Collaboration

and Permission

Survival and Recovery / Moving the community

past Historical Trauma

Dissemination of Data in a

way the community

understands

Ownership and Sharing of

Knowledge

Tribal Protocols /

Elders / Tribal Council

ETHICS and Respect

Community / Indigenous

Epistemology and Ontology

Indigenous: From a place. Your place. Your heart and voice. Why you want to do

this research. Tribal and Cultural Specific: your voice

and passion.

Indigenous Research

ò  Methodologies: The study of the methods or an examination of which method is appropriate for data gathering in a particular community.

ò  Methods: The way we gather the data and the decision to apply that method is unique to each researcher and each community.

ò  i.e. Face to Face meetings, Talking Circles, Oral Histories, Art, Seal and whale hunts, etc.

ò  Understanding of the Epistemology, Axiology, Ontology of the community.

Introspection: for the researcher

ò  How does the research empower the community?

ò  How does the research contribute to self determination?

ò  How does the research promote recovery from from historical anger, loss of self esteem, loss of tribal identity?

ò  How does the research protect the natural resources?

ò  How does the research contribute to cultural values?

ò  Who owns the data?

ò  Is the data disseminated in ways the people can understand?

Why do I want to do this research? What is my role as a researcher? How am I fulfilling that role? Does this method allow me to fulfill my role in this relationship? How am I changed by this research? (Wilson & Kovach)

Questions for the researcher:

How is my research demonstrating respect:

ò  For the culture, For the data, language, the lifeways

ò  For the community,

ò  For the person telling the story,

ò  For the natural resources and sacred places,

ò  For the history of the people,

ò  For the ethics of the community

ò  Am I in collaboration and cooperation of the tribal/Indigenous government?

ò  Did I ask for permission?

ò  Am I staying for tea?

Your Research Question: Question of Resilience

Strength-based Inquiry

Instead of asking, “What are the elements in the lives of 7th grade children who smoke pot?”

Ask the question: “What are the resilience behaviors for 7th graders who don’t smoke pot?”

Knowledge from Indigenous Research informs Western

Scientific Knowledge

IndigenousScienceò  Observingwhat

happensinnatureò Makingahunch/

Hypothesisò Whendoesit

happen?ò  Observingò  Doesithappen

again?

ò  Relationshipsandparticipationwiththeland,animals,water,medicineplants.

ò  Ceremonies

ò  Storiesò  Ecology

IndigenousScience

ò Holisticknowledgeoftheenvironmentlearnedbyapeoplewhohavelivedinacertainplace(environment)forhundreds,maybethousandsofyears.

Western Science Versus Indigenous Science

ò  HolisticView:

ò  IndigenousScienceseesthewholenaturalworldasone.Includedarehumanbeings,plants,4legged-animalsthewinged(BioticandAbiotic)

ò WesternSciencecompartmentalized:

ò  Biology,physics,geography,geology,meteorology,engineering…..

Integrative Science

ò  Two-Eyed Seeing learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing (Albert Marshall, Mi’kmaq elder).

ò  From the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing Learning to use both these eyes together, for the benefit of all.

ò  In Integrative Science, we are exploring "story as relationship" within research projects. Some of our major interests in this regard are to help humans reconnect with the natural world and to help Aboriginal Elders revitalize language while also connecting with children and young people in their communities.

CBPR and the Indigenous Research Model

ò  Important elements for non Indigenous Researchers to conduct research with Native communities, but incorporate Indigenous Research Methods.

ò  Indigenous Research is done from the heart, paradigm, and culture of the Indigenous Researcher.

Researching Ecological Data Elders’ stories about:

Migration patterns,

Demise of cultural and medicine plants,

Restoration ecology,

Fire ecology,

Climate changes,

Contaminants in Fish

Streams, soil etc.

Indigenous Research Knowledge

informs Western Science Ogimakwe (Ojibwe) described the lesson

learned from a group of trees. She talks how older trees give protection to the younger trees.

Researcher Dr. Suzanne Simard, UBC discovered though radiation testing of carbon, that the older Douglas Fir trees provide carbon to their saplings.

Indigenous Research in Engineering

ò  Native use of flax fibers and bio-resins in place of petroleum-based matrices to generate more sustainable and environmentally friendly composite materials.

ò  Optimizing chemical treatments of fibers and fire retardant additions in polymer resins to improve fiber/matrix adhesion and elevated temperature performance, respectively. The composites may be used as roof shingles, sandwich panel skins, container walls and access door construction where weight reductions are required.

Indigenous Research in Astrophysics

ò  The Stars we Know: a Blending of Crow Astrophysics, Ethnography, and scientific observation.

ò  History of the Constellations and sense of place in the universe.

ò  SKC’s Bison Cube Sat…cameras on the Mars Rover.

The leaves of the Rubus (raspberry and cloudberry), according to modern analysis, are also high in magnesium, which is still in use to prevent miscarriage." Maybe the same useful chemical occurs in all the Rubus species; if so, the Crees were intuitively correct in using Cloudberry plants to help female problems.

Indigenous research in Medicine/Pharmacology

What is the method of collecting that data?

Stories told in Sharing Circles, Interviews with leaders, elders’ visits, oral histories, field observations, abiotic and biotic data. (what was done in the past and how this has changed over time)

One on one visits not just one visit~ grab and go…stay for tea…create relationships: with the land, people.

WhatcanbegatheredasData?

Oral Histories

Stories as Data Relationship with the story teller,

Relationship with the story,

Interpretation of the story~ Is this what the story teller means?

May not be the same for every listener,

Several kinds of stories: Creation stories, historical stories, stories of current events, environmental stories.

Is the story teller credible?

Indigenous Art as Research Data

Art is a Story. The Mud Map series of Dr. Pam Croft-Warcon is a story:

of belonging

of reconciliation

visual narrative

personal healing tool

teaches to love physical, emotional and spiritual self.

Songs as Data: Songs are given to the singer to sing. If a person who

dies had a song, that song is waiting around for someone to sing it

ò  Songs tell a story~ need permission to sing it

•  Honor Songs

•  Flag Songs

•  Powwow Songs

•  Wake up Songs

•  Winter Songs

•  Women’s Songs

•  Men’s Songs

Crafting the Mi’kmaq Potato Basket as a metaphor for writing the proposal

The Ceremony of Preparation for the Proposal

Epistemology

All of the knowledge of the tribe/community,

The Stories told how to go to the forest to gather the black ash tree; Are there songs to sing as the tree is cut down; how to pound the tree so the growth rings separate;

Stories told as the basket is crafted, The epistemology of the tribe or

community you work with.

Axiology

Ethics: The Ethics of not fudging your data~

The ethics of not stealing another basket maker’s design~

Protection of the culture, the people and their stories, art, songs~ Data.

Ontology: Reality

The vision the basket maker has of the completed basket.

The vision you have for your final research project.

Who owns the data

ò  Not the researcher (Just borrowing)

ò  Not the professor

ò  Not the university

ò  Not the government

ò  The research done in Aboriginal lands and the resulting data belong to the community.

Indigenous Methods of Dissemination

The American Indigenous Research

Association http://

americanindigenousresearchassociation.org

Indigenous Research Within the Academy

Research? Not in My Backyard

Responsible Research Means Staying for Tea

Research Question

•  What do Indigenous communities want research to accomplish? how should researchers behave? How important is knowing the culture?

•  Can Indigenous Research Methodologies Inform Indigenous Psychology?

Inform

ò The word “inform’’ is taluegeg (operationalized) to mean giving melga’toq (structure) to the essential characteristics of Indigenous Psychology.

ò 

Indigenous Psychology

ò Studying the Behaviours of people living in a certain place.

ò Not from outside.

ò Not European

ò Not Western

ò Indigenous treatments: Integrative modalities

Indigenous Concepts of Mental Illness

ò Loss of soul

ò Affected by a wind

ò Have Womba

ò Emotional and social issues

ò Falling sickness

ò Witch Spells

The partners

•  South Sea Islanders: Queensland, Australia

•  Aboriginal Murri People: Queensland, Australia

•  Sayisi Dene: Northern Manitoba, Canada

•  Salish: Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana

Murrie People of Rockhampton

South Sea Islanders, Queensland Australia

Queensland, Australia

Far North Queensland, Australia

South Sea Islanders in Australia

Sayisi Dene: Tadoule Lake ~ Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Sayisi Dene of Churchill and Tadoule Lake, Manitoba, Canada

Dene Village, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana USA

Flathead Indian Reservation Montana, USA

Methodology Permissions from Tribal/

Community Leaders.

Carefully crafted questions.

Tribal ethics & decolonization of the people.

Asking questions in a positive way.

The community owns the data.

IRB

Human subjects protection.

Protection of the culture.

Sharing Circles.

One on one Interviews.

Dissemination of the data.

What is the method of collecting that data?

Sharing Circles, Interviews with leaders, elders’ visits, field observations,

One on one visits/not just one visit~ grab and go ~ hand out a survey tool……stay for tea…stay and live with the family.

Don’t just come for a day to do observations and hand out surveys.

“Research” is a dirty word Conducted in Aboriginal lands

1.  Without permission, 2. Without consultation, 3. Without involvement of

Aboriginal people, 4. Without respect. 5. Indigenous peoples are objects of

curiosity and subjects of research to be seen, but not asked, heard or respected.

Researchers? “They are Just nosey.”

“They just want to find out stuff.”

“They got rich off us.”

“They never ask us what we need.”

“None of the data or solutions come back to us.”

“They take our stories, write the book or whatever their professors want and never give back to us.”

“They never tell us what they found and if they do, it is in language we don’t understand.”

Results: Themes

!!!!!!!!!!

Theme #1: Perception that Historical Trauma is the cause of

mental illness in Indigenous communities.!

ò 

Most negative coping behaviors, suicides, substance and spousal abuse, and other

mental health problems among Indigenous communities stem from

historical trauma. Participants in Canada and Australia reinforce what American

Indians have described relating to language loss, culture loss, and being

devalued as an Indigenous person through the residential and boarding

school experience. In that respect, researchers who enter Indigenous

communities to do research in mental health need to be aware of this. !

Theme #2: The researcher needs to respect and understand the culture of the community.

Theme #2

ò When researchers understand, and are familiar with the culture, their presence will be more acceptable and the community will trust the researcher and the data. Participants indicated that researchers should attend functions when they are invited, eat the food, live and participate in community life. Don’t just go to observe!

Theme #3 ò The research must contribute to community

empowerment and self-determination.

They are researchers but they are not doing it for us for our community. They are not fu---g doing it for us. They are doing it for the white man so they can get money. That is where all the bull shit is. And that is where the cycle keeps going and going and going. They are willing to give us royalties but excuse me, royalties. That is our land and they are getting a lot of money from that stuff ” (Manitoba, Canada/ Sayisi Dene).

“They are researchers but they are not doing it for us for our community. They are not fu---g doing it for us. They are doing it for the white man so they can get money. That is where all

the bull shit is. And that is where the cycle keeps going and going and going. They are willing to give us royalties but excuse me,

royalties. That is our land and they are getting a lot of money from that stuff ” (Manitoba,

Canada/ Sayisi Dene).

Theme #4: The research data should contribute to the community survival and recovery.

“I believe that research that is done in Aboriginal communities must be done

from the cultural values of that community. The research must be to

move the community forward, to heal issues of historical trauma, to promote self-determination, and to make visible the issues in those communities, so we can come together as a community and

make a plan to remedy the issues.” (Australia)

Theme #5 The research must focus on community interest and need.

“If they go into the community and say, ‘I want this’ or ‘I want that.’ They need

to care about us, and the community. One of the things that is really important to me is that a young researcher has to go with the flow of the community. If they

don’t go with the flow, then they [community members] will say, “What the hell are they doing here, if you are not going to help me? What do they

want?” As a researcher, you are supposed to hand everything over to them, you

know? (Manitoba) !

Theme #6 the community must be in

collaboration and give permission for the research to be done.

“People need to have council approval,

which should include a board that would keep an eye on ethics and any issues that might come up, whether it is wildlife or

mental health.” (Salish)

Theme #7 The researcher must do the work with an understanding of the community’s epistemology and ontology.“It is all about respect. Researchers also need to participate and live in the community and not just watch. People will accept them better if they participate. They are bringing something to the community. They are not stand offish. They may have a picture in their head about Aboriginal people.” (Australia)

Theme #8 !The community must

own the data. .

“Our stories belong in the community. They do not belong to the university or the government. They are ours, our data, and they belong to the Aboriginal community where the research is being carried out.” (Australia)

“The people [in the community] should own the stories that come from the community, but it never cones back. The researcher never comes back. There has never been

one that I can see evidence of giving back to the community that research

has been taken.” (Canada)

Theme #9: !The researcher must disseminate

the data in ways that the community can understand

“The researchers write up reports and send it to where it needs to go, but I never see any good

come from it. Dissemination takes place through working groups, written papers, and community groups. Men versus women have

different roles in each community, and perhaps a male researcher cannot speak with a female

member of the community” (Australia) “ They never come back to the

community” (Canada)

Theme #10: The integrity of the story and the storyteller or the informant are keys to knowledge.“When a researcher hears a story from someone, I do not think that the researcher hears the story in the same way it was told. It doesn’t have the same meaning. When the elders tell you something, their words are sacred when they come out of their mouth” (Montana)

Mental Health and Healing

ò  Community members ought to share ideas in treatment modality options available to them. Each Indigenous group will have their own cultural concepts for treatment. Gone (2013) also indicates this, and describes it as hybridization of therapies to fit the community.

Art As Data

What can our art and stories teach us about Community? Telling our stories and creating art can help with mental healing.

http://americanindigenousresearchassociation.org