I Am Not Represented Here: Cultural Frameworks and Indigenous Methodology Primer for Postsecondary Settings

Tina Fraser,Linda O’Neill

doi:10.1177/16094069211025444

Tina Fraser, Linda O’Neill

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211025444

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Abstract

The purpose of this article is to share approaches for Indigenous students who are novice researchers at post-secondary settings in finding space and culturally relevant ways of representing their worldview in research through Indigenous methodologies and cultural frameworks. While there may be some similarities between Indigenous methodologies and Western qualitative research approaches, there are obvious cultural differences. This article presents an example of an Indigenous Māori centered approach and examples of Aboriginal approaches using Indigenous research methodology through cultural frameworks that may have relevance to both Indigenous students and non-Indigenous allies who support them on their research journey.

Highlights

The authors have been challenged in supporting graduate level Indigenous students to find an approach for their voices or see them reflected in the Western realm of research at the post-secondary setting
Battiste and Henderson (2000) eloquently sums up what we are experiencing with Aboriginal students in research; “For most Aboriginal students, the realization of their invisibility is similar to looking into a still lake and not seeing their image” (p. 76)
In proposal meeting after proposal meeting, Indigenous students are looking through layers of qualitative approaches for their image, a clear image not overlapped with more known and accepted approaches from the current dominant Western paradigm

Summary

Introduction

An Aboriginal graduate student recently sat down in the second author’s office and stared at the books in the shelves, stating, “I am not represented here, there are thousands and thousands of words, but I cannot find myself here.” Tucked in between Western texts on education, psychology, and research, works by Chrisjohn, Duran and Duran, Battiste, Kovach, TuhiwaiSmith, and Wilson, among other prominent Indigenous scholars and writers, are often not given the lectured, written and lived space required to best support Indigenous students in their research quests. While writing her thesis focused on culturally relevant mental health support for Aboriginal youth, Carlick (2009) of Southern Tutchone, Tlingit, Kaska and Tahltan descent wondered how she would incorporate data in a way that would honor her First Nations traditions, making space for her nations’ knowledges She was not sure what methodological approach was a fit for her, but she had extensive experience working with the youth. Once the canoe was conceived in its entirety, Carlick (2009) describes how six painted and carved paddles were included, carefully constructed with traditional stories, each paddle representing three youth and three Elders who were participants in the study In this framework, the youth would learn from the Elders teaching them how to work together, how to protect their identity and how to maintain traditional knowledge and use that knowledge in creating culturally relevant mental health support. Their stories and experience of the Indian Act are essential to the meaning and purpose of this research

The Sun in Raven’s mouth-Knowledge from story

The Left wing of Raven-Indigenous Methods of Research

The Right wing of Raven-Phenomenology

Raven’s Eye-Researcher Perspective

Summary