Rural participatory research in Alaska: The case of Tanakon village

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how participatory research methodologies may be utilized to investigate the planning of improved sanitation services in rural Alaska. The village selected for this case study had a strong tribal and municipal government, and was in the process of designing research to determine the feasibility of various options for upgraded sanitation service. Establishing contacts early in the project ensured that a network of support was in place prior to the field visit to the village. This was critical to the successful and timely completion of the field visit. Key features of the participatory research methods included gaining permission from Native authorities and Elders to visit and conduct research, participating in group interviews, community activities, and transect walks, developing seasonal and historic timelines, and conducting a secondary source review of city and agency documents and school district archives. The findings of this study confirm that flexible and personalized research approaches can reveal a body of local knowledge that exists regarding how best to address sanitation issues. Such information can be utilized in developing efficient, cost-effective ways of providing environmentally sound waste disposal in rural communities.