Learning anatomy is influenced by many factors including sociocultural and education background. We aim to: (a) compare the academic stress, learning styles, and learning strategies of Pasifika (Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands) and Pākehā (New Zealanders with European ethnicity) anatomy students and (b) investigate how learning strategies are associated with academic stress. Using an online survey, we gathered data from 43 Pasifika and 42 Pākehā students in 2022–2023 in New Zealand. Pasifika students reported higher levels of academic stress than Pākehā students. Learning styles and preferences for most assessed learning strategies were similar between both ethnic groups. Preferences of reading online materials and group study were associated with academic stress levels, after controlling for age, ethnicity, and gender. Despite the disparities in academic stress levels, Pākehā and Pasifika anatomy students have similar learning styles and learning strategies. Other factors are likely to contribute to their academic stress.

Collaborative research is rooted in the fundamental principle of recognizing communities as equal research partners. This article draws attention to an important part of this relationship—learning the traditional values of community and emulating these in research—presenting a reflection on the lessons learned during a three-year project to redefine principles of curation according to Tłı̨chǫ traditions for caring for knowledge. Throughout this process, Tłı̨chǫ Elders offered teachings that reached beyond cultural heritage into lessons on life, humility, and collaboration. Derived from the relationship between Tłı̨chǫ nàowoò (Tłı̨chǫ traditional knowledge, language, culture, and way of life), caribou, and building fires, a strong like two research methodology embodies the role of different perspectives in forming one strong voice. It draws from the Tłı̨chǫ teaching that encourages learning from multiple perspectives to be strong like two people and is the result of the missteps and mentorship experienced throughout our research.

In response to the climate crisis, the international community continues to advocate resilience-based solutions in the Pacific. While often well-intentioned, these external interventions rarely meet expectations. One reason for this lack of implementation lies in a disconnect between underlying value systems between the global north and the Pacific. This article questions this straightforward dichotomy by exploring the extent to which climate resilience can become legitimate and locally owned. Through a critical post-colonial perspective, we consider the possibilities of Indigenous-based learning in tertiary education and how this can be integrated with the imported concept of resilience. Even if Indigenous-based resilience practices served communities for generations prior to the universalizing practices of western-centric epistemes via colonization, this does not necessarily require a rejection of western-centric understandings of climate resilience. Instead, scientific facts and Indigenous knowledge can co-exist to strengthen local climate resilient capacities and yield the possibility for novel climate solutions.

Colonial toponyms result from a process through which colonizers exert hegemonic control over Indigenous toponyms. While previous research has documented numerous cases of distorted toponyms, little is known about the mechanisms of distortion and their discursive impact. This study addresses this gap by examining the linguistic alterations and the communicative misuses of mistransliterated toponyms. Drawing on critical toponomies, this qualitative study examines the Tunisian town Tataouine as a case study. French colonial authorities transliterated Fam tiṭṭawin into Foum-Tatahouine in conformity with their linguistic conventions. The distorted toponym has since been used pejoratively in French and commodified to boost the commercial value of meteorite fragments and tourism-related products. Thus, mistransliteration functions as a disruptive process through which Indigenous peoples lose their original toponyms and become disconnected from their cultural narratives and spatial identities. By revealing the role of mistransliteration in stigmatization and degradation, this study aligns with critical scholarship that advocates reclaiming Indigenous toponyms as an act of symbolic resistance against colonial and neocolonial toponymic hegemony.

The British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (BC NEIHR) supports self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous communities, collectives, and organizations (ICCOs) in health research. Through partnerships with ICCOs, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, and external Indigenous and non-Indigenous partner organizations across BC, the BC NEIHR works closely with research administrators to advance self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and ICCOs in health research. To transform the current research environment and uphold Indigenous self-determination, research institutions and administration must build and strengthen culturally safe and meaningful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and ICCOs. Through the Indigenous Cultural Safety in Research Framework, the BC NEIHR challenges dominant Western colonial environments of research to advance decolonization of all research systems, including research administration. We share considerations for Indigenous cultural safety in research administration, including recommendations that address power imbalances, bridge capacity, and build culturally safe and meaningful relationships within Indigenous health research.

Recollections about procreation, by descendants of iwi (Indigenous tribes) in Aotearoa New Zealand, and authenticated writings from seminal Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) scholars reveal how relational sensemaking with babies may be understood by beginning with ancient creation pūrākau (narratives). Together, these ancient and contemporary pūrākau can inform a future that sustains our own culture and can be used as a basis for informing how we communicate with babies today. The article interweaves literature concerning ancient tribal pūrākau related to creation, conception, pregnancy, and birth with recollections from our contemporary research settings. We consider how tairongo (a sixth sense or intuition) might well affect sensemaking between babies and their whānau (single or extended family members). In ancient times, this relational sensemaking began before conception, continued in the womb, and was shared by a network of carers from birth. Three pūrākau reveal how these practices played out in the contemporary world today.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh is home to diverse Indigenous communities whose traditional clothing plays a vital role in preserving cultural identity. However, the use of traditional attire has declined significantly due to various sociopolitical, economic, and environmental pressures. This study investigates the key factors contributing to this shift, including cultural assimilation, economic hardship, inadequate incentives, environmental changes, and political instability. Drawing on survey data from 72 educated Indigenous individuals and supported by historical and contextual analysis, the study reveals a growing disconnection from ancestral practices among younger generations. While traditional garments once served as symbols of heritage, pride, and social meaning, modern influences and systemic challenges now threaten their continuity. The findings underscore the urgent need for policy interventions, awareness-building, and incentive-driven programs to preserve and revitalize traditional dress practices as an essential part of Indigenous cultural heritage in Bangladesh.

The farmer field school is an adult education model emphasizing experiential, participatory learning. In Honduras, farmer field school promotes gender equality and empowers women in agriculture, particularly as many male farmers migrate in search of alternative income sources. This ethnographic study explores how farmer field school women participants engage with agricultural practices and how these practices influence their empowerment and community sustainability. The research was conducted in four Lenca communities and involved 60 participants in the farmer field school bio-intensive program, with 13 sharing their experiences. Based on semi-structured interviews, drawings, observations, and photographs, the study revealed a transformation in agricultural practices through farmer field school, with women viewing farming as vital to community life and the empowerment of women through enhanced leadership and knowledge. The study highlighted the critical role of participatory learning in advancing agricultural knowledge and fostering social cohesion. This research underscores how agricultural education initiatives can empower marginalized communities and promote cultural and environmental sustainability.

Little has been written about the living experiences of Māori caregivers who parent children living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Te Iho Tātai-ā-Rongo (FASD) in Aotearoa. This study, of 14 Māori caregivers, focused on health and wellbeing and parenting strategies. Eight of the caregivers were whānau caregivers who were parenting children from extended family, and six other Māori caregivers were parenting children not known to them. Semi-structured interviews identified themes of hauora or wellbeing impacts, financial and employment issues, cultural practices, systems’ harms, FASD-informed parenting and systems’ changes needed. The findings show that Māori caregivers face great adversity in providing the best possible care for their children living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and that they sacrifice a great deal in terms of their health or finances, alongside battling for basic supports and resources for their children. They are also active advocates for systemic change for increased resources to help their families.

This research investigates how the soundscape of Native forests reflects forest health and how it may signal early signs of Kauri Mate ( Phytophthora agathidicida ; dieback) infection. Grounded in mātauranga Māori (Māori [the Indigenous peoples of New Zealand] knowledge) from Te Rarawa (a tribe in the northern North Island, New Zealand), the study combines Indigenous knowledge with modern technology to develop a sonic-based method for ecological restoration. Recorded soundscapes from healthy kauri (a coniferous tree, northern New Zealand; Agathis australis ) are layered with taonga puoro (traditional Māori instruments), karakia (chants), and parāoa (sperm whale) calls, blended with the 528 Hz healing frequency to create immersive environments aligned with the forest’s mauri (life force). This methodology acknowledges the interconnectedness of all living entities and aims to restore ecosystems through vibration and sound. Findings recommend community-led, culturally grounded soundscape interventions to support forest health, while strengthening spiritual and emotional connections between people, place, and environment.