non-Indigenous Researchers Research Articles

Understanding the Application and Use of Indigenous Research Methodologies in the Social Sciences by Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Scholars

Indigenous research methodologies articulate how researchers and Aboriginal communities engage in research together. These methodologies are informed by Indigenous cultural and ethical frameworks specific to the Nations with whom the research is being conducted. This study explores how such research relationships were articulated in the dissemination phase of research. We carried out an Indigenous qualitative content analysis of 79 peer-reviewed articles published January 1996 to June 2018, predominantly in the fields of social sciences. Our findings show that most articles were written by Indigenous researchers or a research team composed of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers. Such collaborations articulated the principles of Indigenous methodology (IM) much clearer than those authored by non-Indigenous scholars or when partnerships with Indigenous communities were less evident with respect to the principles guiding the research process. The principles of IM that were manifest in these research partnerships were relevance, respect for Indigenous knowledges, responsible relationships, wholism, and Indigenous ethics. The findings of this study will help to guide future researchers who work with Indigenous peoples, especially with respect to the need for a deeper understanding of how such research relationships are sustained over time to bring about meaningful change for Indigenous peoples and their communities.

Community involvement to maximise research success in Torres Strait Islander populations: more than just ticking the boxes.

Health research is important to effectively address the health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. However, research within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has not always been conducted ethically or with tangible benefits to those involved. Justifiably then, people may be reticent to welcome researchers into their communities. Genuine commitment to community consultation, the fostering of partnerships and collaborative approaches maximise successful outcomes and research translation in these communities. Despite guidelines existing to try to ensure the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are met through any research involving them, non-Indigenous researchers may not be fully aware of the complexities involved in applying these guidelines. This article explores how a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers understood and applied the guidelines during a 3-year dementia prevalence study in the Torres Strait. Their reflections on the practicalities involved in conducting ethically sound and culturally appropriate research are discussed. Having a deep understanding of the ethical principles of research with Torres Strait communities is more than just 'ticking the boxes' on ethics approvals. Genuine community involvement is paramount in conducting research with the communities and only then will research be relevant to community needs, culturally appropriate and facilitate the translation of knowledge into practice.

Non-indigenous freshwater fish research in Greece: Current status and future prospects

Many studies around the globe have documented that the introduction of non-indigenous fish species (NIFS) may pose severe impacts on native biota, ecosystem functioning, and ecosystem services. In Greece, publications on NIFS have increased in recent decades, however, review studies of past and current scientific research on freshwater NIFS in the country are currently lacking. Τhe aim of the present study was to: (a) assess the current state of knowledge of freshwater NIFS in Greece based on the existing scientific literature, (b) evaluate well-studied areas of NIFS research, and (c) identify important gaps that may direct national authorities to implement appropriate research, management and conservation actions reversing the negative impacts of NIFS. A systematic literature review on NIFS research within Greek inland waters was performed by applying the PRISMA methodology (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Overall, our initial search resulted in 2,794 published articles, 87 of which met our selection criteria and were thus included for full analysis. Evidently, NIFS failed to attract the interest of ecologists in Greece until the turn of the century, at which point, publications increased at a rapid rate. However, the majority of the studies were mainly monothematic concerning NIFS distribution within freshwater ecosystems of Greece (37%), followed by studies on ecological and biological aspects of NIFS (28%). Studies based on fieldwork and laboratory experiments were by far the most common type of research, followed by studies based on bibliographic data. Despite the fact that almost half of the publications were field observational studies, most of them used only qualitative data (plain presence/absence data). Critical aspects of impact assessment were missing; 84% of the reviewed studies did not provide any concrete evidence of NIFS impacts to native biota. Overall, the focus of the studies was uneven, with important gaps in areas of theoretical and practical importance for policy-relevant detection, control, and management of NIFS. Findings may assist researchers in filling scientific gaps identified by our review and guide authorities to define national priorities to prevent and control the spread of NIFS within the country.

Decolonizing transformations through \u2018right relations\u2019

Climate change has been conceptualized as a form and a product of colonization. In this perspective, it becomes important to base climate change adaptation and transformation efforts on decolonizing practices and imaginaries. A central aspect of decolonization is contained in the Indigenous conceptualization of relationality. Exploring how decolonization and relationality might form the foundation for transformations research, we engage with the concept of ‘right relations’. In the context of this inquiry, we take ‘right relations’ to mean an obligation to live up to the responsibilities involved when taking part in a relationship—be it to other humans, other species, the land or the climate. We begin the paper by bringing together the literature on climate change adaptation, transformation and decolonization to show their interconnections and emphasize the need to engage with all three when talking about sustainability. Second, we invoke the idea of ‘right relations’ to address how non-Indigenous transformation researchers can further the process of decolonization as part of their research. Third, we offer insights from our own research experience with narrative practices to help exemplify how transformation researchers in all disciplines might embody ‘right relations’ centered around four characteristics: listening deeply, self-reflexivity, creating space and being in action. Embodying ‘right relations’ is a continuous process of becoming with no end point, and we do not wish to suggest that we hold the answers. Instead, we reflect on our role in this process and hope for these words to open a dialogue about how we might move towards a ‘decolonized humanity’. We suggest that willingness to be affected and altered by the process of reciprocal collaborations is key to imagining decolonial ways of being and that this in turn can be a powerful manner of generating equitable and sustainable transformations.

Settler allies are made, not self-proclaimed: Unsettling conversations for non-Indigenous researchers and educators involved in Indigenous health

Background: While many settler allies are eager to help towards the goal of disrupting racism, a clearer understanding of how best to harness this eagerness is required within the field of Indigenous health, a field currently comprised mainly non-Indigenous scholars, researchers and educators. Purpose: Responding to this challenge, this article aims to identify ways of working towards disrupting settler colonialism and addressing racism in all of its manifestations by building settler allyship and adopting an anti-racist lens within the field of Indigenous health. The article describes how to approach building settler allyship by implementing anti-racist acts. Method: By using anti-racist scholarship and showcasing recent public examples of anti-Indigenous racism, the author describes how settler allies can approach developing unsettled, critical and anti-racist conversations with one another and in respectful ways with Indigenous peoples. As many Indigenous peoples continue to identify ongoing racism, there is a need for informed, unsettled, anti-racist allies willing to challenge their own complicity to then take action when anti-Indigenous racism occurs. Actions include critical self-reflection, confronting white supremacy and implementing demonstrably anti-racist acts. Conclusion: Findings provide the basis for amplifying unsettling conversations between engaged settler allies to develop anti-racist ways of fostering and extending relationships with Indigenous people and scholars.

Doing research into Indigenous issues being non-Indigenous

Based on research into Indigenous people and sport, this article discusses the opportunities and challenges for a non-Indigenous researcher to study Indigenous issues. The author shares personal experiences from research into Sámi sport (Sámi are the Indigenous people of the North Calotte) and compares these with the literature relating to post-colonial methodologies. It concludes with some overarching elements to take into consideration when researching Indigenous peoples: reflection including critical self-reflection (as in any qualitative research); reciprocity, including respect, dialogue and that the research must benefit the Indigenous people under study and in general; and awareness about the heterogeneity within Indigenous groups and consciousness about the interface between researcher and Indigenous peoples. Given the heterogeneity, the interfaces vary.

A Collaborative Indigenous-non-Indigenous Partnership Approach to Understanding Participant Experiences of a Community-Based Healthy Lifestyles Program.

We describe the approach of an Indigenous–non-Indigenous research partnership in the context of a qualitative study which aimed to understand barriers and facilitators to engagement in a community-based healthy lifestyles program in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Informed by Kaupapa Māori research principles and by “Community-Up” research values, this collaborative approach between the mixed Māori–non-Māori research team effectively engaged with Māori and non-Māori families for in-depth interviews on participant experience, including with non-service users. “Community-Up” research principles allowed for a respectful process which upheld the mana (status, dignity) of the interview participants and the research team. Challenges included maintaining flexibility in our conceptions of ethnicity to reflect the complexity of modern family life in Aotearoa/New Zealand. We were committed to ongoing communication, awareness, and attention to the relationships that formed the basis of our research partnership, which allowed effective navigation of challenges and was critical to the study’s success.

“Indigenous” Nature Connection? A Response to Kurth, Narvaez, Kohn, and Bae (2020)

“Indigenous” Nature Connection? A Response to Kurth, Narvaez, Kohn, and Bae (2020)

Yarning as an Interview Method for Non-Indigenous Clinicians and Health Researchers.

In this article, we discuss the origins, epistemology, and forms of Yarning as derived from the literature, and its use in research and clinical contexts. Drawing on three Yarns, the article addresses the extent to which non-Indigenous researchers and clinicians rightfully use and adapt this information-gathering method, or alternatively, may engage in yet another form of what can be described as post-colonialist behavior. Furthermore, we argue that while non-Indigenous researchers can use Yarning as an interview technique, this does not necessarily mean they engage in Indigenous methodologies. As we note, respectfully interviewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be a challenge for non-Indigenous researchers. The difficulties go beyond differences in language to reveal radically different expectations about how relationships shape information giving. Yarning as a method for addressing cross-cultural clinical and research differences goes some way to ameliorating these barriers, but also highlights the post-colonial tensions.

Deep-colonising narratives and emotional labour: Indigenous tourism in a deeply-colonised place

Sydney is an Indigenous place – Indigenous Country – infused with Indigenous stories and lore/Law. Yet as the original site of British colonisation in 1788, Sydney today is also a deeply-colonised place. Long-held narratives of Sydney as a colonial city have worked hard to erasure Indigenous peoples’ presences and to silence Indigenous stories of this place (Rey and Harrison, 2018). In recent years, however, Indigenous-led tours on Country are emerging in the Greater Sydney region, whereby Indigenous guides share with visitors stories of place, history, culture, language and connection. We write together as Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, in conversation with four Indigenous tour operators in the Greater Sydney region to reflect on their experiences of conducting Indigenous tours in this Indigenous-yet-deeply-colonised place. We document the kinds of ‘deep-colonising’ (Rose, 1996) narratives and assumptions the operators encounter during their tours and within the tourism industry, and highlight how Indigenous tour operators facilitate many non-Indigenous peoples in taking their first steps towards meaningful interactions with Indigenous Sydney-siders. We conclude that Indigenous tour operators undertake incredibly complex, confronting and challenging emotional labours trying to change the pervasive and deep-colonising narratives and assumptions about Indigenous peoples in the Greater Sydney region. In a world where the histories of thousands of cities ‘lie in dispossession and genocide of Indigenous peoples’ (Porter, 2020: 15), we argue for further and careful analytical attention on Indigenous tourism encounters in Indigenous – yet deeply-colonised – places.

Synergy of systems theory and symbolic interactionism: a passageway for non-Indigenous researchers that facilitates better understanding Indigenous worldviews and knowledges

ABSTRACT Historically, non-Indigenous researchers have contributed to colonisation by research based on Western positivistic philosophical frameworks. This approach led to disembodying knowledge from Indigenous people’s histories, worldviews, and cultural and social practices, thus perpetuating a deficit-based discourse which situates the responsibility of problems within Indigenous peoples and ignores the larger socio-economic and historical contexts in which problems are rooted. Rectifying this position requires decolonising Western positivistic research by shifting to basing research on social constructionist paradigms that lead to strength-based approaches. Based on our experiences gained exploring disaster risk reduction perspectives with two remote Indigenous communities in Australia and Pakistan, we suggest in this conceptual paper that a synergy of systems theory and symbolic interactionism offers an appropriate philosophical lens to non-Indigenous researchers for gaining a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of Indigenous holistic and relational perspectives, experiences, interpretations and actions/interaction. Research based on these philosophical worldviews promotes a strength-based approach that aligns with and empowers Indigenous ways of facilitating health and wellbeing. We offer our experiences of utilising these two frameworks and of how they could assist other non-Indigenous researchers to discover valuable insights into Indigenous perspectives and interpretations that might otherwise be ignored or neglected.

Facilitating Sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction in Indigenous Communities: Reviving Indigenous Worldviews, Knowledge, and Practices through Two-Way Partnering.

The Sendai Framework of Action 2015–2030 calls for holistic Indigenous disaster risk reduction (DRR) research. Responding to this call, we synergized a holistic philosophical framework (comprising ecological systems theory, symbolic interactionism, and intersectionality) and social constructionist grounded theory and ethnography within a critical Indigenous research paradigm as a methodology for exploring how diverse individual and contextual factors influence DRR in a remote Indigenous community called Galiwinku, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Working together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers collected stories in local languages using conversations and yarning circles with 20 community members, as well as participant observations. The stories were interpreted and analysed using social constructivist grounded theory analysis techniques. The findings were dialogued with over 50 community members. The findings deeply resonated with the community members, validating the trustworthiness and relevance of the findings. The grounded theory that emerged identified two themes. First, local Indigenous knowledge and practices strengthen Indigenous people and reduce the risks posed by natural hazards. More specifically, deep reciprocal relationships with country and ecological knowledge, strong kinship relations, Elder’s wisdom and authority, women and men sharing power, and faith in a supreme power/God and Indigenous-led community organizations enable DRR. Second, colonizing practices weaken Indigenous people and increase the risks from natural hazards. Therefore, colonization, the imposition of Western culture, the government application of top-down approaches, infiltration in Indigenous governance systems, the use of fly-in/fly-out workers, scarcity of employment, restrictions on technical and higher education opportunities, and overcrowded housing that is culturally and climatically unsuitable undermine the DRR capability. Based on the findings, we propose a Community-Based DRR theory which proposes that facilitating sustainable Indigenous DRR in Australian Indigenous communities requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to genuinely work together in two-directional and complementary ways.

Building Trust: A Cross-Cultural Narrative Process

The transition to fatherhood is a complex journey scarcely researched in Australian First Nations populations. Historical and political legacy, along with cultural traditions must be taken into consideration before exploring the experiences of Australia's First Nations expectant fathers, especially when the experience is related to the millennia honored “women's business.” This article shares the challenges, opportunities, and rewards the authors experienced while researching with Australia's First Nations men who supported their partners during childbirth in a hospital setting. Ethical insights and input from all members of the research team ensured that culturally safe strategies were used to address all encountered difficulties. Building a trusting relationship with the local community was fundamental to the legitimacy, richness, and success of this research project. Lessons learned from this experience can provide an insight to non-Indigenous researchers choosing to conduct or support research with Australia's First Nations people in a respectful and meaningful manner.

Investigación educativa socialmente relevante

Las metodologías de investigación en contextos comunitarios son cada vez más participativas, lo cual se debe, entre otras cosas, a las críticas hacia el escaso compromiso social de las investigaciones académicas tradicionales y al surgimiento de intelectuales indígenas que las realizan en sus comunidades desde perspectivas de activismo etnopolítico y decoloniales, promovidas por intelectuales indígenas y no indígenas. En ese tenor, este artículo pretende dar cuenta de un proceso de investigación educativa etnográfica en una comunidad zapoteca de la Sierra Sur de Oaxaca, mediante un enfoque participativo, con fundamento en dos grandes principios: 1) la construcción de conocimientos en, con y desde la comunidad; y 2) la compartencia de éstos, lo cual implica un compromiso comunitario.

The impact of vicarious trauma on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health researchers.

To describe and reflect on an Aboriginal researcher's experience of vicarious trauma arising from a qualitative study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with chronic disease. In-depth semistructured interviews with thematic analysis were undertaken to explore the psychosocial factors experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women as they managed their chronic disease. An 'Indigenous women's standpoint theory' approach was adopted to frame discussion. This approach gives strength and power to the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their diverse cultural lived experiences. The raw and often brutal realities this approach exposed had a triggering impact on the Aboriginal team member for whom these realities were familiar. Interviews were conducted with participants from four Aboriginal Medical Services from urban, rural and remote Australia. Analysis of the interviews, and reflection regarding the researcher's experiences, occurred within the context of a multidisciplinary team. Participant selection for the interview study was purposive. Seventy-two participants were selected for this study. The duration of the study was 2 years, and it was undertaken between March and December 2014, and finalised in December 2016. In exploring how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women managed their own health and wellbeing, compelling stories of trauma, domestic violence and generational incarceration were shared with the researcher. Hearing and re-living some of these overwhelming experiences left her feeling isolated and distressed. These compelling stories contributed to her experience of vicarious trauma. When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers conduct research in Indigenous communities, we should monitor, prepare for and provide appropriate care and support to researchers to address the potential for vicarious trauma. These considerations are paramount if we are to build the capacity of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers to conduct Indigenous health research.

Kuin Kahab Mikahab: Hãhãhãe Pataxó Hãhãhãe Ũg Iẽ Ikhã Ikô Tâypâk Anekö

Este artigo é parte do meu percurso acadêmico na Licenciatura Intercultural Indígena da UFMG, em 2018, sobre a Língua Pataxó Hãhãhãe. O povo Pataxó Hãhãhãe tem uma população de quase quatro mil indígenas e habita no Território Indígena Caramuru Catarina Paraguaçu que faz divisa com os três municípios do sul da Bahia: Itaju do Colônia, Pau Brasil e Camacan. Até o ano de 1938, o povo Pataxó Hãhãhãe falava somente sua língua ancestral. A perseguição contra esse povo, fez com que de maneira forçada deixasse de falar sua própria língua. Bahetá foi a última falante da língua, faleceu em 1992. Em 1982 foi publicada a cartilha Lições de Bahetá, com 129 palavras e duas frases, coletadas com a anciã Bahetá. No ano de 2017 foi publicado um Dicionário do Povo Pataxó Hãhãhãe trazendo um novo horizonte ao vocabulário do meu povo, com informações sobre outras línguas com as quais os Hãhãhãe tiveram contato, como Kamakã, Kariri Sapuyá, Tupinambá e Pataxó. Neste artigo trago a experiência Pataxó Hãhãhãe de retomada ou reavivamento da língua deixada pelos nossos anciões e como tem sido esse processo no contexto escolar, a partir da reflexão sobre uma proposta de ensino desenvolvida na Escola Indígena da Aldeia Bahetá. Para realizar a pesquisa, foram feitas consultas em arquivo públicos, pesquisa de trabalhos publicados sobre a língua Pataxo Hãhãhãe, além de pesquisa de campo com coleta de depoimentos de anciões. Espera-se que esse trabalho ajude na luta pela retomada língua Pataxó Hãhãhãe e estimule outras gerações a usar a língua valorizando as memórias de Bahetá, Txitxiáh, bem como os saberes dos mais velhos que vêm nos alimentando através da fala.

Decolonisation through Poetry: Building First Nations’ Voice and Promoting Truth-Telling

The impetus to decolonise high schools and universities has been gaining momentum in Southern locations such as South Africa and Australia. In this article, we use a polyvocal approach, juxtaposing different creative and scholarly voices, to argue that poetry offers a range of generative possibilities for the decolonisation of high school and university curricula. Australian First Nations’ poetry has been at the forefront of the Indigenous political protest movement for land rights, recognition, justice and Treaty since the British settlement/invasion. Poetry has provided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a powerful vehicle for speaking back to colonial power. In this article, a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers argue that poetry can be a powerful vehicle for Indigenous voices and Knowledges. We suggest that poetry can create spaces for deep listening (dadirri), and that listening with the heart can promote truth-telling and build connections between First Nations and white settler communities. These decolonising efforts underpin the “Wandiny (gathering together)—Listen with the Heart: Uniting Nations through Poetry” research that we discuss in this article. We model our call-and-response methodology by including the poetry of our co-author and Aboriginal Elder of the Kungarakan people in the Northern Territory, Aunty Sue Stanton, with poetic responses by some of her co-authors.

Ethical Data Linkage with Indigenous Communities: The Manitoba Experience

IntroductionIndigenous populations are known to have poor health and health outcomes in many countries. Indigenous peoples continue to be the subjects of unethical research. Research that is undertaken without their consent, involvement in the design, delivery and interpretation of results that perpetuates negative stereotypes ignoring the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism.
 Objectives and ApproachIn order to understand the health status and health system use of First Nations people in Manitoba Canada we developed a partnership between the First Nations Social Secretariat of Manitoba and researchers to link First Nations identifiers with administrative data. This partnership was based on long-standing relationships with researchers who were affiliated with the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.
 ResultsA tripartite data sharing agreement set out the parameters of sharing data that supported the linkage of the Federal Registered First Nations database to the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository. The DSA facilitated direct First Nations input into the indicators chosen, the reporting cohorts, the interpretation of results and the language of the report.
 Conclusion / ImplicationsDSAs can be used as a tool to facilitate partnerships with Non-indigenous researchers and Indigenous Nations that lead to meaningful partnerships and lay the foundation for respectful and ethical research. The research presents findings the health of First Nations and shines a light on the underlying colonialism and racism that contributes to the health inequities. These findings have the potential to influence health and well-being of First Nation peoples in Manitoba. This model of collaboration can be used a model in other jurisdictions.

Supporting Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Research Partnerships

This commentary discusses the framing of the production of a series of online text-based and visual resources aimed at researchers embarking on Indigenous and non-Indigenous research partnerships, and in particular supporting non-Indigenous researchers to think about our/their methods, assumptions and behaviour. We identify the tension in mainstream funding for such partnerships, and discuss the implications of Northern epistemological claims to agendas and universality as against Southern epistemologies acknowledging diversity and challenging oppressions. We note the distinct bases for Indigenous methodologies. Our commentary outlines and illustrates the online downloadable resources produced by our own Indigenous and non-Indigenous research partnership, including a video/audio recording, a comic, and blog posts, addressing decolonized collaborative practice.

An integrative review of empirical literature on indigenous cognitive impairment and dementia.

To synthesize research findings about Indigenous perspectives on cognitive impairment and dementia. Whittemore and Knafl's updated approach to integrative review and PRISMA guidelines for narrative analysis was followed. A systematic search of the published literature from 2010-June 2020 was undertaken in four databases and complemented by supplementary searches. Thirty-four studies met the research question and inclusion criteria. Four themes describe the findings. Most of the studies were conducted by non-Indigenous researchers and may reflect Western perspectives on dementia rather than Indigenous views. A majority of the studies report epidemiological data or the testing of clinical tools. The review indicates a dearth of knowledge about Indigenous perspectives on ageing and understanding of cognitive impairment and dementia. Researchers need to draw on Indigenous traditional knowledge, culture, and traditions through a meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities and Elders to indigenize and decolonize dementia care. This integrative review highlights the need for community-led discussions and community engagement around Indigenous perspectives, needs, and understandings of ageing, cognitive impairment, and dementia care.