Introduction
In May, we (Drs. Melissa Walls and Joseph Gone) facilitated a small, intimate gathering of Indigenous research scholars in Pray, Montana, to discuss the significance of Indigenous Ways of Knowing in addressing health inequities and promoting health. Participants for the gathering were selected from a network of colleagues engaged in scholarship surrounding Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Indigenous research methodologies. The participants represented diverse opinions, disciplines, and Tribal Nations for comprehensive and inclusive representation of Indigenous knowledges.
The gathering was an opportunity to explore, debate, and discuss how Indigenous Ways of Knowing might (or might not) be incorporated into health sciences. It offered space to think, talk, dream, and explore the potential future of our planet from Indigenous perspectives. Our intent was for participants to leave feeling restored, energized, and supported in their work to promote Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Indigenous research methods.
Key Discussion Questions
At the gathering, participants engaged in semi-structured discussions and learned from three plenary speakers on topics including decolonizing research and navigating colonial structures while preserving cultural and personal integrity. These conversations provided insights into the challenges faced by Indigenous scholars, grappled with “thorny dilemmas” related to attempts to Indigenize the health sciences, and invited commentary on ideal ways to promote well-being and thriving among Indigenous Peoples.
More specifically, participants explored questions about the intended audience for Indigenous Ways of Knowing, the integration of Indigeneity into research, identifying Indigenous knowledges that might be appropriately included in health research, balancing respect, sharing, and protection of these knowledges, and navigating relationships between identity and research processes. The discussions also highlighted necessary conditions and institutional changes to promote this transformative work and contributed to the development of solutions and visions of self-determined futures free from the impacts of colonialism.
Lessons Learned
The gathering revealed several key themes, including identity and healing, the need to slow down, motherhood, culture, decolonization, and various forms of connection, such as with the land, each other, and allies.
Moreover, the gathering showcased how academia remains a challenging environment for Indigenous scholars, who continue to struggle against dominant systems that minimize the value of Indigenous knowledges. This highlighted the need for systemic change to create a more inclusive and supportive academic environment, ensuring that Indigenous scholars can thrive and their contributions are valued.
Next Steps
Moving forward, the momentum gained from the gathering can drive meaningful transformations. Incorporating Indigenous Ways of Knowing into our lives can guide us in cultivating right relationships with our communities, knowledge systems, values, and spirit, ultimately leading to a good life. The gathering planted a seed with the potential to bloom into something impactful. Together, alongside the participants, we will continue conversations about what comes next and the importance of legitimizing Indigenous Ways of Knowing.
The entire Ways of Knowing Symposia series will come to a close at the Facing Race National Conference on November 20 in St. Louis, MO. It will provide an opportunity for us to share insights from the Indigenous Ways of Knowing gathering, outline the next steps and calls to action for systemic change, and gather participant reactions. The closing event will also offer an opportunity for co-learning around structural innovations for more inclusive, anticolonial, and antiracist health science knowledge.
Resources
- Cross, T. L., Friesen, B. J., Jivanjee, P., Gowen, L. K., Bandurraga, A., Matthew, C. & Maher, N. (2011). Defining youth success using culturally appropriate community-based participatory research methods. Best Practices in Mental Health, 7(1). 94-114.
- First Nations Health Council. (2023). 10-Year Strategy on the Social Determinants of Health: A Framework for the Future.
- Friesen, B. J., Cross, T. L., Jivanjee, P. R., Gowen, L. K., Bandurraga, A., Bastomski, S., Matthew, C., & Maher, N. J. (2012). More Than a Nice Thing to Do: A Practice-Based Evidence Approach to Outcome Evaluation in Native Youth and Family Programs. In: Chang, E., Downey, C. (eds) Handbook of Race and Development in Mental Health. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0424-8_6
Gone, J. P. (2019). Considering Indigenous research methodologies: Critical reflections by an Indigenous knower. Qualitative Inquiry, 25(1), 45-56.
Gone, J. P. (2022). Indigenous research methodologies: X-marks in the age of community accountability and protection. Qualitative Inquiry, 28(2), 164-170.
- Hindmarch, S., & Hillier, S. (2022). Reimagining global health: From decolonisation to indigenization. Global Public Health, 18(1).
- Hodge, D. R., Limb, G. E., & Cross, T. L. (2009). Moving from colonization toward balance and harmony: a Native American perspective on wellness. Social Work, 54(3):211-9.
- Hoss, A. (2021). Federal Indian law as a structural determinant of health. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 47(S4), 34-42.
- Hoss, A. (2019). A framework for Tribal public health law. Nevada Law Journal, 20(1), article 4.
Kaholokula, J.K., Look, M.A., Wills, T.A. et al. Kā-HOLO Project: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a native cultural dance program for cardiovascular disease prevention in Native Hawaiians. BMC Public Health, 17, 321 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4246-3
Kovach, M. (2010). Conversation method in Indigenous research. First Peoples Child & Family Review, 5(1), 40-48.
Mashford-Pringle, A., Hiscock, C., Rice, E. J., & Scott, B. (2023). Weaving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis principles and values into health research processes. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 160, 54-60.
Mashford-Pringle, A., & Stewart, S. L. (2019). Akiikaa (it is the land): Exploring land-based experiences with university students in Ontario. Global Health Promotion, 26(3_suppl), 64-72.
Milburn, M. P. (2004). Indigenous nutrition: Using traditional food knowledge to solve contemporary health problems. The American Indian Quarterly, 38(3&4), 411-434.
Morton Ninomiya, M. E., Burns, N., Pollock, N. J., Green, N. T. G., Martin, J., Linton, J., Rand, J. R., Brubacher, L. J., Keeling, A., & Latta, A. (2023). Indigenous communities and the mental health impacts of land dispossession related to industrial resource development: A systematic review. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(6), E501-E517.
O’Keefe, V.M., Maudrie, T.L., Cole, A.B. et al. (2023). Conceptualizing Indigenous strengths-based health and wellness research using group concept mapping. Archives of Public Health, 81(71).
Shawanda, A., & Manitowabi, J. (2023). Anishinaabe dream methodology. Turtle Island Journal of Indigenous Health, 1(3).
Steinhauer, E. (2002). Thoughts on an Indigenous research methodology. The Canadian Journal of Native Education, 26(2), 69-81.
Windchief, S., & Cummins, J. (2022). Considering Indigenous research methodologies: Bicultural accountability and the protection of community held knowledge. Qualitative Inquiry, 28(2), 151-163.
Windchief, S., Polacek, C., Munson, M., Ulrich, M., & Cummings, J. D. (2018). In reciprocity: Responses to critiques of Indigenous methodologies. Qualitative Inquiry, 24(8), 532-542.
Woodbury, R. B., Ketchum, S., Hiratsuka, V. Y., & Spicer, P. (2019). Health-related participatory research in American Indian and Alaska Native communities: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2969.