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Visual representation of weaving a methodology for 'research at the interface' for the first author. * The interface for science and Indigenous knowledges from Durie 2004 (Durie, 2004a).
Source publication
Indigenous research Knowledges and methodologies have existed over millennia, however it is only recently that Indigenous scholars have been able to challenge institutional Western hegemony to reclaim sovereignty in the research space. Despite the high volume of quantitative research describing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, there ha...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... visual representation of weaving a research methodology at the interface (Figure 1) depicts two different communities of knowledge, represented as two different species of water rushes or reeds -one Native species from the land, the other an introduced species to the land (Table 1). In this figure, the yellow circular structure depicts Western scientific knowledge systems and methodology, as an 'introduced species' (Table 1). ...
Context 2
... in Table 2, of Aboriginal research methods include decolonisation and Yuri Ingarninthii. When weaving a methodology for 'research at the interface', the two diverse knowledge systems and worldviews, Indigenous and Western, do not just sit over the top of each other and overlap, they intertwine, are weaved together, to ensure structural integrity ( Figure 1, Table 1). The coiled stitch technique, used to build the interface, draws from each knowledge system, Indigenous in red and Western in yellow. ...
Context 3
... visual representation of weaving a research methodology at the interface (Figure 1) depicts two different communities of knowledge, represented as two different species of water rushes or reeds -one Native species from the land, the other an introduced species to the land (Table 1). In this figure, the yellow circular structure depicts Western scientific knowledge systems and methodology, as an 'introduced species' (Table 1). ...
Context 4
... in Table 2, of Aboriginal research methods include decolonisation and Yuri Ingarninthii. When weaving a methodology for 'research at the interface', the two diverse knowledge systems and worldviews, Indigenous and Western, do not just sit over the top of each other and overlap, they intertwine, are weaved together, to ensure structural integrity ( Figure 1, Table 1). The coiled stitch technique, used to build the interface, draws from each knowledge system, Indigenous in red and Western in yellow. ...
Citations
... This study used a glocalised design to explore a dialogical exchange between Indigenous and Western knowledge in the encounter space, where different knowledge systems interweave in meaningful ways (Nakata, 2007;Pesambili, 2021). This encounter generates an opportunity for new ways of understanding research involving insights and values from both Indigenous and Western knowledge (Ryder et al., 2019;Pesambili, 2021). The glocalised design positions both the researcher and participants within a backdrop of power relations where, in Bainton's (2007) logic, the possibility of hierarchies dissolves, and in their different locatedness, diverse knowledge systems start functioning more clearly. ...
Purpose
While extensive research exists on education practices among Maasai pastoralists, this study fills a gap in understanding their specific perspectives on what constitutes “quality education” for their community. This study aims to uncover how Maasai elders define quality education based on the capabilities and functionings they value.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a glocalised research design informed by Sen’s capabilities approach to guide data collection, analysis and interpretation. Data were primarily gathered through in-depth interviews with two local chiefs, two firestick patrons and eight male and ten female elders in Monduli.
Findings
The results illuminate the Maasai’s endorsement of education for self-improvement, cultural preservation, self-reliance and community service as essential components of quality education. These findings highlight the need for integrating these education-related capabilities into school curricula to enhance the Maasai community’s well-being and empowerment. The study also underscores the pivotal role of enkigúɛ́na as a Maa concept for facilitating constructive dialogue between Indigenous and Western knowledge, enabling meaningful engagement between the Maasai and educational stakeholders, and fostering internal discussions on the essence of quality education. The study concludes with implications for theory, policy, practice and further research.
Originality/value
This paper offers a unique exploration of Maasai elders’ views on what constitutes “quality education” within their society. It also examines how the Maa term enkigúɛ́na (meeting) can act as an effective conduit for realising such educational aspirations.
... The theoretical basis of this study, therefore, also aims to work within this space of complexity by creating connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous academic traditions. Conceptualising the research process itself as a process of cultural negotiation and a deepening of knowledges enables worldviews that have long been framed as irreconcilable to be woven together in a mutually respectful, beneficial and dignified way (Ryder et al., 2019;Yunkaporta, 2009) (see Fig. 1). ...
Australian schools routinely fail to deliver culturally responsive educational experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Educational structures, including the curriculum, are organised according to neoliberal, settler colonial epistemologies, which fracture and neglect Aboriginal and Torres Strait worldviews. In this study, research yarns were conducted with four non-Indigenous teachers working in an urban Sydney school, focusing on their experiences of responding to the curriculum’s cultural neglect through the enactment of relationality. Findings reveal that while teachers face major structural constraints when attempting to incorporate culturally responsive practices, they enacted relationality in their curriculum and pedagogies through the elements of relationships, place and curriculum concepts. A Relationally Responsive Curriculum Framework is proposed as a possible way for teachers to craft a coherent and holistic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum narrative. There is also scope for this framework to be further revised to centre Aboriginal voices and to be applied to the written curriculum to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worldviews in the very structure and values of education systems.
... This meticulous approach ensures the credibility and reliability of the research findings, thereby allowing the study results to inform decision-making and advance knowledge within the field of education. Research methodology skills encompass the capacity to critically evaluate existing research studies, recognizing their limitations and strengths in terms of design and methodology [20], [21]. This understanding enables teachers to discern the limitations of prior research studies, prompting them to design their own investigations that address these limitations and drive progress within the field of education [1]. ...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the use of technology and the development of research skills in future teachers, specifically current graduate students participating in Mathematical Olympiads. The study used a quantitative approach and analyzed data collected through a survey. The findings indicated that quantitative analysis skills, problem-solving skills, communication skills, and research methodology skills are the dimensions of research skills in future teachers. The results showed that the use of digital tools for literature searching and curation, online courses and workshops (OCWs), collaborative learning and discussion forums, and data analysis software significantly and positively affected research skills. However, the study failed to provide evidence that digital portfolios (DPs) affected research skills. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed. In conclusion, the findings highlight the importance of technology in the development of research skills in future teachers and suggest that technology-based learning resources and tools should be integrated into teacher training programs.
... This article offers a critical framework for decolonising research in community engagement through the application of Indigenous research methodologies (Ryder et al., 2019;Smith, 2013;Wilson, 2001Wilson, , 2020. It is important to note that on the ground research engages with the whole community, not just research participants. ...
Indigenous research frameworks are key to enhancing cultural safety for participants, while facilitating capacity building for Indigenous researchers. Indigenous frameworks can address and balance out the potential harms of western research methods. This methodology article describes the experiences of an Indigenous research team in Western Australia (WA) and the developed research framework titled Moorditj Moort Boodja (Solid Family and Country) for the Next
Generation Aboriginal Youth Well-being Project in WA. This project engaged 830 young Indigenous participants between10 and 24 years of age from WA. This project collected key health data from youth and caregivers and resulted in the development and implementation of the On the Ground Community Relational Framework for research engagement. This article adds to the knowledge on cultural safety for Indigenous participants and researchers undertaking Indigenous
focused research.
... As I wrote this reflection, I returned to both the weaving metaphor by Ryder et al. (2019) and Wilson's (2014) and continued to unravel my thinking about the very practice of weaving. I had become overly focused on the art form as I was mesmerised by the colour, pattern, and technique. ...
... We discussed how transformational unlearning enabled me to weave understandings of ongoing colonisation with Indigenous sovereignty, racism with resistance, clinical experiences in mindfulness with deep listening, and reflection alongside supervision. These theories, concepts, experiences, approaches, and tools of research do not sit over the top of each other, they intertwine and bring structural integrity to the work (Ryder et al., 2019). With every new experience, key concept, and reflection that I wove into my research, I became clearer in my standpoint as an advocate and ally. ...
Decolonising methodology requires that researchers engage in a process of learning and unlearning. This research on the inconsistent recognition of Indigenous rights and social determinants of Indigenous health in Australian policy implementation was positioned at the interface of knowledge systems and drew on a weaving metaphor to guide reflection on learning and unlearning. The aim of this paper is to share a reflection on this research methodology from a non-Indigenous standpoint. Reflexivity, deep listening, peer mentoring and supervision are identified as essential components of decolonising methodology. Through the process of weaving, both practically and philosophically, the significance of transformational unlearning is discussed. This reflection is offered as an example to other non-Indigenous researchers who are open to the challenge of decolonising research at the interface of knowledge.
... Across the globe, Indigenous collections in public museums and art institutions have undergone much "decolonization" in the recent decades. The incorporation of Indigenous ontologies, epistemologies, and research methodologies increases (e.g., Lonetree 2012;Nakata 2007;Rowe et al. 2015;Ryder et al. 2020;Smith 2012;Thorpe et al. 2021;Van Broekhoven et al. 2011). Power dynamics continue to shift, collaborative approaches are adopted, management of collections is shared or transferred, and objects are returned to source communities from institutions (e.g., Ormond-Parker et al. 2020;South Australian Museum 2018Ward 2020). ...
Drawing on fieldwork in an Aboriginal community in Western Australia, this article
chronicles the life of a collection of Indigenous art and material culture through archival
research, ethnography, observation, and interviews. Moving from a school to community
keeping spaces, through a natural disaster, to an art center and a university conservation
center, this examination reveals how entanglements between people and the collection
play out in the local context. The moving and returning of the collection signifies various
trajectories that articulate with different value systems and demonstrates that negotiating differences between groups and individuals is an inevitable and necessary part of maintaining and caring for collections in source communities. The article attests that time is needed at local levels to support Indigenous-led
processes which include value creation, cultural protocols, change, continuity, and the (re)valuation of objects.
... The comprehensive review utilized a 'research at the interface' approach [15], by incorporating Indigenist research methods [8,16], to ensure that our work contributes to improving the outcomes and experiences of First Nations Australians. The approach was guided by the following principles: ensuring First Nations Australians voices and perspectives are prioritized and privileged throughout all aspects of the research process; building First Nations Australians' research capacity and developing future research leaders; and facilitating collaboration through engaging and connecting with a range of key stakeholders. ...
... Document information, including author/s, year of publication, document (grey only) or study (peer-reviewed only) type, and topic focus (including specific health focus or health more broadly), were extracted by two First Nations Australian research assistants, then checked by AG, KN and KA for accuracy. Optimal approaches to co-design with First Nations Australians were extracted using NVivo 12 [14] software using the three stages of thematic development recommended by Thomas and Harden for thematic synthesis of qualitative research [15] by TB, AG and KA. The data were coded 'line-byline' and then developed into 'descriptive themes'. ...
Background:
Australia's social, structural, and political context, together with the continuing impact of colonisation, perpetuates health care and outcome disparities for First Nations Australians. A new approach led by First Nations Australians is required to address these disparities. Co-design is emerging as a valued method for First Nations Australian communities to drive change in health policy and practice to better meet their needs and priorities. However, it is critical that co-design processes and outcomes are culturally safe and effective. Aims: This project aimed to identify the current evidence around optimal approaches to co-design in health with First Nations Australians.
Methods:
First Nations Australian co-led team conducted a comprehensive review to identify peer-reviewed and grey literature reporting the application of co-design in health-related areas by and with First Nations Australians. A First Nations Co-Design Working Group (FNCDWG) was established to guide this work and team.A Collaborative Yarning Methodology (CYM) was used to conduct a thematic analysis of the included literature.
Results:
After full-text screening, 99 studies were included. Thematic analysis elicited the following six key themes, which included 28 practical sub-themes, relevant to co-design in health with First Nations Australians: First Nations Australians leadership; Culturally grounded approach; Respect; Benefit to First Nations communities; Inclusive partnerships; and Evidence-based decision making.
Conclusion:
The findings of this review provide a valuable snapshot of the existing evidence to be used as a starting point to guide appropriate and effective applications of co-design in health with First Nations Australians.
... We ask researchers to navigate their research in a way that leads to the empowerment of the people of Mā'ohi Nui by reflecting on their positionality and values while applying ethical conduct and protocols, and by employing methods, methodologies, and frameworks inspired by local epistemologies and ontologies. We hope this will encourage scholars to engage with academic works by Pacific and Indigenous scholars around the world who are advocating for more representative perspectives and epistemologies (Archibald et al., 2019;Denzin et al., 2008;Hikuroa, 2017;Koya, 2013;Naepi, 2019;Oliveira & Wright, 2016;Pasisi, 2019;Pihama, 2011;Ryder et al., 2019;Smith, 2021). ...
Historically, scholarship of and about Mā’ohi Nui (French Polynesia) has been conducted using western methods, methodologies, and frameworks which has, to a large extent, resulted in inaccurate and degrading representations of the people and the islands. In accordance with the empowering trends of Critical Pacific Studies, this article proposes a new way forward by advocating for the creation of Mā’ohi (French Polynesian) methodologies and frameworks and the incorporation of values and protocols in an effort to re-centre and de-centralise the historical inaccuracies of European scholarship, encouraging scholarship founded within the principles of for Mā’ohi researchers, by Mā’ohi researchers, or for Mā’ohi, by Mā’ohi.
... Taking a decolonizing approach is to "unpack" or "undo" the privilege and power that "whiteness" has always dominated with over other cultures that are different to theirs (23). It is also about trust, cultural competencies, respectfulness, recognition and acknowledgment of diversity among Aboriginal Elders, protecting Aboriginal Elders' knowledge and information shared, importance of relationships and how that contributes to a whole of community happiness and good health (24). ...
... Some findings of this larger project have been published previously (21,26). The methodology followed key principles of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including being based on relationships and privileging Aboriginal leadership (23,27). Relationship building forms an integral part of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people prefer to interact with health professionals and if based on mutual respect then the communication and conversation will be fruitful (23). ...
... The methodology followed key principles of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including being based on relationships and privileging Aboriginal leadership (23,27). Relationship building forms an integral part of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people prefer to interact with health professionals and if based on mutual respect then the communication and conversation will be fruitful (23). Regarding Aboriginal leadership, the research team included culturally competent, experienced and confident Aboriginal researchers and support workers to assist and support the delivery of the program. ...
Objective
The primary aim of the study was to translate and evaluate the impact of a Physical Activity (PA) program on the physical function of older Aboriginal Elders on Noongar Boodjar (Country).
Methods
A longitudinal design framed within an Indigenous methodology. Two groups, one metropolitan and one regional, of Aboriginal Elders, aged ≥45 years, participated in the Ironbark PA program. This comprised weekly strength and balance exercises followed by yarning circles. Physical function (primary outcome) and functional ability, cardiovascular risk factors (weight, waist circumference), falls efficacy and health-related quality of life were measured at baseline 6, 12 and 24 months. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed effects modeling.
Results
Fifty-two Elders initially enrolled and of those, n = 23 (44.2%) Elders participated regularly for 24 months. There was a 6-month gap in program delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants made significant improvement in physical function at 12 months compared to baseline: [short physical performance battery (SPPB) at baseline, 8.85 points (95% CI 8.10, 9.61); 12 months 10.28 (95% CI 9.44, 11.13), p = 0.001: gait speed at baseline 0.81 ms⁻¹ (95% CI 0.60, 0.93); 12 months 1.14 (95% CI 1.01, 1.27), p < 0.001]. Some sustained improvement compared to baseline was still evident at 24 months after the 6-month gap in attendance [SPPB 9.60 (8.59, 10.60) p = 0.14, gait speed 1.11 (0.95, 1.26) p < 0.001]. Cardiovascular risk factors showed a non-significant improvement at 12 and 24 months compared to baseline. All participants reported that they enjoyed the program, found it culturally appropriate and would recommend it to others.
Conclusion
Older Aboriginal people showed sustained improvements in physical function after engaging in a culturally appropriate PA program. Culturally appropriate PA programs provide safety, security and choice for older Aboriginal people to engage in evidence-based PA.
... A culturally safe [47,48] research process was developed through the perspective of the cultural interface [49] by weaving [50] together a Wiradjuri worldview embedded in the Ngaa-bi-nya framework [45] and the Western world view embedded in the i-PARIHS framework [46]. The Ngaa-bi-nya framework (pronounced "naa-bi-nya", which means to examine, try, and evaluate in the language of the Wiradjuri peoples) is one of few tools developed with Aboriginal worldviews of health [51], and it accounts for many of the factors that are relevant to Aboriginal people. ...
The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a model of care to embed cultural safety for Aboriginal children into paediatric hospital settings. The Daalbirrwirr Gamambigu (pronounced “Dahl-beer-weer gum-um-be-goo” in the Gumbaynggirr language means ‘safe children’) model encompasses child protection responses at clinical, managerial and organisational levels of health services. A review of scholarly articles and grey literature followed by qualitative interviews with Aboriginal health professionals formed the evidence base for the model, which then underwent rounds of consultation for cultural suitability and clinical utility. Culturally appropriate communication with children and their families using clinical yarning and a culturally adapted version of ISBAR (a mnemonic for Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) for interprofessional communication is recommended. The model guides the development of a critical consciousness about cultural safety in health care settings, and privileges the cultural voices of many diverse Aboriginal peoples. When adapted appropriately for local clinical and cultural contexts, it will contribute to a patient journey experience of respect, dignity and empowerment.
