This article explores the role of the body in decolonizing and Indigenous methodologies through the experiences and perspectives of four researchers and research teams living and working in different contexts in Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand. A methodological overview of these approaches is provided and stories are shared of working with theatre with Indigenous youth; of a pedagogy which affirms the centrality of the body in Indigenous teaching and learning; and an autoethnographic reflection on decolonization in relation to Māori birthing practice or traditions. The threads that are common to all these narratives are the commitment to centring the body in the process of decolonization and indigenization, and an affirmation of bodily wisdom and experience as a critical component of Indigenous methodologies.

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In this article, we provide a short history of a research project that works in partnership with the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council Health Services in southern Saskatchewan that engages Indigenous youth through theatre to explore health issues that affect their lives and their communities. Using applied theatre and other arts-based approaches, we co-create spaces in which youth can critically examine the choices they make that affect their health. We explain why we chose theatre as a research method and describe how we adapted theatre workshop methods to respond to the needs of the Indigenous youth participants. Finally, we discuss challenges and limitations of this kind of work.

In May 2011, at the seventh annual gathering of the Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (QI), Norman Denzin organized two town hall meetings for anyone interested in exploring the idea of creating an Indigenous Qualitative Inquiry preconference day. In this article, we share the story of a small group that met to imagine into being the first Indigenous Qualitative Inquiry preconference day at the Eighth QI Congress in May 2012. We share the call that connected our work with others, describe the events of the preconference day, and share our hope for Indigenizing the academy – a journey of hope that we acknowledge requires careful navigation as we endeavour to move respectfully and in a good way for and toward transformative change.