This article will aim to demonstrate how we applied a collaborative dialogical research approach to understand perspectives of an Aboriginal wellbeing program by extending Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action to respect Australian Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing. This process aims to disrupt the colonizing discourse by bridging the disconnect between Indigenous decolonizing methods and Western knowledges, toward a dialogical, respectful, appropriate and reciprocally beneficial research project. We discuss how layers of reflexivity (self, interpersonal and collective) have a role in communicative relationality (trust and shared decision making). We propose cross-cultural communicative relationality is strengthened by three key researcher actions; inner listening, relational actions beyond discourse and collective knowledge, along with Habermas criteria for discerning the motivations of action (communicative vs strategic). This article provides researchers from a variety of disciplines a way to respectively research in the critical paradigm while considering Aboriginal ways toward building a relationship that is mutually beneficial.

No abstract

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Issue addressedAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' holistic concepts of wellbeing are inadequately represented in the health promotion discourse. The aim of this article was to explore what sustains an Aboriginal wellbeing program, to inform critical reflection and reorientation to empower Aboriginal wellbeing approaches in health promotion practice and policy.MethodsAboriginal and non‐Indigenous researchers collaboratively designed a critically framed, strengths‐based research approach with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service staff and wellbeing program participants. Data from Individual Yarning (n = 15) with program participants and staff inspired co‐researchers to co‐develop interpretations over two half‐day Collaborative Yarning sessions (n = 9).ResultsCo‐researchers depicted five lifeworld qualities that sustain an Aboriginal wellbeing program: love, connection, respect, culture and belonging. The lifeworld qualities are relational, communicative and involve the dynamics of identity, power and self‐determination.ConclusionsThe five qualities support a lifeworld approach to an Aboriginal wellbeing program, opening communicative and relational opportunities to mediate culturally responsive interactions. The qualities mediated interactions between people in the lifeworld including program participants and coordinators, and systems representatives including health service providers. A lifeworld approach provides a way to empower Aboriginal self‐determination and leadership through embedment of cultural determinants of health in wellbeing programs.So what?Health service providers and policy makers can use lifeworld approaches to guide critical reflection and reorient practice and policy related to Aboriginal health. The lifeworld qualities that encompass this approach in wellbeing programs are communicative and relational, centred on local community voices and co‐produced with community for Aboriginal identity, empowerment and self‐determination.

No abstract