Positionality and Research: “Two-Eyed Seeing” With a Rural Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaw Community

Abstract

As evident from the original proposals for self-negotiation from the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, the formation of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation represented a small victory for Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaq: recognition. Validation of the existence of Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaq outside of Miawpukek was a small step toward decolonization yet cannot be a panacea for reconciliation. This study was a collaborative project in the Mi’kmaw community of Ewipkek through the No’kmaq Village Band and Elder Calvin White, a known champion of Mi’kmaw rights in the province. This project emerged from a collaborative research effort between the community of Ewipkek and Grenfell Campus, Memorial University. This article presents current approaches, principles, and considerations for researchers working with Indigenous communities, drawing from both academic literature and the collaborative experience working with the community of Ewipkek. This collaborative project describes the different characteristics of a Western research paradigm versus an Indigenous research paradigm that can support the application of the Two-Eyed Seeing framework.

Why Indigenous Canadians on reserves are reluctant to complain about the police

“…Access to and familiarity with the population under consideration was an important practical consideration for our selection of Saskatchewan as a research site (Reid, 2020;Ruddell & Kiedrowski, 2020;Kiedrowski & Petrunik, 2018;Kiedrowski, 2013;Peltier, 2018;Bharadwaj, 2014;Bruhn, 2014;Kowalsky et al, 1996;Macaulay, 1994). The senior researcher was able to use connections made through his work on First Nations governance, policing, and housing (Kovach 2018(Kovach , 2010Graveline, 2000) and access to justice and social service workers in Saskatchewan gained during previous research and consultation work.…”

Decolonizing Action Research through Two-Eyed Seeing: The Indigenous Quality Assurance Project

“…Ongoing teaching, observation, and listening facilitates an understanding of the strengths of each way of seeing (Whiting et al, 2018) as well as a knowledge and appreciation of spiritual wellness, effective communication skills, building trust, equitable relationships, patience in the process, honesty, openness to change, self-reflection, and valuing commonalities and differences in perspectives (Wright et al, 2019). Reid (2020) notes that this work should begin upfront as part of a process of defining how much weight should be given to one paradigm over the other.…”

“…When working between knowledge systems, it is necessary to have a peer review process in place which consists of individuals well-versed in both knowledge systems to validate the research through relevant processes (Bartlett, 2017;Colborne et al, 2019;Reid, 2020). This project had "the right people at the table" (Whiting et al, 2018, p. 40) and involved an advisory council with representation from within post-secondary education as well as Indigenous communities (Bartlett et al, 2012).…”

“…At times, it was a tedious process going over the standards line by line, but it was a necessary step of validation when transforming stories and teachings into standards. This process of checking is of utmost importance when engaging in Indigenous research as traditional knowledges have long been taken out of context to justify actions without meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples (Reid, 2020).…”

An Anishinaabe Research Methodology that Utilizes Indigenous Intelligence as a Conceptual Framework Exploring Humanity’s Relationship to N’bi (Water)

“…A plethora of scholarly articles explain the atrocities of unethical research on Indigenous Peoples as detrimental, being done without their consent, used to perpetuate control over or disempower Indigenous Peoples, and being research on rather than with or for (Chiblow, 2020; Forbes et al, 2019; Freemen & Van Katwyk, 2019; Haitana et al, 2020; Johnston et al, 2018; Lambert, 2014; Martin, 2003; Peltier et al, 2020; Reid, 2020; Starblanket et al, 2019; Strega & Brown, 2015; Smith, 2012). The research has led to mistrust as Indigenous Peoples are over-researched most often with little involvement in the design, purpose, or outcome of the studies.…”