Reciprocity in Indigenous Educational Research: Beyond Compensation, Towards Decolonizing

Abstract

With questions about what it means to conduct educational research in Indigenous contexts based on reciprocal relationships, we review key contributions to the literature from Indigenous and qualitative methodologists. We identify four dimensions of reciprocity, extending the notion of reciprocity as transaction or compensation. To design research that fulfills decolonizing commitments, we find resonance with the conceptualization of reciprocity as a "stance" (Trainor and Bouchard 2013), rather than being achieved through any particular method. [Decolonizing; Indigenous education; reciprocity; research methodologies]While this quote is about teaching and learning, it can be extrapolated to research. Reciprocity might produce greater equilibrium and congruence between researchers affiliated with the academy and their research participants, often affiliated with the community-recognizing there are many variations within, between, and beyond these categories.

Applying an Indigenous methodology to a North–South, cross-cultural collaboration: successes and remaining challenges

“…As (Anonymous) explains, relationship building takes priority in order to avoid replicating fastpace, extractive, product-oriented work that can constitute the kind of output-driven, costorientated 'efficiencies' that are valued in western contexts (Berg & Seeber, 2016;McGregor & Marker, 2018). (Anonymous) rejects the latter form of research because it does not adhere to the Bribri principle of building relationships nor does it produce accurate information about his culture and community members In reflecting on this process with his family members, (Anonymous) offers their view that in the end the visit to the community was too short.…”

“…García Segura explains that this Bribri form of reciprocity is different than the Western concept—where people directly exchange favours—because applying ulàpeitök implies working beyond the individual level and including families, members of your clan, as well as other community members; ulàpeitök is an Indigenous model of economy and of community development. Understanding Indigenous reciprocity can reduce oversimplification of this process with Western notions of one-to one exhange (McGregor & Marker, 2018). This deep understanding is central to decolonial research because Western university cultural and administrative standards of reciprocity can differ greatly from Indigenous ones (McGregor & Marker, 2018).…”

“…Understanding Indigenous reciprocity can reduce oversimplification of this process with Western notions of one-to one exhange (McGregor & Marker, 2018). This deep understanding is central to decolonial research because Western university cultural and administrative standards of reciprocity can differ greatly from Indigenous ones (McGregor & Marker, 2018).…”

“…McGregor and Marker (2018) outline important questions researchers need to ask themselves about reciprocity when working with Indigenous people including (a) whose expectations are most important to fulfil, “. .…”

Decolonizing Beginning Literacy Instruction: Views From Ugandan Teachers

“…Decolonizing education refers to critiquing and questioning colonizers’ views of what counts as knowledge, who gets to determine what is important to learn and how, and the dominance of western ways of education on indigenous peoples (Chilisa, Major, & Khudu‐Petersen, 2017; McGregor & Marker, 2018). It means understanding the historical issues in a community and inquiring about a group's perspectives of schooling and teaching (Ndimande, 2018).…”