Research on Indigenous Elders: From Positivistic to Decolonizing Methodologies

Abstract

Although indigenous peoples have lower life expectancies than the social majority populations in their countries, increasing numbers of indigenous people are living into old age. Research on indigenous elders is informed by a number of research traditions. Researchers have mined existing data sets to compare characteristics of indigenous populations with non-indigenous groups, and these findings have revealed significant disparities experienced by indigenous elders. Some investigators have attempted to validate standardized research tools for use in indigenous populations. Findings from these studies have furthered our knowledge about indigenous elders and have highlighted the ways in which tools may need to be adapted to better fit indigenous views of the constructs being measured. Qualitative approaches are popular, as they allow indigenous elders to tell their stories and challenge non-indigenous investigators to acknowledge values and worldviews different from their own. Recently, efforts have extended to participatory and decolonizing research methods, which aim to empower indigenous elders as researchers. Research approaches are discussed in light of the negative experiences many indigenous peoples have had with Eurocentric research. Acknowledgment of historical trauma, life-course perspectives, phenomenology, and critical gerontology should frame future research with, rather than on, indigenous elders.

“These classes have been my happy place”: Feasibility study of a self-care program in Native Hawaiian custodial grandparents

“…Second, a strengths-based approach is compatible with the Native Hawaiian worldview (Kana'iaupuni, 2005). Third, the potential for PTC classes to be led by community members (peer grandparents) is in line with Braun et al's (2014) recommendation that those working with indigenous elders should only be implemented with Native Hawaiian consultants or collaborators. Fourth, PTC participants' identification as caregivers, an integral part of a family system, is consistent with previous research findings that intervention efforts in this population should be motivated by the desire to fulfill social and familial responsibilities (Yancura, 2010).…”

“…Leaders do not teach from a position of superiority, but rather guide participants through a variety of tools and encourage them to adopt those that are most applicable and relevant. This stance of equality is one characteristic of a decolonizing approach and particularly important in light of Native Hawaiian cultural history (Braun, Browne, Ka'opua, Kim, & Mokuau, 2014). Second, a strengths-based approach is compatible with the Native Hawaiian worldview (Kana'iaupuni, 2005).…”

“…The number of individuals reporting as full or part Native Hawaiian increased by 40% between the 2000 and the 2010 U.S. Census, with relatively large numbers in California, Washington, Texas, and Utah (Hixon, Hepler, & Kim, 2012). Due to the cultural trauma experienced by this population, the most critical suggestion is to have Native Hawaiian scholars and staff on the research and intervention team (Braun et al, 2014). It is also important to work with a service providers, such as The Liliu`okalani Trust, that are known and respected in the community.…”

Facilitating Empowerment and Self-Determination Through Participatory Action Research

“…PAR has been identified as a research methodology and approach that facilitates the genuine participation of research participants in the knowledge acquisition, translation, and dissemination process (Kendall, Sunderland, Barnett, Nalder, & Matthews, 2011). For this reason, PAR is recognized as an empowering alternative to positivist research methodologies that reflect more traditional power relations where the research process and outcomes are driven by the "expert outsider" (Braun, Browne, Ka'Opua, Kim, & Mokuau, 2014;Minkler & Wallerstein, 2003). In contrast, researchers adopting a PAR approach prioritize relationally acquired knowledge and the role of "insiders" by privileging participant's experiences, knowledge, and contributions (Boyes-Watson & Pranis, 2012).…”

Access to Mental Health Care in the Arctic: a Case Study on the Rights of Indigenous Women in Norway

“…Dehler, 2013: 49). Research into the situation of elderly indigenous persons is still limited (Braun et al, 2014), and there is a risk that groups of persons within minorities (the term is used in a general, rather than a legal sense here, on the distinction between minority rights and indigenous rights (see Fresa, 2000) benefit too little from academic research. This is particularly the case when it comes to women.…”