scholarly journals Hear Our Languages, Hear Our Voices: Storywork as Theory and Praxis in Indigenous-Language Reclamation

Daedalus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 147 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa L. McCarty ◽  
Sheilah E. Nicholas ◽  
Kari A. B. Chew ◽  
Natalie G. Diaz ◽  
Wesley Y. Leonard ◽  
...  

Storywork provides an epistemic, pedagogical, and methodological lens through which to examine Indigenous language reclamation in practice. We theorize the meaning of language reclamation in diverse Indigenous communities based on firsthand narratives of Chickasaw, Mojave, Miami, Hopi, Mohawk, Navajo, and Native Hawaiian language reclamation. Language reclamation is not about preserving the abstract entity “language,” but is rather about voice, which encapsulates personal and communal agency and the expression of Indigenous identities, belonging, and responsibility to self and community. Storywork – firsthand narratives through which language reclamation is simultaneously described and practiced – shows that language reclamation simultaneously refuses the dispossession of Indigenous ways of knowing and refuses past, present, and future generations in projects of cultural continuance. Centering Indigenous experiences sheds light on Indigenous community concerns and offers larger lessons on the role of language in well-being, sustainable diversity, and social justice.

Author(s):  
Emmerentine Oliphant ◽  
Sharon B. Templeman

Indigenous health research should reflect the needs and benefits of the participants and their community as well as academic and practitioner interests. The research relationship can be viewed as co-constructed by researchers, participants, and communities, but this nature often goes unrecognized because it is confined by the limits of Western epistemology. Dominant Western knowledge systems assume an objective reality or truth that does not support multiple or subjective realities, especially knowledge in which culture or context is important, such as in Indigenous ways of knowing. Alternatives and critiques of the current academic system of research could come from Native conceptualizations and philosophies, such as Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous protocols, which are increasingly becoming more prominent both Native and non-Native societies. This paper contains a narrative account by an Indigenous researcher of her personal experience of the significant events of her doctoral research, which examined the narratives of Native Canadian counselors’ understanding of traditional and contemporary mental health and healing. As a result of this narrative, it is understood that research with Indigenous communities requires a different paradigm than has been historically offered by academic researchers. Research methodologies employed in Native contexts must come from Indigenous values and philosophies for a number of important reasons and with consequences that impact both the practice of research itself and the general validity of research results. In conclusion, Indigenous ways of knowing can form a new basis for understanding contemporary health research with Indigenous peoples and contribute to the evolution of Indigenous academics and research methodologies in both Western academic and Native community contexts.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwyneth A. MacMillan ◽  
Marianne Falardeau ◽  
Catherine Girard ◽  
Sophie Dufour-Beauséjour ◽  
Justine Lacombe-Bergeron ◽  
...  

For decades, Indigenous voices have called for research practices that are more collaborative and inclusive. At the same time, researchers are becoming aware of the importance of community-collaborative research. However, in Canada, many researchers receive little formal training on how to collaboratively conduct research with Indigenous communities. This is particularly problematic for early-career researchers (ECRs) whose fieldwork often involves interacting with communities. To address this lack of training, two peer-led workshops for Canadian ECRs were organized in 2016 and 2017 with the following objectives: (a) to cultivate awareness about Indigenous cultures, histories and languages; (b) to promote sharing of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of knowing; and (c) to foster approaches and explore tools for conducting community collaborative research. Here we present these peer-led Intercultural Indigenous Workshops and discuss workshop outcomes according to five themes: scope and interdisciplinarity, Indigenous representation, workshop environment, skillful moderation and workshop outcomes. We show that peer-led workshops are an effective way for ECRs to cultivate cultural awareness, learn about diverse ways of knowing, and share collaborative research tools and approaches. Developing this skill set is important for ECRs aiming to conduct community-collaborative research, however broader efforts are needed to shift toward more inclusive research paradigms in Canada.


Author(s):  
Misha Chakraborty ◽  
Dominique T. Chlup

This chapter discussed issues of injustice as often affecting the emotional, and in some cases, the physical well-being of a person. In recent years, researchers have begun to explore the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in creating awareness when it comes to social justice issues related to areas such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc. The purpose of this chapter is twofold: First, to concentrate on the area of social justice issues to find out what the literature has explored in terms of the role Emotional Intelligence (EI) might play when it comes to dealing with social oppression, and second, to advocate emotional intelligence traits that can be successfully used to cope with social oppression. We reviewed the literature as a way to deepen our understanding of how to foster “socially conscious” practices within the workplace. The chapter has implications for Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners to remind them of the responsibility they have to encourage and welcome studies and practices addressing critical aspects such as social justice issues as a way to help ensure a productive and safe workplace. Through this review of the literature, we found that emotional intelligence traits, if practiced responsibly, can make society a better place for everyone to live and work in.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tairawhiti Veronique Turner

<p>Whanau are the building blocks of society and their well-being is critical to strong,vibrant and connected communities. When a women or child is beaten, abused, or worse killed as a result of family violence, individuals are adversely affected, whanau suffer and wider communities in New Zealand are impoverished. From the margins of New Zealand society, Maori women are leading development campaigns that seek to end violence against women and children, uphold their human rights and freedoms and challenge oppressive colonial ideologies which are hegemonic and masculinist. Their work is part of local, national and global agendas to end violence and bring about long-term, positive change. They are a part of the decolonisation agenda within which many Maori actively campaign. This thesis brings together theory and practice to explore such a campaign. The overall goal is to explore the role of Mana Wahine in the development of Te Whare Rokiroki Maori Women's Refuge. Mana Wahine is a theory and ideological framework which is centred on Maori world views and ways of knowing. It is also a tool for analysing situations and events and has been adopted to create space for Maori women to tell their stories and develop ideas. This thesis seeks to achieve the following aims: explore the meaning of Maori development in a Refuge environment; investigate the expression of Mana Wahine by Maori women Refuge advocates; and identify the extent to which Mana Wahine has influenced decolonisation. The research framework which informs the overall approach comprises a: Kaupapa Maori epistemology, Mana Wahine and Qualitative methodologies and interviews. This thesis joins the Refuge in its pursuit for Tino Rangatiratanga (sovereignty) and contributes to the growing body of Mana Wahine knowledge. The conclusions of this thesis assert development within the Refuge means women and children leading lives free from violence and abuse. A Mana Wahine perspective is critical to the development of the Refuge and achieving positive, long-term change. At a fundamental level, the means through which development and change is achieved is Maori culture, Tikanga and Te Reo. The women of Te Whare Rokiroki are unsung heroines whose stories of commitment, sacrifice, learning, determination, anger, resistance and generosity has to be told.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Gillespie ◽  
Jason Albert ◽  
Shelanie Grant ◽  
Tanya MacKeigan

Comprehensive community initiatives (CCIs) coordinate social and structural change across multiple community sectors and represent promising approaches to complex social problems. Nowhere is this more relevant than for Indigenous children and families. However, strategies to evaluate initiatives to enhance Indigenous well-being must be meaningful to Indigenous communities. A review of literature regarding evaluation of CCIs identified various principles, case studies, methodologies, and methods grounded in Western ways of knowing and approaches to research. Research that engages with Indigenous led comprehensive community initiatives is needed to enhance evaluation practices for CCIs that enables resurgence of Indigenous traditions and worldviews. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tairawhiti Veronique Turner

<p>Whanau are the building blocks of society and their well-being is critical to strong,vibrant and connected communities. When a women or child is beaten, abused, or worse killed as a result of family violence, individuals are adversely affected, whanau suffer and wider communities in New Zealand are impoverished. From the margins of New Zealand society, Maori women are leading development campaigns that seek to end violence against women and children, uphold their human rights and freedoms and challenge oppressive colonial ideologies which are hegemonic and masculinist. Their work is part of local, national and global agendas to end violence and bring about long-term, positive change. They are a part of the decolonisation agenda within which many Maori actively campaign. This thesis brings together theory and practice to explore such a campaign. The overall goal is to explore the role of Mana Wahine in the development of Te Whare Rokiroki Maori Women's Refuge. Mana Wahine is a theory and ideological framework which is centred on Maori world views and ways of knowing. It is also a tool for analysing situations and events and has been adopted to create space for Maori women to tell their stories and develop ideas. This thesis seeks to achieve the following aims: explore the meaning of Maori development in a Refuge environment; investigate the expression of Mana Wahine by Maori women Refuge advocates; and identify the extent to which Mana Wahine has influenced decolonisation. The research framework which informs the overall approach comprises a: Kaupapa Maori epistemology, Mana Wahine and Qualitative methodologies and interviews. This thesis joins the Refuge in its pursuit for Tino Rangatiratanga (sovereignty) and contributes to the growing body of Mana Wahine knowledge. The conclusions of this thesis assert development within the Refuge means women and children leading lives free from violence and abuse. A Mana Wahine perspective is critical to the development of the Refuge and achieving positive, long-term change. At a fundamental level, the means through which development and change is achieved is Maori culture, Tikanga and Te Reo. The women of Te Whare Rokiroki are unsung heroines whose stories of commitment, sacrifice, learning, determination, anger, resistance and generosity has to be told.</p>


2020 ◽  
pp. 171-184
Author(s):  
Mark Turin

Drawing attention to the contemporary resurgence of indigenous languages, Mark Turin describes the collaborative work of linguistic and cultural revitalization in response to the destruction of indigenous communities in settler colonial nations. While recuperating the vitality of languages, this process also facilitates the recuperation of the well-being of indigenous communities as well as the lands within which those languages and communities are embedded.


Author(s):  
Ataullah Khan Mahmood ◽  
Ghufran Ahmad

A vast majority of Muslim scholars opine that land reforms including the fixation of ceiling on individual land-holdings can be carried out without offending any Islamic teachings. Moreover, article 253 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to prescribe the maximum limits as to property or any class thereof which may be owned, held, possessed or controlled by any person. Likewise, such reforms are considered essential as for as requirements of distributive justice is concerned and to further the desired Islamic goals of social justice, eradication of social evils and to ensure economic well-being of the poor attached to earth. To achieve these desired goals, land reforms laws were introduced in the country. However, the beneficiaries of feudalism and landlordism challenged these laws in the Islamic Courts to protect their vested interests. These judicial forums were split in their findings regarding the fate of these laws. This article analyses the findings of these forums to suggest that weather those who uphold these laws have stronger reasons.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sumner

Food is a source of sustenance, a cause for celebration, an inducement to temptation, a vehicle for power, an indicator of well-being, a catalyst for change and, above all, a life good.  Along with other life goods such as potable water, clean air, adequate shelter and protective clothing, food is something we cannot live without.  The global corporate food system, however, allows 800 million to go hungry, while an even larger number of people grow obese.  Based in money-values, this food system promotes accumulation first and foremost, enriching a few while creating economic, social and environmental externalities that are destroying local economies, devastating individuals, families and communities and degrading the planet. What would a food system look like that was based in life-values, centred on the commons and anchored by social justice?  This paper will focus on the creation of sustainable food systems, beginning with the crises of the global corporate food system and then moving to the heart of sustainable food systems – the civil commons.


Author(s):  
Eric N. Liberda ◽  
Aleksandra M. Zuk ◽  
Roger Davey ◽  
Ruby Edwards-Wheesk ◽  
Leonard J. S. Tsuji

Abstract Globally, mortality of Indigenous persons is greater than that of their non-Indigenous counterparts, which has been shown to be disproportionately attributable to non-communicable diseases. The historically subordinate position that Indigenous Knowledge (IK) held in comparison to Western science has shifted over the last several decades, with the credibility and importance of IK now being internationally recognized. Herein, we examine how Marsahall’s (2014) Two-Eyed Seeing can foster collaborative and culturally relevant Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) studies for health and well-being by using ‘..the best in Indigenous ways of knowing…[and] the best in Western (or mainstream) ways of knowing…and learn to use both these eyes for the benefit of all.’ At its core, Two-Eyed Seeing also includes the principles of ownership, control, access and possession, and Community-Based Participatory Research, which further reinforces the critical role of Indigenous peoples taking active roles in DOHaD research. Additionally, we also present a partnership model for working with Indigenous communities that includes the principles of respect, equity and empowerment. As researchers begin to fill the gap in Indigenous health, we outline how Two-Eyed Seeing should form the basis of DOHaD studies involving Indigenous communities. This model can be used to develop and guide projects that result in robust and meaningful participatory partnerships that have impactful uptake of research findings.


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