A “co-production of knowledge” transdisciplinary approach connects different systems of knowledge that are in collaboration with each other. The transdisciplinarity presupposes bringing natural, social sciences and Indigenous knowledge together. Education research in the Arctic plays a key role in bridging Western science and Indigenous knowledge systems, as it seeks for methods to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems into schools and postsecondary institutions to develop sustainability. Even though Indigenous knowledge systems are considered to be essential for sustainable development and environmental management (Athayde et al. 2017), connections between Indigenous peoples, scientists, politicians are not yet sufficiently elaborated (Raymond at al. 2010). This paper examines several observations carried out during an ethnographic field work on urban Indigenous identity preservation and well-being in Anchorage, Alaska. The fieldwork in progress is being implemented in collaboration with the urban Yupik population. It throws light on challenges that might hinder the synthesis of Indigenous knowledge and Western science. For instance, one of the challenges under consideration has been that, while permissions to carry out participant observations were always easily obtained, allowing for building relationships and trust, the target population was, in most cases, reluctant when asked to be interviewed. While searching for the reasons of the unwillingness to participate in interviews, it became clear that the Alaska Native People do not trust researchers coming to work with them for a short period of time. Hence, long fieldworks should be implemented in order to have time to build trust. Another reason indicated is that the Alaska Native People learn through observing and listening to Elders, they do not like to consider themselves as experts. Thus, being interviewed is considered as showing expertise (Augusta Reimer, personal communication 2019). The observations examined in this paper will contribute to further understanding of differences in learning between Arctic Indigenous and Western knowledge systems.
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