Gimiigiwemin: Putting Knowledge Translation Into Practice With Anishinaabe Communities

Abstract

In the Anishinaabemowen language, Gimiigiwemin is a concept that means, "we are exchanging gifts." In the context of research, Indigenous communities often share their gifts with researchers by exposing them to local ways of knowing. Researchers can engage in exchanging gifts through sharing their skills and working towards producing research that meets community needs, such as supporting efforts to maintain health-sustaining relationships with traditional lands. Environmental repossession refers to the social, cultural, and political processes through which Indigenous Peoples are building resilience and reclaiming their traditional lands and ways of life. These processes are important because the health, ways of living, and knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples all depend on access to traditional lands. This paper presents the results of a community-based participatory research study conducted in collaboration with Elders (n = 46) from two Anishinaabe communities on the north shore of Lake Superior (Ontario, Canada). This research employed locally relevant forms of integrated knowledge translation as a means of exchanging the gift of knowledge amongst all involved. This process culminated in a 2-day celebration wherein talking circles were used to explore Elders' ideas about potential strategies for environmental repossession in their communities. Results from the talking circles pointed to four main strategies: (1) re-establishing the relationship between Elders and youth, (2) increasing time spent on traditional lands, (3) improving physical health, and (4) fostering community pride. This research emphasizes the strength of adopting culturally appropriate approaches to knowledge translation within studies aimed at supporting community aspirations of environmental repossession.

Reimagining Indigenous spaces of healing: Institutional environmental repossession

“…The concept of environmental repossession originates from theory and method rooted in the geographies of Indigenous health. Environmental repossession is part of a movement that seeks to align and enhance Indigenous self-determining research processes by providing practical, visible and applied outcomes, occurring within a clearly defined context that benefits Indigenous people (Mikraszewicz & Richmond, 2019;Hatala, Morton, Njeze et al, 2019;Tobias & Richmond, 2016;Richmond, 2015). Based on nurturing social relationships between IK and the land, and revitalizing connections enacted through social, cultural, economic and political processes, Indigenous People are striving to 'repossess' or reconnect with their environments and to assert their rights to improve community health and wellness (Big-Canoe & Richmond, 2014).…”

A consultation journey: developing a Kaupapa Māori research methodology to explore Māori whānau experiences of harm and loss around birth

“…A consultation journey like the one I undertook is a time and resource dependent process, but a necessary investment when working with Māori whānau and communities. An Anishaabemowen word, Gimiigiwemin, means “we are exchanging gifts” (Tobias & Richmond, 2016). This speaks volumes of the consultation process with key informants because it was a true gift to gain their advice and guidance in exchange for my commitment to developing a methodology that will inform further sensitive kaupapa research.…”

Ode’imin (Heart Berries): the experience of Indigenous academics in social work programs : engaging Indigenous identity and experience

“…By contrast, in the work completed by Tobias and Richmond (2016) the authors acknowledge that one is Indigenous while the other is not. Further, the authors acknowledge their social location and establish the purpose of what they intend to accomplish through the research.…”

“…Further, the authors acknowledge their social location and establish the purpose of what they intend to accomplish through the research. Tobias and Richmond's (2016) research used learning circles in two Indigenous communities where elders and youth were invited to promote relationships between the generation of Indigenous peoples through increasing time on traditional lands, physical health and community connectivity and pride (Tobias & Richmond, 2016).This research utilized a methodological approach of knowledge translation throughout the entirety of the research process which has an "ability to act as an interface between two distinct ways of knowing that often seem in opposition" (Tobias & Richmond, 2016, p. 231). Using this approach properly ensured that the research was done collaboratively and honoured both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing while also representing the participants' voices.…”

“…Knowledge sharing is also critical to Tobias and Richmond (2016) as they focus on the relationship between elders and youth and carrying on traditions through oral methods. This is an important observation because Indigenous identity and pedagogy place the exchange of knowledge in high regard; this can be seen in traditions and knowledge being orally disseminated through generations of Indigenous people.…”