Towards an Indigenous literature re-view methodology: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boarding school literature

Abstract

This paper outlines the development of a new Indigenous research methodology: Indigenous Literature Re-view Methodology (ILRM). In the rejection of the idea that Western, dominant forms of research ‘about’ Indigenous peoples are most valid, ILRM was developed with aims to research in ways that give greater emphasis to Indigenous voices and knowledges, foregrounding Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing. The advantages of ILRM include identifying themes as ‘relevant’ as opposed to ‘common’. This method is based on relatedness, which is framed by Aboriginal ontology, axiology and epistemology, or ways of being, ways of doing and ways of knowing. Describing and employing ILRM to re-view Indigenous Australian boarding school literature, it was found there is a modest but robust body of research that has emerged in the past 20 years. Sixty-six written sources (i.e. journal articles, reports, theses and books) which were published in 2000 onwards and focussed on a topic of contemporary Indigenous boarding schooling were analysed. Sources that included a chapter or section on boarding as part of a publication focussed on other topics were not included in this re-view. Seven major themes emerged, including home, student experience, transitions, access, staff, health and evaluation. This paper focusses on the development and use of ILRM as an Indigenous methodology for researchers in Indigenous fields of study.

Non-Indigenous Positionality when Engaging in de-colonising/re-indigenising Research and Its Place Within Visual Methodology

“…As Tangata Tiriti (People of the Treaty), there is a responsibility to mitigate institutional and structural oppression on students through re-indigenising practice. This research considers Kovach’s (2018) notion that “Story is how we will decolonize teaching and research” (p.49) in the decision to choose Photoyarn; a methodology that invites participants to weave their stories and experiences using their intuition and spirit thus enabling meaning-making through cycles of reflection (Rogers, 2017). To demonstrate decoloniality through the weaving stories, one participant sat with their school dean and had an open dialogue about their different perceptions of what occurs in the classroom:“ I actually had a big heart to heart with a dean on this very conversation.…”

“…A recent method of incorporating visual listening into the research design is Photoyarn (Rogers, 2017). Rogers (2017) developed Photoyarn; an arts-based Indigenous method as a modification of Photo Voice (Wang, 1999).…”

“…A recent method of incorporating visual listening into the research design is Photoyarn (Rogers, 2017). Rogers (2017) developed Photoyarn; an arts-based Indigenous method as a modification of Photo Voice (Wang, 1999). Instead of the terminology, dialogues or discussions to describe the process of interpreting the photos, it honours indigenous values and principles by using yarning circles in the meaning making process.…”

“…Described as a “fluid ongoing process, a moving dialogue interspersed with interjections, interpretations, and additions” (Geia et al, 2013, p. 6) yarning circles are an important part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture. Yarning reflects on past, present and future experiences, so to ensure there was no control in the direction of the dialogues thus compromising ethics, it is important to maintain dispositions of openness and neutrality (Bamblett et al, 2010; Rogers, 2017).…”

“…Small attention to details enabled an inclusive, relaxed, and comfortable environment such as: entering the room after the participant so they could sit in a place of their choice and, when the audio had begun recording, the phone was placed face down with no other distractions present. This phase did not have a time limit, allowing time for each participant to yarn in a relaxed and comfortable environment thus enacting Rogers’ (2017) design intention for the yarns to meander as the participants tell their stories (Bessarab & Ng’andu, 2010). It is important to note that the images as metaphor are not the data, but rather what it elicited through yarning is the gold from which findings were drawn.…”