Indigenous Research Methodologies and

International Research Collaborations

Mera PenehiraSenior Researcher, Mauri Tu Mauri Ora

PhD Candidate, University of Waikato, Aotearoa Mlp16@students.waikato.ac.nz

Why Protocols?

• What’s the problem?• What’s the point?• Who benefits?

The Aotearoa Experience

• Tribal difference• Colonized and

decolonized• Academic Ethics• Tribal Ethics

Benefits and Risks

• Indigenous Comparatives

• Statistically and Qualitatively Robust

• Learning• Multi-lingual findings

Benefits and Risks

• Diversity• Missing Incubation• Trust• Re-colonizing

Developing International Indigenous Research Methodologies

• What are the critical factors for self-determining research processes and outcomes?

• What are the historical and contemporary research contexts that need to be accounted for?

• What are the specific diversities that must be honored and protected?

• What are the common elements of indigenously correct research?

Establishing Rationale and the Indigenous Research Context

• Why are indigenous research protocols important to you and your research team?

• What difference will indigenous protocols make to you, to the research and to the research participants?

• Is it important to have shared indigenous protocols in an international indigenous research collaboration? Why? Why not?

Protocols and Principles for Inclusion

• What are the top three things to be covered in the development of shared indigenous protocols for this project?

• What, if any, are the key underlying principles that should guide the shared indigenous protocols for this project?

• Is language translation of the shared indigenous protocols a necessary part of this development? Why? Why not?

Research Outcomes

• Do you see indigenous self=determination as a key goal of indigenous research?

• In what way might indigenous protocols contribute to the self-determination of indigenous peoples?

• What does being a self determining indigenous person mean to you?

Initial Findings

• Maintain and sustain languages

• Knowing your collaborators• Political positioning and

analysis• The 3 R’s• Ethical privilege• ‘Outsider’ privilege

Summary

• Indigenous peoples have much to gain from international collaborations and potentially as much to be cautious about in this research journey

• It is critical to consider and protect the unique identity of all indigenous collaborators in the conglomerate of international research opportunities

• Awareness, action and protection give the greatest likelihood of achieving self-determination

Acknowledgements

• Nga Pae o te Maramatanga• Health Research Council - Aotearoa• University of Waikato - Office of the Pro-Vice

Chancellor Maori• International Collaborative Indigenous Health

Research Partnerships • Dr Clive Aspin, Dr Leonie Pihama, Professor

Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Alison Green, Anthony Barrett.