Alaska Native men's voices: tracking masculinities through indigenous gender constructs

Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2021Alaska Native Men's Voices, an exploratory project, begins to make visible experiences of what it means to identify as an Indigenous male. Indigenous sovereignty includes practice of Indigenous gender knowledge systems. Self- determination of health and wellness by honoring relationships necessitates the affirmation of Alaska Native Men's voices. The complexity and diversity of Indigenous masculinity cannot be homogenized or made into one definition; these are not the goals of the research. This project aimed to articulate how Alaska Native men self- identify, what meaningful intersections of lived experiences can be drawn, and how do these inform healthy gender relations for future generations. The approach in research methods, how the project was done, articulates values of Indigenous led research and scholarship. Findings from shared stories, 18 individual semi-structured interviews, describe notions of Indigenous masculinities rooted in cultural foundations, knowing one's self, having a sense of belonging, and honor relationships from individual, to family and community. Expansive understandings of holistic wellness include narrative of emotional and spiritual healing. Illustrations of ancestral connection and continuance are put forward by participants as expressions of love for future generations of Alaska Native men.Center for Alaska Native Health Research, Native Movement, the CIRI Foundation, and the Bering Straits FoundationChapter 1: Introduction -- Indigenous masculinities, health and gender relations -- North America, United States and Canada: 'inventing the savage' -- Islands of Hawai'i and Aotearoa (New Zealand) -- Arctic -- AlterNative axioms in viewing gender -- North America: United States and Canada -- Islands of Hawai'i and Aotearoa (New Zealand) -- Arctic -- Affirming indigenous masculinities: Alaska Native Men's Voices project. Chapter 2: A review of masculinities: contextualizing Alaska Native men's voices (Literature and Social Media Review) -- Literature Review -- Masculinities and men's studies -- Indigenous masculinities -- Masculinities studies and applied research; implications for health and education -- Social media on masculinities and men -- Facebook -- Instagram. Chapter 3: The value of how research is done, Alaska Native Men's Voices Methods -- Project development methods -- Structured project development -- Unstructured project development -- Specific aims -- Research questions -- Project methods -- Setting -- Sample -- Study instruments -- Research ethics review -- Recruitment -- Analysis. Chapter 4: Knowledge sharing and stories: Findings from the Alaska Native Men's Voices Project -- Description of sample -- Study questions -- Thematic study analysis -- Summary of key findings -- To begin, what does it mean to be an Alaska Native male? -- Thinking about your life, what experiences taught you what it means to be a man? -- What teachings are important to you? Who taught them to you? -- What do you find meaningful about your role(s) in your community? -- If you were to define what it means to be healthy and well, how would you do that? -- Healing: How have you moved, or seen other men, towards healing and wellness? -- Provider: What does it mean to you to be a provider? -- Inward: What comes to mind when you think about 'looking inward?' -- Relations: What are your ideas on strengthening how we relate to one another? -- Future: What would you like future generations of Alaska Native men to know? -- Conclusion of findings -- Participant acknowledgements -- Participant key. Chapter 5: Alaska Native Men's Voices discussion & conclusions -- Summary of findings -- Discussion -- Conclusions -- Limitations -- Recommendations for future research -- References. Appendices -- Appendix A: Alaska Native Men's Voices interview guide -- Appendix B: informed consent -- Appendix C: IRB exempt letter