Retrospective of Life in a Small Town

The following are photographs from my perspective as an insider/outsider in a rural midwestern village. I would characterise Selma as a place of traditional sex roles, conservative politics, racial/ethnic bigotry, Christian fundamentalism, and a devastated economy. I would also characterise Selma as the place which has most strongly formed my identity, since I lived there for 19 years among my entire extended family

A Secondary Analysis: Paths to Living Well for On-Reserve Youth

As the population of First Nations peoples ages, the need for health care will increase. First Nations peoples experience health disparities and hospitalization at a rate much greater than non-First Nations people. In Saskatchewan, the portion of First Nations between 0 and 19 years of age makes up approximately half of their population. These youth must make some positive changes in regards to their health in order to change this trend. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to discover, from the point of view of the First Nations youth in the Paths to Living Well for On-Reserve Youth Photovoice (PLWP) project, their meaning of health, what makes and keeps them healthy or unhealthy, as well as common themes, and beliefs about health, and if these beliefs change over time. It also identified elements that influence health and explored the use of photographs as data for secondary analysis. The use of photographs as a source of data for secondary analysis was also investigated. The setting was Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation where eight Dakota participants were recruited from the participants in the PLWP project. These 3 males and 5 females ranged in age 12 to 21. Data was collected using the photographs they chose and photoelicitation used the SHOWeD format. Participants identified three themes that related to what makes and keeps them healthy. The first is people: connected across the generations in which they acknowledged the contribution of family, role models and role modeling, and teaching and learning to their health. The second theme involved the contribution that cultural items and activities make to their health, and how culture is pervasive throughout every aspect of their lives. Lastly, they recognized the environment as providing a place for health, as well as representing the health of the people

Where Do I Get Porcupine Quills?

In Canada, and around the world, research ‘about’ or ‘on’ Indigenous peoples has traditionally been carried out at the expense of the peoples it was supposed to benefit. Many authors have proposed methods to increase the cultural appropriateness and respectfulness of the research. This research proposed using a traditional Dakota way of preserving and sharing knowledge (winter count) as a method that was culturally relevant and respected Indigenous ways of knowing to explore what First Nations youth believed contributed to their well-being. It incorporated aspects, principles, and concepts from Community based participatory research, Two-Eyed Seeing, postcolonial theory, and cultural safety. The objectives for this research were a) to review and renew the winter count legacy in the community of Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation through the youth, b) to build capacity within the participating youth to create and perpetuate winter counts that are tools for knowledge translation and transfer, c) to explore the utility, cultural appropriateness, and potential of winter counts as a visual research methodology, and d) to discover what these First Nation youth believe are important events in their lives that have contributed to their well-being and who they are today Fifteen First Nations youth participated in learning about winter counts, creating an individual winter count, and sharing their winter counts with their peers, Elders, and teacher and in individual interviews. Several important lessons were learned. Lessons from the youth about well-being included the importance of contributions from physical activity, success, culture and spirituality, and relationships. Lessons about winter counts suggest that they are a way to build capacity about and understandings of traditional practices, a tool to prompt discussion, a tool for self-expression and creativity, a visual method, and culturally respectful research method. Most importantly, the winter count is dynamic and pragmatic and its potential for knowledge sharing is limitless. Many additional lessons about the process of this research were learned. These lessons have been articulated through a wise practices framework, which includes values and considerations that are essential in research with Indigenous peoples. Wise practices in research are those that are adaptable, flexible, creative, reflexive, pragmatic, respectful, and culturally and locally relevant

Priority research needs to inform amphibian conservation in the Anthropocene

The problem of global amphibian declines has prompted extensive research over the last three decades. Initially, the focus was on identifying and characterizing the extent of the problem, but more recently efforts have shifted to evidence‐based research designed to identify best solutions and to improve conservation outcomes. Despite extensive accumulation of knowledge on amphibian declines, there remain knowledge gaps and disconnects between science and action that hamper our ability to advance conservation efforts. Using input from participants at the ninth World Congress of Herpetology, a U.S. Geological Survey Powell Center symposium, amphibian on‐line forums for discussion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Gamete Biobanking group, and respondents to a survey, we developed a list of 25 priority research questions for amphibian conservation at this stage of the Anthropocene. We identified amphibian conservation research priorities while accounting for expected tradeoffs in geographic scope, costs, and the taxonomic breadth of research needs. We aimed to solicit views from individuals rather than organizations while acknowledging inequities in participation. Emerging research priorities (i.e., those under‐represented in recently published amphibian conservation literature) were identified, and included the effects of climate change, community‐level (rather than single species‐level) drivers of declines, methodological improvements for research and monitoring, genomics, and effects of land‐use change. Improved inclusion of under‐represented members of the amphibian conservation community was also identified as a priority. These research needs represent critical knowledge gaps for amphibian conservation although filling these gaps may not be necessary for many conservation actions

Positive Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities for Aboriginal Youth: A Wise Practices Approach for Positive Aboriginal Youth Futures

Adolescence is a dynamic and complex period in any society, but within the Aboriginal population this time is one of significant social pressures, critical decisions, and struggles to emerge healthy. The Positive Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities for Aboriginal Youth (PL3A3Y) project created youth and Elder teams to explore cultural practices that may inform the youth’s paths to living well. Using a community-based participatory research approach, Elder–youth dyads developed and delivered five modules to 78 students at a local elementary school in response to the research question: What are the critical components of a “Living Well” healing initiative for Aboriginal youth? Through a 4-step process that included engagement, module creation, co-delivery, and knowledge sharing, the project’s community-based research team innovatively and using culturally appropriate approaches brought forward critical topics of Leaders and Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities. Not only did the Elder–youth dyads develop a series of highly relevant, creative, useful products that were shared extensively with youth in the community, but the experience became a culturally appropriate leadership development opportunity for the youth researchers. The involvement of Elder–youth teams was a strength in linking past to present and in jointly envisioning a positive, healthier future for Aboriginal youth. With youth as co-researchers, the Elders as partners were highly effective in the development and delivery of culturally relevant teachings and knowledge that strengthened youth’s ability to achieve holistic personal and community wellness

Priority research needs to inform amphibian conservation in the Anthropocene

The problem of global amphibian declines has prompted extensive research over the last three decades. Initially, the focus was on identifying and characterizing the extent of the problem, but more recently efforts have shifted to evidence-based research designed to identify best solutions and to improve conservation outcomes. Despite extensive accumulation of knowledge on amphibian declines, there remain knowledge gaps and disconnects between science and action that hamper our ability to advance conservation efforts. Using input from participants at the ninth World Congress of Herpetology, a U.S. Geological Survey Powell Center symposium, amphibian on-line forums for discussion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Gamete Biobanking group, and respondents to a survey, we developed a list of 25 priority research questions for amphibian conservation at this stage of the Anthropocene. We identified amphibian conservation research priorities while accounting for expected tradeoffs in geographic scope, costs, and the taxonomic breadth of research needs. We aimed to solicit views from individuals rather than organizations while acknowledging inequities in participation. Emerging research priorities (i.e., those under-represented in recently published amphibian conservation literature) were identified, and included the effects of climate change, community-level (rather than single species-level) drivers of declines, methodological improvements for research and monitoring, genomics, and effects of land-use change. Improved inclusion of under-represented members of the amphibian conservation community was also identified as a priority. These research needs represent critical knowledge gaps for amphibian conservation although filling these gaps may not be necessary for many conservation actions.</p