Beaton, Brian

English

University of New Brunswick: Centre for Digital Scholarship Journals

Antistasis, 5 (2)   50  Creating appropriate participatory action research with remote First Nations  Brian Beaton & Penny Carpenter  Meaningful working relationships with Indigenous communities require researchers to respect First Nation cultural practices and territories. Recognizing and honouring the unceded traditional territories of the Wolastoqey nation as the place for the creation of this article is an essential step for the authors. We thank the Wolastoqey people for sharing their lands and resources that make the production of this material possible and the Cree, Oji-Cree and Ojibway nations that partnered with us and gave us the opportunity to share their story with others.  Our article highlights how using online technologies and participatory action research methodologies appropriately can support collaborative working relationships and research partnerships with remote First Nations and their organizations. This article is a collaborative effort in many ways. The research work was conducted under the directorship of the First Nations Innovation (FNI) research project based at the University of New Brunswick. The FNI project requires all publications be co-authored with an Indigenous person from the region where the research is being undertaken. Working with an Indigenous person ensures the voices of the people and the region are properly represented and appropriately presented. Creating resources of value to the First Nations and their organizations is an important component of all participatory action research.  Our article provides an example of an online research methodology we used successfully in small remote First Nations Antistasis, 5 (2)   51  in northwestern Ontario. We present some of the challenges of conducting online research in remote locations and propose some solutions we used during this work. Respectful and collaborative research in partnership with remote Indigenous communities supports their efforts to survive and thrive in their traditional homelands. In many northern areas in Canada there are no permanent roads and expensive flights on small planes are the only way to reach these remote Indigenous communities. Researchers, based in southern urban universities, have limited time and funds. Using online tools and online methods of conducting research is a requirement in this context.  Across northern Ontario, Indigenous people have lived for millennia in their traditional territories thriving as hunters and gatherers with strong connections to the land and all that it provides to support their existence. This same connection to their traditional territories continues today. Their struggle is ongoing against colonial governments and corporate efforts to access the resources on their lands and remove the people from their traditional territories. Working with their allies, effectively using their digital networks and communication technologies, and conducting collaborative research are tools Indigenous people living in remote First Nations are employing to counter the destruction of their traditional lands and lifestyles. First Nations are establishing their own organizations and protocols to ensure their digital networks and knowledge are protected and used for their benefit.   Historically, research has a very negative connotation for First Nations because of how often it has been used to exploit them and their resources. In Canada, to gain access to the natural resources in traditional Indigenous territories, governments and Antistasis, 5 (2)   52  their corporate partners apply ongoing economic and social pressures that often leave the remote First Nations with very few resources to sustain themselves. In this context, research has most often supported the colonial approach to caring for and governing these communities. Contemporary research led by the communities and their allies using online technologies has the potential to counter the past myths with narratives celebrating the rich history and innovative aspects of the people and their survival within these challenging environments.  Our article includes a case study of an online research initiative with remote First Nations that considers these challenging contexts. The specific study discussed is a collaborative effort of the ongoing FNI research project at UNB in partnership with Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO), a First Nations council in northwestern Ontario, thousands of kilometers away. The study used an online questionnaire to engage community members living and surviving in remote, fly-in First Nations.  Participatory research: the online survey with KO  Our methodological approach is holistic, community-centered and participatory. The Chiefs of the KO First Nations established the KO Research Institute (KORI) in 2004 to partner with other research institutions and researchers while ensuring their stories, knowledge, and data are protected and properly represented. Following the principles of OCAP – Ownership, Control, Access, Possession (AFN, 2007; Battiste, 2013; Beaton & Campbell, 2014; Schnarch, 2004), the research, the process, and the data obtained from the study along with the papers and Antistasis, 5 (2)   53  reports produced are owned and controlled by KO and the KO First Nations.   The development and delivery of the survey instrument was a lengthy and close collaboration process between the UNB researchers and the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) First Nations council, KO staff, the KO First Nation community leadership and members. KORI supports the KO First Nations in identifying their research needs and priorities while developing local skills in creating and using local knowledge and information. Research conducted in the KO First Nations is also required to support local and regional developments by creating reports and publications that can be used for accessing, enhancing, and protecting local resources.  Working with KORI, we identified research priorities and designed the most appropriate method to collect data from community members in these remote First Nations given our travel and cost limitations. We decided to use an online survey, as this method was validated previously in 2011 (Beaton, Gibson, Kakekaspan & O’Donnell, 2012a, 2012b). Similar to the 2011 survey, our 2014 survey collected both qualitative data through open user responses and quantitative data through closed multiple-choice questions. The 2014 survey used some of the same questions as the previous successful online survey for comparative purposes and increased the number of open-ended questions to encourage community voices and perspectives.  Starting in the Fall of 2013, information about the online survey was circulated, reviewed, revised, and re-examined by KO program managers, the KO Chiefs and board of directors, and the community researchers. Most of this internal KO Antistasis, 5 (2)   54  communication was led by the director of KORI with FNI researcher support. We worked closely with the KO program managers (education, health, technology, research, administration, etc.) to design questions that would support ongoing KO program development work. Another important design feature of the survey and the questions was that the information being shared in the survey informed participants about the various services and programs available from their First Nation council. The questions were tested and further developed with KO First Nation research assistants to ensure they would support community planning. The survey was lengthy, with 29 questions, many of which had multiple sub-questions, taking from 30 to 40 minutes to complete with some people taking over an hour.   Working with the First Nation organization partners to determine the final questions to be asked is an ethical and respectful process that ensures the information obtained, and the publication deliverables, are owned and useful to the communities. The survey and research protocol met the KO requirements for community engagement as documented by their Research Institute (Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute, 2012). It was reviewed and accepted by the UNB research ethics board. The research respects the guidelines outlined in Chapter 9 of the Tri-council policy statement for ethical conduct and research involving First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada & Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2014) along with Indigenous research methodologies (Battiste, 2013; Smith, 2012; Wilson, 2008).  Antistasis, 5 (2)   55  We launched the online survey at the start of February 2014 and kept it open until the end of March 2014. The survey promotion was targeted specifically at the members of the six KO First Nations. We used SurveyMonkey to deliver the survey. We worked with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI) to engage the community researchers in the six KO First Nations to promote the survey and support community members to complete it. We created a job description and contract to provide a clear definition of roles and expectations for everyone. The research team worked with the community researchers to identify the tools required to promote the survey and to create posters and information bulletins for community members. Appropriate prizes were identified as incentives. The survey was promoted primarily through online means, such as mass emails to KO-KNET email account holders who identified as living in KO communities, messages posted to the KO First Nations e-community and other Facebook pages, and personal Facebook and email messages to encourage community members to complete the survey.  Given that the survey was promoted almost exclusively through online methods, one of the limits of the survey is that community members not using online tools were unlikely to complete the survey without the help of the local research assistant working with us on the study. Community members were also made aware of the survey through offline methods (posters, community researchers, local community TV and radio ads). After completing the online survey, respondents were directed to another page to enter their name, community and contact details for the prize draws. The names were validated as community members and therefore there is a high level of confidence in the validity of responses. Antistasis, 5 (2)   56   Throughout the survey period, we prepared regular updates to the community researchers and our KORI partner. When the survey was completed, we worked with KO to prepare reports for the community that were later presented in person and discussed with community members and leadership, and the KO program managers. Follow-up interview and reports using the survey information and meetings with each of the KO First Nations took place during the summer of 2014 when the researchers travelled into each community. Future papers, research, and reports are anticipated outcomes from these community visits. The responses to the survey questions by the KO community members that were summarized in the reports support local community and regional program and service planning and developments addressing local needs and priorities.  Conclusions  First Nations are addressing contemporary challenges in many ways and researchers working with them must use appropriate and respectful research methodologies. One important aspect we as researchers are still grappling with is how to support the resurgence of Indigenous languages in our work with remote First Nations. It will require innovative strategies to support the use and recognition of Indigenous languages in all aspects of the research. The primary researchers on the project cannot communicate in the Indigenous languages. The digital interfaces we use employ the spoken and written English language. It is possible to work with Native language speakers during online interactive video sessions. Careful planning and language resources are required to ensure these communication tools and the methods used by researchers avoid the traditional Antistasis, 5 (2)   57  exploitative and destructive colonial practices of the past. We will continue to explore ways to conduct research with remote Indigenous communities that supports the development of community research capacity and that ideally will provide new local training and employment opportunities.   The principles of OCAP (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) as applied to research and data are essential components for meaningful and respectful relationships with research partners working with First Nations (Assembly of First Nations, 2007; Schnarch, 2004). Researchers working with Indigenous communities are encouraged to recognize and learn about the desires of Indigenous people rather than perpetuate the traditional damaged-centred, colonial approach to presenting their findings and narratives (Tuck, 2009).  Intermediary Indigenous organizations that are owned and directed by First Nations are important partners in working effectively with the people in these remote regions. First Nation research institutes and other support organizations ensure research activities meet local and regional needs and priorities. The collaborative case study with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI) in northwestern Ontario and the University of New Brunswick’s FNI research initiative highlights how important it is to build partnerships with academic institutions and academics who respect Indigenous self-determination. It is critical to the success of research partnerships that all partners create strong relationships and maintain trust despite the vast geographical distance between them.  Acknowledgements  Antistasis, 5 (2)   58  The authors would like to thank everyone involved with our research. This article is only possible because the people who live and work in our partner communities. Our research and the lead author’s doctoral research is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The SSHRC-funded First Nations Innovation (FNI) research project (http://fn-innovation-pn.com and http://firstmile.ca)  provides employment, guidance, training, support and resources. FNI research project partners are Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO-KNET and KORI) (www.knet.ca), the First Nations Education Council (www.cepn-fnec.com), Atlantic Canada’s First Nation Help Desk / Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey (www.firstnationhelp.com) and the University of New Brunswick department of Sociology (www.unb.ca).  References  Assembly of First Nations. (2007). OCAP: Ownership, Control, Access and Possession – First Nations inherent right to govern First Nations data. Report prepared for AFN.   Battiste, Marie. (2013). Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the learning spirit. Saskatoon, SK: Purich Publishing Limited.   Beaton B. & Campbell P. (2014). Settler colonialism and First Nations e-communities in northwestern Ontario. Journal of Community Informatics, 10(2). Retrieved Dec18, 2015 from http://ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/article/view/1072     Beaton, B., Gibson, K., Kakekaspan, C. & O’Donnell, S. (2012a). KO/K-Net report: Survey of community connectivity northwestern Ontario. Online presentation Antistasis, 5 (2)   59  from Sioux Lookout, Ontario and Fredericton, New Brunswick, April 2012. Retrieved from http://meeting.knet.ca/mp19/mod/book/view.php?id=1722&chapterid=1977    Beaton, B., Gibson, K., Kakekaspan, C. & O'Donnell, S. (2012b). KO/K-Net Report: Survey of Connectivity in Keewaytinook Okimakanak Communities. Online presentation from Sioux Lookout, Ontario and Fredericton, New Brunswick, April, 2012. Retrieved from http://meeting.knet.ca/mp19/mod/book/view.php?id=1722&chapterid=1976   Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada & Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. (2014). Tri-council policy statement: Ethical conduct for research involving humans.  First Nations Innovation (FNI). (2013). First Nations Innovation Publication Policy. Retrieved on December 18, 2015 from http://firstmile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2013-FNI-publication_policy_January.pdf   Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI). (2012). Community Research Guidelines. Retrieved on December 18, 2015 from http://research.knet.ca/?q=system/files/2012_Community%20Consultation%20Guidelines.pdf  Schnarch, B. (2004). Ownership, control, access, and possession (OCAP) or self-determination applied to research: A Antistasis, 5 (2)   60  critical analysis of contemporary First Nations research and some options for First Nations communities. Journal of Aboriginal Health, 1, 80-95.  Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and Indigenous peoples (2nd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Zed Books.  Tuck, E. (2009). Suspending Damage: A Letter to Communities. Harvard Educational Review, 79, 408 - 429.  Wilson, S. (2008). Research is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods. Black Point, NS: Fernwood Publishing.  Brian Beaton is a doctoral candidate in the Education faculty at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). He is a researcher with UNB’s First Nations Innovation (FNI) research project and a Research Associate of the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) Research Institute. As the former Coordinator of KO’s Kuhkenah Network from 1994 to 2013, he worked with a team to develop community-owned telecommunications infrastructures and applications in remote and rural First Nations. He positions himself as a settler researcher working closely with Indigenous peoples. His doctoral research is supported by the KO leadership, their KO organization, and a SSHRC Fellowship Award.   Penny Carpenter is the Director of Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s (KO) KNET Services. Working in various capacities from Business and Finance Manager, First Nation Financial Advisor, Telehealth Director at KO since it began as a First Nations council in 1991, Penny worked with the different program Antistasis, 5 (2)   61  managers to develop and successfully operate their programs serving the remote First Nations including the innovative Keewaytinook Internet High School. She has an honours degree in Business Administration from Lakehead University. She is a member of the Lac Seul First Nation,  living in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. She is the recipient of the PARO Enterprising Women Award 2012 in northwestern Ontario.  Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed to Brian Beaton at brian.beaton@unb.ca 

Creating appropriate participatory action research with remote First Nations

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Creating appropriate participatory action research with remote First Nations

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University of New Brunswick: Centre for Digital Scholarship Journals