1

Jocelyn Jones
Re-search
INDG 304
March 23rd, 2020
Respect and Reciprocity Within Indigenous research

Decolonizing Western ways of thinking is related to land, sentient beings, community,

research and how they play an integral role within Indigenous research. The topic that emerged

for me personally through a critical Indigenous lens is respect and reciprocity. My critical

Indigenous lens has shifted and focused on how respect and reciprocity are important

considerations when conducting research from an Indigenous point of view. In particular,

assigned readings such as Cultural Teachings, Decolonizing Methodologies, Kaandossiwin, The

American Indian Oral History Manual, and Language of this Land, have all mentioned the

importance of respect when conducting research. The importance of respect and reciprocity has

helped me deconstruct Western ways of thinking within the research. Research from an

Indigenous point of view is centered around respect and reciprocity for communities, research,

knowledge, land, and sentient beings. A theme from Absolon’s book Kaandossiwin is self-

locating. Within this time my location is centered around balancing work as an essential service

worker, shifting to online school, and the COVID-19 virus. These times are overwhelming in

trying to balance life and schoolwork. As an Indigenous person who is disconnected from her

culture, deconstructing Western methodologies that disregard the importance of respect and

reciprocity is imperative in this evolving time. Questions that arose from this topic of respect and

reciprocity that this paper will be centered around are the following: how is respect and

reciprocity applied within Indigenous research, and what is the importance of respect and

reciprocity within Indigenous research?

 2

Cultural Teachings: First Nations Protocols and Methodologies is a very insightful book

regarding cultural protocols and methodologies. Throughout this book is discussions of respect

for laws, history, culture, elders, and the community. Under First Nation laws, if you break a

certain law, you are not just simply breaking legal traditions, you are breaking the creator’s laws

which shows a lack of respect (Cultural Teachings, 8). It is important to apply and obey the

creator’s laws to show respect and reciprocity. In chapter five of Cultural Teachings, it is

explained how it is important to be respectful when you are attending any ceremonies or

gathering, and when attending it is important that you show appropriate behaviours and

expressions of spirituality (12). It is very important to show respect for Elders during ceremonies

by listening, observing and being attentive (Cultural Teachings, 12). Cultural Teachings

demonstrates the importance of sacred sentient beings, showing respect for “all of the Creators

creations, including the smallest insect, and the air we breathe, [everything] [has] a life force”

(15). Respect is applied through honoring earth. An example provided by Cultural Teachings is

the individuals understanding of Mother Earth, in which you must “understand your reciprocal

relationship to all of life and creation” (17). Respect is exemplified within research, and it is

explained how “we must give honor to our Elders and fellow students and the strangers that

come to visit our community. We must honor other people’s basic rights” (Cultural Teachings,

38). A huge concept within Western academia is the dichotomous roles of men and women.

From a critical Indigenous lens, Cultural Teachings has explained how women are very

respected within society (41). From a Western perspective, this is generally not taken into

consideration and often men are at the top of the hierarchy. These examples throughout Cultural

Teachings exemplify how and why respect and reciprocity are imperative within Indigenous
 3

research. Through my critical Indigenous lens, showing respect and reciprocity when conducting

pre-engagement research is highly important.

In Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples by Linda Tuhiwai

Smith, Smith explains the cultural evolution of the Western perspective of research. In detail,

Smith explains the importance of implementing a new Indigenous research agenda, which is

necessary due to the long-lasting effects on Indigenous peoples. Throughout the book, Smith

talks about respect and reciprocity, and how to apply them. For example, “In First Nations and

Native American communities, there are protocols of being respectful, of showing or accepting

respect and reciprocating respectful behaviors, which also develop membership, credibility, and

reputation” (51). Smith talks about Kaupapa Maori practices, such as “Te Awekotuku” which is

a set of guidelines surrounded around respect, protection of rights, and sensitivities that are

implemented of the people being studied (209). Through my critical Indigenous lens, I found

respect and reciprocity from what Smith discussed. Specifically, how Indigenous codes are

similar to how individuals govern relationships with others and the environment (Smith, 211).

Respect and reciprocity are not simply applied to Indigenous research, and Smith explains how

“respect is a reciprocal, shared, constantly interchanging principle which is expressed through all

aspects of social conduct” (Smith, 211). Furthermore, Smith explains how Haig-Brown and

Archibald describe the respect required for each living entity to create harmony within oneself

(211). Smith also explains how there has been a lack of respect that Western humanity has

shown by denying human rights, citizenship, and self-determination (211). Smith explains the

process of gaining trust and informed consent. Specific protocols are centered around the

practice of respect and reciprocity, research enquires individuals to gain informed consent and

that can take years sometimes (229). Smith's book is very centered around respect and
 4

reciprocity, not only humans but for every entity. This book has opened my eyes to a critical

recognition lens of how Indigenous research is viewed, respected, and conducted. Smith provides

evidence of how to apply respect and reciprocity. Smith's book not only demonstrates the

historical importance of Indigenous methods, but has revealed to me how important respect and

reciprocity are.

Kaandossiwin: How We Come to Know by Kathleen E. Absolon is a book centered on

bringing Indigenous language into context. Absolon explains in her preface that her book reveals

an Indigenous research journey about “learning, being and doing” (10). Absolon’s research petal

flower framework is surrounded around “strength, sharing, honesty, and kindness in kinship

relationships” (49). Absolon reveals how Indigenous methodologies are entrenched within

Indigenous worldviews (63). These worldviews are surrounded by “respect, reciprocity,

relevance, humility, gratitude, purpose, truth, kindness, sharing, balance, harmony, love, bravery

and wisdom” (Absolon, 63). Within the framework’s petals, the mind methodology aspect

explains the importance of enacting respectful research (Absolon, 119). Absolon’s flower petal

framework of Indigenous research methods goals is to view research from an anti-colonial

perspective while privileging Indigenous scholars. Its expressed throughout this book how

respect and reciprocity are essential within Indigenous methodologies. Absolon explains the

importance of respect within research with goals of self-determination and control. It also shows

how “research relationships were regarded as friendships, with sharing encouraging words and

reciprocal way of relating” (Absolon, 124). Absolon exemplifies how her petals are surrounded

by “enacting re-search that is respectful of Indigenous ways mean[ing] that Indigenous re-

searchers work to advance Indigenous perspectives, worldviews, and methods in all areas of

education, searching, and scholarship” (129). Through my critical lens, the idea of respect and
 5

reciprocity has emerged as a topic of interest. When thinking about pre-engagement research and

conducting research from an Indigenous point of view, I believe that applying Absolon’s

framework can show respect from an Indigenous point of view.

The American Indian Oral History Manual: Making Many Voices Heard by Trimble,

Sommer, and Quinlan is about the importance of oral history, legal issues, ethical issues,

planning, and interview processes within Indigenous history. The American Indian Oral History

Manual explains the validity of oral history that can provide education amongst Indigenous

peoples (105). Trible et al. explains how oral tradition is vital to Indigenous people’s culture,

language, and their own knowledge (105). This book revealed to me how respect for Indigenous

oral culture is important within pre-engagement research, including being sensitive to and

respecting oral information to benefit the Indigenous community that is participating in oral

history research (21). When applying respect and reciprocity to research Trible et al., explains

that within Indigenous “OHA standards and tribal traditions on protocols both are based on a

fundamental principle of respecting people who give their stories and respecting the stories they

tell” (31). This includes how trained interviews must have respect for the individual’s life, stories

and ethical oral history work (33). As well as ensuring, “[r]espect for the narrator, sensitivity to

the narrator-interviewer relationship and an understanding of the historical context of the

interview are basic to the work of the oral historian’ (Trible, Sommer, and Quinlan, 47). The

American Indian Oral History Manual also discusses how the interviewer should be avoiding

topics out of respect for the individuals narrating (51). Trible et al. explains how “Nelson relates

these questions to an understanding of “cultural privacy”, nothing that the respect for the

narrator’s knowledge that the questions represent can help build trust between the narrator and

the interviewer” (72). The American Indian Oral History Manual demonstrates respectful ways
 6

of conducting oral history research and how to apply it. This book opened my eyes to the

importance of oral history, legal issues, and ethical issues. In particular, it opened my critical

Indigenous lens to show the importance of respect and reciprocity.

The Language of this Land: Mi’kma’ki by Sable and Francis is about the expression of

language, legends, song, dance, and knowledge. According to Sable and Francis, Mi’kmaq refers

to land located in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Gaspe,

and Maine. Specifically, they touch on the importance of traditional language within Mi’kmaq

culture throughout history. At the beginning of the book, it is explained how “the word

ko’kmanaq’ is also important to introduce and contemplate. It conveys the notion of relatedness

and kinship, which also carries an implicit set of values and obligations. Ko’kmanaq means “our

relations”, “our relatives” or “our people” (Sable and Francis, 23). It is also expressed how “[t]he

songs and chants of the [Mi’kmaq] discussed in this chapter are examples of mirroring the

sounds and rhythms of the world, and communicating information” (Sable and Francis, 98).

Sable and Francis explain how dance is important for sharing and communication knowledge

and how it must honor the environment to ensure the survival of the Mi’kmaq (90). One of my

favorite quotes from reading this book that I believe truly showed me how respect and

reciprocity are essential within Indigenous research is how “personal and reciprocal relationships

extended to animals and other objects considered inanimate in Western world views, such as

rocks, mountains, certain stages of the production of wood products, winds, weather and so

forth” (Sable and Francis, 24). Sable and Francis explain how respect is required when applying

it from different sources of power and how you apply it to the energies of the world (24). The

book shows a “fluid and living landscape filled with a network of reciprocal relationship and

moral obligations” (25). This book revealed how “The relational aspect can also be seen in the
 7

extension of kinship terms-which we generally associate with human-human relationships-to

animals, stars, and other beings. All animate beings are-or have the potential for being-one’s

relatives and taking human shape” (33). The Language of this Land: Mi’kma’ki, reveals the

importance of respect and reciprocity by explaining the power of dance and language, and within

it arises the kinship relationship the researchers must have with themselves, their communities,

their environment, animals, and more.

As an Indigenous woman who is not connected to her culture, I have learned through a

critical recognition lens the importance of respect and reciprocity through pre-engagement

research in these books. At this time, I am learning the importance of pre-engagement research

and how-to self locate yourself before even beginning research. This is surrounded by respecting

the land, sentient beings, individuals, stories, culture, and much more, which creates a reciprocal

relationship when conducting research from an Indigenous lens. Going forward with pre-

engagement research, I believe I am educated to begin developing thoughts on conducting

Indigenous research. These books expanded my mind into historical significance before

beginning research to ensure respect is provided and received. I believe it is important to

constantly return to the essential knowledge that Indigenous peoples have shared to ensure there

is respect. Cultural Teachings, Decolonizing Methodologies, Kaandossiwin, the American

Indian Oral History Manual, and the Language of this Land, have taught me how and why

respect and reciprocity are important within Indigenous research.

 8

References

Absolon, Kathleen E. Kaandossiwin: How We Come to Know. Fernwood Pub., 2011.

Cultural Teachings: First Nations Protocols and Methodologies. Saskatchewan Indian Cultural

Centre, 2009.

Sable, Trudy, and Bernard Francis. The Language of This Land, Mikmaki. Nimbus Publishing,

2018.

Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (2nd

Edition). Zed Books, 2012.

Trimble, Charles, and Mary Kay Quinlan. The American Indian Oral History Manual: Making

Many Voices Heard. Left Coast, 2009.