Indigenous conference compare differing research approaches
Indigenous conference compare differing research approaches
By Lailani Upham

PABLO — Salish Kootenai College is the home of an Indigenous Research Conference where hundreds of researchers from around the world gather to compare notes.
All share a common philosophies – indigenous research methodologies differ from a western approach.
Western approach is where the researcher is separated from the data and the project, and is merely an observer.
Indigenous research flows from relationships.
Nearly 300 participants attended the third annual Indigenous Research Conference on October 22 – 24 at the SKC Joe McDonald Health Center.
The purpose is to educate and promote and incorporate methodologies into all research that engages indigenous peoples and communities around the worlds.
The new philosophy is that research is gained through relationships and the researcher knows the story or can tell it from a personal standpoint.
Participants came from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Alaska, South Africa, Sweden, and from across the United States.
Dr. Bagele Chilisa, author of Indigenous Methodologies (2012), of University of Botswana was one of the keynote speakers along with Dr. Patricia Cochran, Inupiat, from Alaska Native Science.
A researcher from Russian, Dr. Lilian Alissa was the banquet speaker.
Dr. Shawn Wilson, author of “Research is Ceremony” was part of a pre- conference workshop titled: Implementing the Indigenous paradigm into the proposal. Read More…