Mind the Gap: Admin Activism, a Thought Piece in Process

In this article, I describe the methodology I understand as admin activism within the context of cultural institutions to consider how we may generate sustainable, productive and enjoyable relationships in decolonial work. Admin activism includes specific priorities, behaviours, and strategies associated with decolonial resistances that can be mobilized by people working within art galleries, museums, and universities. Drawing from scholarly and grassroots practices of settler responsibility and Indigenous methodologies, my professional experience as a curator and educator, as well as important lessons learned from friends, colleagues and family, I intend this article to contribute to growing toolboxes for institutional change.

Food security, where is thy fifth dimension? A comparative analysis of the four dimensions food security framework from the lens of West African smallholder farmers

This study consists of a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative field research to gather empirical data through key informant interviews and focus groups. Using both scientific and indigenous methodologies the study assessed the suitability of the FAO inspired four dimensions food security framework smallholder farmers in Kasem-speaking people in contiguous communities between northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso. Indigenous methodologies included gathering of wise sayings, proverbs, poems, songs, and riddles. The use of indigenous methodologies was justified because the analysis of Kasem proverbs, expressions and songs give insights into the deeper meanings of cultural concepts and images, which inform their daily practices (Cassiman, 2006). Appreciative Inquiry technique of data collection was used, as it builds on the strengths of the existing system and also emphasizes the practical use of the results of research (Wilson, 2008). Scientific methodologies are inadequate for accessing knowledge in the metaphysical realm which is a key aspect of the worldview of indigenous people. Privacy of participants and confidentiality of information was protected throughout the research. To further protect the confidentiality and also obviate the need for documentation of names of study participants, the study opted for verbal informed consent and assent instead of written. Verbal consent was obtained from participants before interviews were conducted. Identification numbers were assigned to transcripts for organizational purposes only; to indicate the data source category and date. Any potential research participants who chose not to participate, or withdrew their participation during the interview, were cordially thanked for their time and excused. Though a purely qualitative study, data were analysed quantitatively to generate graphs and tables to assess the distribution of opinion on key variables while verbatim quotations were used to support the quantitative information.

Food security, where is thy fifth dimension? A comparative analysis of the four dimensions food security framework from the lens of West African smallholder farmers

This study consists of a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative field research to gather empirical data through key informant interviews and focus groups. Using both scientific and indigenous methodologies the study assessed the suitability of the FAO inspired four dimensions food security framework smallholder farmers in Kasem-speaking people in contiguous communities between northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso. Indigenous methodologies included gathering of wise sayings, proverbs, poems, songs, and riddles. The use of indigenous methodologies was justified because the analysis of Kasem proverbs, expressions and songs give insights into the deeper meanings of cultural concepts and images, which inform their daily practices (Cassiman, 2006). Appreciative Inquiry technique of data collection was used, as it builds on the strengths of the existing system and also emphasizes the practical use of the results of research (Wilson, 2008). Scientific methodologies are inadequate for accessing knowledge in the metaphysical realm which is a key aspect of the worldview of indigenous people. Privacy of participants and confidentiality of information was protected throughout the research. To further protect the confidentiality and also obviate the need for documentation of names of study participants, the study opted for verbal informed consent and assent instead of written. Verbal consent was obtained from participants before interviews were conducted. Identification numbers were assigned to transcripts for organizational purposes only; to indicate the data source category and date. Any potential research participants who chose not to participate, or withdrew their participation during the interview, were cordially thanked for their time and excused. Though a purely qualitative study, data were analysed quantitatively to generate graphs and tables to assess the distribution of opinion on key variables while verbatim quotations were used to support the quantitative information.

Food security, where is thy fifth dimension? A comparative analysis of the four dimensions food security framework from the lens of West African smallholder farmers

This study consists of a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative field research to gather empirical data through key informant interviews and focus groups. Using both scientific and indigenous methodologies the study assessed the suitability of the FAO inspired four dimensions food security framework smallholder farmers in Kasem-speaking people in contiguous communities between northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso. Indigenous methodologies included gathering of wise sayings, proverbs, poems, songs, and riddles. The use of indigenous methodologies was justified because the analysis of Kasem proverbs, expressions and songs give insights into the deeper meanings of cultural concepts and images, which inform their daily practices (Cassiman, 2006). Appreciative Inquiry technique of data collection was used, as it builds on the strengths of the existing system and also emphasizes the practical use of the results of research (Wilson, 2008). Scientific methodologies are inadequate for accessing knowledge in the metaphysical realm which is a key aspect of the worldview of indigenous people. Privacy of participants and confidentiality of information was protected throughout the research. To further protect the confidentiality and also obviate the need for documentation of names of study participants, the study opted for verbal informed consent and assent instead of written. Verbal consent was obtained from participants before interviews were conducted. Identification numbers were assigned to transcripts for organizational purposes only; to indicate the data source category and date. Any potential research participants who chose not to participate, or withdrew their participation during the interview, were cordially thanked for their time and excused. Though a purely qualitative study, data were analysed quantitatively to generate graphs and tables to assess the distribution of opinion on key variables while verbatim quotations were used to support the quantitative information.

Walking, knowing, and the limits of the map: performing participatory cartographies in indigenous landscapes

Post-representational cartography views maps as inherently unstable and unfinished, always in the making and thus singularly open for refolding and re-presentation. This perspective on maps calls for greater attention to the performances, negotiations, and contestations that occur during the ongoing production of maps, particularly in cases where maps are developed during collective, collaborative, and participatory processes in indigenous landscapes riven by conflict and struggle. In the following, we examine the role of walking for the continual (re)making of participatory maps, specifically engaging with work in indigenous methodologies to consider how an emphasis on performativity in map-makings may foster a post-representational perspective on indigenous cartographies. We understand walking as map-making, a form of knowledge production generated by performative and situated storytelling along paths and in places filled with meaning. Drawing on a critical understanding of ‘invitation’ and ‘crossing’, we build on our experiences from participatory mapping projects in Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil to explore the ways in which the material, performative crossings of bodies through indigenous landscapes may inspire new forms of knowledge production and destabilize Cartesian cartographic colonialities.

Indigenous methods and knowledge: Maternal health policy and practice in Ethiopia, Africa

This methodological article explores using Indigenous methodologies to elicit, gather, and report Indigenous knowledge as it relates to maternal health and mortality in the North Wollo Zone of Ethiopia. The authors demonstrate how attention to recruitment procedures (i.e. researcher and research assistant familiarity with the zone), data collection (i.e. interviews, visual dialogues, and observations), and data analysis (i.e. Circles and talking pieces) facilitated the elicitation and gathering of Indigenous knowledge. The authors contend using Indigenous methodologies to elicit, gather, and report Indigenous knowledge is essential to developing and implementing effective maternal health and mortality policies and programs in the region.

Yarning as an Interview Method for Non-Indigenous Clinicians and Health Researchers

In this article, we discuss the origins, epistemology, and forms of Yarning as derived from the literature, and its use in research and clinical contexts. Drawing on three Yarns, the article addresses the extent to which non-Indigenous researchers and clinicians rightfully use and adapt this information-gathering method, or alternatively, may engage in yet another form of what can be described as post-colonialist behavior. Furthermore, we argue that while non-Indigenous researchers can use Yarning as an interview technique, this does not necessarily mean they engage in Indigenous methodologies. As we note, respectfully interviewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be a challenge for non-Indigenous researchers. The difficulties go beyond differences in language to reveal radically different expectations about how relationships shape information giving. Yarning as a method for addressing cross-cultural clinical and research differences goes some way to ameliorating these barriers, but also highlights the post-colonial tensions.