Heart work: Indigenous doulas responding to challenges of western systems and revitalizing Indigenous birthing care in Canada

Background In Canada, there has been a significant increase in the training of Indigenous doulas, who provide continuous, culturally appropriate support to Indigenous birthing people during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. The purpose of our project was to interview Indigenous doulas across Canada in order to document how they worked through the logistics of providing doula care and to discern their main challenges and innovations. Population/setting Our paper analyzes interviews conducted with members of five Indigenous doula collectives across Canada, from the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the five Indigenous doula collectives across Canada in 2020 as part of the project, “She Walks With Me: Supporting Urban Indigenous Expectant Mothers Through Culturally Based Doulas.” Interview transcripts were approved by participants and subsequently coded by the entire research team to identify key themes. Results Our paper examines two themes that emerged in interviews: the main challenges Indigenous doulas describe confronting when working within western systems, and how they navigate and overcome these obstacles. Specifically, interview participants described tensions with the biomedical approach to maternal healthcare and conflicts with the practice of Indigenous infant apprehension. In response to these challenges, Indigenous doulas are working to develop Indigenous-specific doula training curricula, engaging in collective problem-solving, and advocating for the reformation of a grant program in order to fund more Indigenous doulas. Conclusions Both the biomedical model of maternal healthcare and the crisis of Indigenous infant apprehension renders Canadian hospitals unsafe and uncomfortable spaces for many Indigenous birthing people and their families. Indigenous doulas are continually navigating these challenges and creatively and concertedly working towards the revitalization of Indigenous birthing care. Indigenous doula care is critical to counter systemic, colonial barriers and issues that disproportionately impact Indigenous families, as well as recentering birth as the foundation of Indigenous sovereignty and community health.

Mother–Child Relationships in U.S. Latinx Families in Middle Childhood: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century

The 21st century has brought unique opportunities and challenges for parents, and this is particularly true for Latinx families, whose children comprise more than one-fourth of the school-age population in the U.S. today. Taking an ecological and strengths-based approach, the current study examined the role of mothers’ cultural assets (familism values, family cohesion) and challenges (economic hardship, ethnic–race-based discrimination) on children’s educational adjustment in middle childhood, as well as the indirect role of mother–child warmth and conflict in these associations. The sample included 173 Latinx mothers and their middle childhood offspring (i.e., 5th graders and younger sisters/brothers in the 1st through 4th grade). Mothers participated in home visits and phone interviews and teachers provided ratings of children’s educational adjustment (academic and socioemotional competence, aggressive/oppositional behaviors). Findings revealed family cohesion was indirectly linked to children’s educational adjustment via mother–child warmth and conflict, particularly for younger siblings. Discussion focuses on the culturally based strengths of Latinx families and highlights potential implications for family-based prevention in middle childhood.

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Culturally based Activities in South African Mathematics Classrooms

Culturally based activities embedded within indigenous knowledge, in general, may be used to support the teaching of mathematics in multicultural classes. The article reflects on research that has been conducted with twenty-five post-graduate students studying Mathematics Education at one university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. These post-graduate students were also practicing mathematics teachers at schools. The study explored the use of indigenous knowledge and culturally based activities by post-graduate students in schools while teaching mathematical concepts. The theory of Realistic Mathematics Education framed this qualitative, interpretive study which used a questionnaire, lesson observations and semi-structured interviews to generate data. Qualitative data were analysed inductively and thematically. The findings reveal that the participants needed to understand indigenous knowledge to integrate culturally based activities in mathematics lessons. Secondly, culturally based activities established on indigenous knowledge scaffolded mathematics lessons and promoted the understanding of mathematical concepts to make learning more meaningful and relevant. Thirdly, this study provides examples of good practice to support teachers in integrating classroom activities and activities outside the classroom, ensuring that mathematical concepts learned in classrooms are not done in isolation but take into account learners’ authentic experiences in various settings. Finally, by integrating indigenous knowledge and culturally based activities in the mathematics curriculum, learners interacted and engaged more freely within the educational context. Similar studies could be conducted at universities internationally. Implications for mathematics teachers, mathematics teacher educators and mathematics curriculum developers globally are discussed.

Correlational Study of Culturally-Based Instructional Strategy and Cognitive Competencies on Problem Solving, Speaking and Listening: An Evidence in Oyo State Nigeria

The study examined the impact of culturally based Instructional strategy (indigenous songs, rhymes, games, stories, language of the immediate environment and instructional materials) on pre-primary school children’s cognitive competence with special attention to problem-solving, speaking and listening skills. Socio-cultural theory provided the framework, while pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was adopted. 74 children (44 males and 30 females) with a mean age of 5.61 from four pre-primary schools (two public and private schools) were purposively selected from two local government areas, and randomised into CIBS and conventional groups respectively. Children’s Cognitive Competence Rating Scale (r = 0.89) and CBIS Instructional Guide were used to collect the study data. Paired sample t-test and Analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) were used to analyse the data. There was a significant main effect of treatment on children’s cognitive competence (F(1,65) = 10.31; partial ?2 = 0.14). CIBS was found to be potent in enhancing pre-primary school children’s cognitive competence, especially in problem-solving, speaking, and listening skills. Teaching and learning activities at the pre-primary school level should employ a culturally-based instructional strategy.

Assessing Social Determinants of Health in a Prenatal and Perinatal Cultural Intervention for American Indians and Alaska Natives

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) refer to cultural traditions and values to guide resilient and strength-based practices to address maternal and infant health disparities. Methods: A case study of a culturally-based educational intervention on AIAN maternal and child health. Results: Cultural teachings have successfully been applied in AIAN behavioral interventions using talking circles and cradleboards, but maternal and child health interventions are not well-represented in peer-reviewed literature. Zero publications included interventions centered around cradleboards and safe sleep. Discussion: There is a need for rigorous published research on culturally based interventions and effectiveness on health outcomes for mothers and babies. Conclusions: This paper discusses how a cradleboard educational intervention incorporates national guidelines to address maternal and infant health while mediating social determinants of health.

Investigation on the Severity of Alternaria Blight of Pigeonpea and its Characterisation in Northern Karnataka

Background: The Alternaria blight of pigeonpea is considered as an important foliar disease and poses threat to the pigeonpea cultivation due to change in the climatic condition, cultivation practices and variation in pathogenic character. Though the disease is noticed in an alarming proportion after the post rainy season and causing economic yield, little is known about the severity of disease and its impact on crop production. The current study is aimed to study the disease severity and variability of the pathogen and which would helps us to understand the biology of the pathogen to develop suitable management strategies. Methods: In the field and laboratory investigations during 2015 and 2017, different localities of Northern Karnataka were surveyed. Twenty sampling localities were selected based on geographical situation. In the laboratory, collected diseased samples were isolated and determined morphologically and culturally based on taxonomic and molecular characters. Result: Our investigations revealed the varied disease severity in surveyed districts, Vijayapura district recorded the maximum disease severity with a range of 38.67 to 49.33 and this might be due to variation in pathogenic character, rainfall pattern and climatic conditions and also disease severity varied with varieties indicating the source of resistance. The present study contributed for identification of geographical distribution of the disease and its severity in different varieties and places of Northern Karnataka and their genetic and morphological variations.

DOING IT RIGHT, BUT GETTING IT WRONG: BEST PRACTICES FOR REFUGEE FOCUSED INCUBATORS

In response to the rising numbers of refugees worldwide, many aid organizations suggest entrepreneurship as a preferred route to refugee economic self-reliance in a new country. Incubators have long provided assistance to nascent entrepreneurs and are utilized worldwide to offer support to entrepreneurial businesses. Yet, little research examines refugee-focused incubators or considers refugee-specific constraints. Herein, we argue that refugee status has specific implications for how refugee entrepreneurs accumulate and deploy human, social and financial capital. Thus, refugee status affects the types of services transitioning refugees require from incubators. This paper considers refugee-specific resources and uses a case study approach to investigate resource provision in a refugee-focused incubator in the United States. We find that even when an incubator follows best practices in terms of service provision, it may still miss the mark in terms of meeting key resource needs of refugees. Specifically, this paper illuminates how refugee entrepreneurs need (more) incubator support in terms of (1) addressing mental health in service provision, (2) building community within the incubator and (3) balancing financial tradeoffs associated with culturally-based businesses. Findings are novel when tied to a resource-based lens and help build theory regarding entrepreneurship among less-served populations.