Allyship and Activism: Integral Parts of Indigenous Research

In plain language, what is your project about? What questions are you trying to answer by doing this research

The Mawoluhkhotipon Ally & Safe Space Program for Wabanaki and Indigenous Peoples is a program that brings insight to Indigenous culture and understanding on the impacts of colonization. It was developed three years ago in partnership with Elders and Indigenous community members in the province, and provides a springboard for training our community in allyship, and for conducting research and evaluation on Indigenous content in academic and community programs. 

One project we have completed is an environmental scan on the level of Indigenous content in undergraduate nursing programs across Canada – what is compulsory, what is elective, how is it being delivered and what departments are involved. We hope this work will bring to light a broader understanding of the status of Indigenous content being included in nursing curricula and where and how apparent gaps may be filled. It could also be used to inform the development of an Indigenous focus certificate or diploma program at the university. In a similar vein, we are now developing a protocol for a scoping review of allyship frameworks that are being used in universities and colleges across the country. What framework does a program use? What activities on campus, and in the community and workplace, are being used to support this framework? Finally, in another piece of work, we are also engaging in a participatory action research study on the use of Gladue pre-sentencing reports for Indigenous offenders in New Brunswick.

(L-R): Amanda Myran, Shelley Francis, Dan Nagel, Imelda Perley, Dave Perley, Chola Shamputa, Catherine Hamilton

Mawoluhkhotipon also provides spaces for nursing students to complete their community clinical rotation; we currently have or have had six students completing this rotation with us. This work is germane to health since culture is an important social determinant of health. The impacts of colonialism on the Indigenous culture and Indigenous ways of knowing and healing have been devastating for communities and undercut the role culture has in creating a vibrant, healthy and cohesive society. Their projects are acts of allyship, directed by our Indigenous guides, and are meant to bring attention to this on a population basis. 

Looking at your research team members, there are people from other departments and institutions. Have you worked together before this project?

Three years ago, Dan Nagel (former UNBSJ nursing professor) and Catherine, co-created and co-led the allyship program. Initially, and for the following two years, our goal was to deliver the day-long allyship training program. This included providing education on the history and effects of colonization in Canada and allyship awareness training and then evaluating the program delivery. We were quite successful in it: close to 400 UNB students, faculty, staff and community stakeholders attended the program over those two years. 

Early on, Moira attended the training program and then joined the team as a program facilitator. ​When Dan left, she stepped into the role of co-lead with Catherine, and, as a researcher with experience in the criminal justice system, brought her experience with the criminal justice system and has raised our attention to the impacts of colonisation on how Indigenous individuals are treated in that system.

Essential to our activities are our Indigenous leaders. Amanda Myran worked with Dan and Catherine from its inception and is still guiding us as we evolve and grow from the original training program to additional allyship acts of activism and capacity-building. Also, at the beginning, we were so fortunate to have Elder Sheila Croteau partnering with us. She was an immense influence, a guiding spirit who was immersed in the program and attended every training session we had. Her passing in April of this year was a huge loss for all of us, not only professionally but emotionally. 

Dr. Moira Law

Elder Sheila Croteau

How – if at all – has the COVID-19 pandemic changed your research project and/or collaboration?

Part of the program’s original mandate was to embed research into the program delivery, and specifically, to learn more on what it means to train people in allyship; how the trainers themselves experience the program; and the impacts the program can have on a sense of allyship in our participants. Then the pandemic hit, and we had to change course. The program and this line of research will be picked up once COVID-19 is over, but because of the pandemic, we were forced to adapt and find meaning in other areas of program work. And because of that, we have been motivated and directed by our Indigenous leaders to assume a more activist role in our work; in fact, we recognize now that an integral part of our research is advocacy and activism.

What advice would you give to others on building a successful research collaboration

To engage in a successful research collaboration with Indigenous community partners, you must first acknowledge your settler status. There’s a lot we don’t know because of the privilege afforded to us through colonialist perspectives, and we need to be educated. We are both very intentional in respecting the notion that the genesis of what we do is identified and approved by the Indigenous community. So, it’s important to have that input, guidance and approval of Indigenous peoples on your project. To achieve that, you need to make time to form a really solid, trustworthy relationship. We have spent semesters meeting and getting to know people and advocating for both the small and the large things.  

Adam Kelly, Chola Shamputa, Loretta Waycott, Margaret Anne Smith, Elder Sheila Croteau, Dan Nagel

---

The Mawoluhkhotipon Ally & Safe Space Program for Wabanaki and Indigenous Peoples is a program at the University of New Brunswick, Saint John, and is funded in part by the New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. The team continues to engage on various projects, and this post will be updated with publications as they become available.

Sheila Croteau
Beloved Indigenous Elder

Amanda Myran
Piluwitahasuwin: Office of the Assistant Vice-President Indigenous Engagement
University of New Brunswick

Moira Law, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick Saint John 

Catherine Hamilton, PhD
Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of New Brunswick Saint John 

Isdore Chola Shamputa, PhD                           
Department of Nursing & Health Sciences, University of New Brunswick Saint John

Loretta Waycott
Department of Nursing & Health Sciences, University of New Brunswick Saint John

Alison Luke, PhD
Research Associate, Centre for Research in Integrated Care
University of New Brunswick Saint John

Adam Kelly
Student Services, University of New Brunswick Saint John
*(as of July 2020, Adam has moved away from NB and no longer works in this role.)

Dino Tremblay
Student Administrative Assistant
Mawoluhkhotipon Ally & Safe Space Program for Wabanaki and Indigenous Peoples
Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick Saint John

Elisabeth Nombro, BA Hons (Psyc)
Research Assistant, Mawoluhkhotipon Ally & Safe Space Program for Wabanaki and Indigenous Peoples