Keep Us Coming Back for More: Aboriginal Youth Speak… A Celebration of Indigenous Knowledge Hoping to briefly share a little bit about my process of being engaged with the Urban Aboriginal community here in Vancouver and how this engagement shaped my MA research and the knowledge mobilization aspects of my work. I will talk a little later about the photo mural that you see here on the slide.

Location-Who I am First it is important to locate myself in relation to my research. Nisga’a on my mother’s side, French/German on my father’s side Ph. D student in Ed Studies Personal and professional involvement in the urban Aboriginal community. Worked with non-profit Aboriginal youth organization. Particpated in Jo-ann’s IK class in last semester of my MA. Appreciated opportunity to participate in knowledge mobilization project where we were asked to go out and conduct a project with Aboriginal community in some way. This mobilization project helped me strengthen my relationship with UNYA and begin to work with youth workers/administrators to design my MA project. It specifically allowed me to listen to what the needs of the youth and then pilot a sharing circle and mock interview with youth workers before I started my research.

Summary “Keep Us Coming Back For More”: Aboriginal Youth Speak about Indigenous Knowledge and Wholistic Education Gain insight into the experiences of Aboriginal youth who were participating in Aboriginal youth organizations in Vancouver, B.C. Title of my MA was “Keep us Coming Back For More” The purpose of my research was to gain insight into the experiences of Aboriginal youth who were participating in Aboriginal youth organizations here in Vancouver.

Why Few studies have focused on community based education in Vancouver urban Aboriginal community. Even less studies included youth voices on this matter. Counter pathologizing discourses. Who Experts: Ben, Courtenay, Cloudy Days, Leo, Dimicia, Tyrone, Jimmy, Jerry Adams Urban Native Youth Association, Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association, Broadway Youth Resource Centre, Aboriginal Community Policing Centre But, first I will explain the 5 W’s of my research. Or as Manu Myers reminds us to get rid of those “10 dollar academic words” so our research can be meaningful to our communities. It took me almost two months to think of new ways to translate “methodology” and “theory”. Am thankful to Lynda Gray who suggested that I use the 5 W’s when presenting my study back to the community. 2. Why Few studies have focused on community based education in Vancouver urban Aboriginal community. Even less studies included youth voices on this matter. Counter pathologizing discourses. 3. Who Experts: Ben, Courtenay, Cloudy Days, Leo, Dimicia, Tyrone, Jimmy, Jerry Adams Urban Native Youth Association, Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association, Broadway Youth Resource Centre, Aboriginal Community Policing Centre

How Where I am Coming From Important that research is reciprocal, relevant, responsible & respectful of Aboriginal communities (Kirkness & Barnhardt, 1991) Relational accountability to my family, community, living & spiritual world. Value perspectives of non-Indigenous allies How Sharing Circle with 8 Aboriginal youth & Elder Interviews with 6 Aboriginal Youth Interview with Elder Guide (Jerry Adams) Key Teachings from Raven (Trickster) Community Gathering to Honour Youth & Elder 1. Where I am Coming From (or “theory”) Important that research is reciprocal, relevant, responsible & respectful of Aboriginal communities (Kirkness & Barnhardt, 1991) Relational accountability to my family, community, living world. Value perspectives of non-Indigenous allies 2. How (or “methodology”) Sharing Circle with 8 Aboriginal youth & Elder Interviews with 6 Aboriginal Youth Interview with Elder Guide (Jerry Adams) Key Teachings from Raven (Trickster) Community Gathering to share and honour what the youth and Elder taught me throughout my information gathering phase

What the Youth Had to Say About IK IK is Important! IK is Wholistic IK is a Process IK is Expressed in Multiple Ways I found four themes in the youth’s interviews. Please forgive me for skipping over 50 pages of writing in four sentences. If you would like to learn more about what the youth shared with me, I can pass around the community report that I created when I hosted a community gathering to share the findings of my research.

Important Role that Aboriginal Youth Organizations Have in Education “I Keep Coming Back” Helps Connect with Aboriginal Cultures Wholistic Education Some Improvements These are the four themes I found in relation to my second research question.

Youth Design Their Own Aboriginal Organizations Ask Elders Offer a Wholistic Range of Activities Connect with the Land Leadership Hire Older Youth to Mentor A Mix of Traditional & Modern Programming This was an unexpected question but one of my favorites as it solicited a wealth of ideas and got the youth really excited to speak.

Knowledge Mobilization In terms of knowledge mobilization and research, Linda Smith reminds us that “Sharing is a responsibility of research” (161). And that “Sharing contains views about knowledge being a collective benefit and knowledge [serves] as a form of resistance” (160). This words continue to mean a lot to me, so once I defended my MA I felt it was important to go back to where the research began and invite the community to witness and help me honour the youth and Elder who participated in the project. I was very appreciative to have an opportunity to partner with the Urban Native Youth Association’s Music Arts and Culture Program to co-host a community event. We called the event “Youth Speak: A Celebration of Indigenous Knowledge. The evening also included the show casing of the art work, photos and live performances from many talented young people in our community. UNYA’s youth photography club also unveiled three large photo mural panels which incorporated quotes from my research participants about the important role which IK plays in the revitalization of Aboriginal communities. The youth from the photo club have gifted these photo murals to the Child Protection Unit of Vancouver Child and Family Services, in an effort to make this organization a more positive space for Aboriginal youth and their families. I was very impressed with the wealth and variety of talent that the youth shared via their art work, photos, performances and thoughts about IK; As well as with their generosity and consideration for future generations of youth by sharing their work with VACFAS. The gifting of these murals very much resonates with the hands back hands forward teaching shared by Jo-ann today.

Aboriginal Youth Speak… A Celebration of Indigenous Knowledge Hoping to briefly share a little bit about my process of being engaged with the Urban Aboriginal community here in Vancouver and how this engagement shaped my MA research and the knowledge mobilization aspects of my work. I will talk a little later about the photo mural that you see here on the slide.

Here is the first of the murals. It is quite large (3X6 feet) Here is the first of the murals. It is quite large (3X6 feet). The youth have taken quotes about the importance of IK and have checkered them throughout the mural with photos they took of their community.

Here is a close up of one of the tiles.

And another. You can also read longer quotations in the community report that I passed around.

Here is an urban mural

A close up of the same mural

This is how all three of the murals look in the waiting room at VACFAS.

Next Steps A National Research Conference on Urban Aboriginal Peoples I realize that my MA journey is on-going. I made a promise to the youth before I interviewed them that I would try to ensure that their words were heard by policy makers. Last month I received a note informing me that I have been accepted to present a national policy conference for urban Aboriginal peoples. I’m looking forward to sharing the youth’s words with policy makers, and other educators at the conference. Thank you for listening