Indigenous Approaches to Research

Credit: CWIS Channel

Martel Hesketh (Mohawk / Plains Cree), evaluator at the Urban Indian Health Institute, discusses indigenous approaches to evaluation and research. She emphasizes that Native people have always been researchers, highlighting traditional practices like intercropping as examples of scientific knowledge. Hesketh explains their community-centered approach, adapting tools to fit community needs and stories. She discusses using social network analysis to track the spread of knowledge about indigenous plants and foods. Hesketh also addresses challenges in indigenous evaluation, including funder expectations, time constraints, and the artificial separation of environmental and health topics in grant structures. She concludes by expressing the personal significance of the project, celebrating community-driven work rooted in traditional values.