Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Our research team of Elders, Knowledge Holders, Guardians, senior and early career scholars, and graduate students have been working together since 2019 on a study exploring how Indigenous Knowledges in research are benefiting Indigenous Peoples. As a team, we plan to host a two-day Summit to share initial study findings, engage in a collective analysis process, and identify priority next steps to enhance knowledge translation activities. The IndWisdom study includes a realist review (literature only) and in-depth case studies (lived experiences) to examine research projects that feature Indigenous ways of knowing and doing that benefit Indigenous Peoples' health and wellness. In particular, we are looking at research contexts, mechanisms, outcomes; ways in which Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing in research benefit Indigenous Peoples, communities, and organizations. The initial analysis from the study will be complete by November 2023. Our goal in the IndWisdom study and Summit is to prioritize non-academic Indigenous community perspectives to identify and prioritize ways to advance dialogue and practices on Indigenous Knowledges and sovereignty in research contexts, advancing Indigenous Peoples' health and wellness. At the Summit, we will gather as a group of non-academic and academic Indigenous rightsholders - Elders, knowledge guardians, community rightsholders, researchers, and research trainees from across Canada - to discuss our findings in relation to the significance and implications of the IndWisdom study. The Summit will gather minds, hearts, and spirits in a way that is grounded in ceremony, relationships, and knowledge sharing. On the first day, people will engage with the study findings, evidence, and its implications. The second day will focus on the what next. This Summit will identify the urgent and impactful priority next steps and initiatives emerging from the study findings.