“Going Native”: Indigenizing ethnographic research

Abstract

This article focuses on the possibilities for shaping Indigenous approaches to ethnographic research: it examines what Indigenous researchers are asking of themselves as they devise their research methodologies. Based on a review of literature on Indigenous research methods, it assembles a collection of elements to characterize an Indigenizing approach to ethnography: elements such as respecting distinct cultures and nations; rooting method in culture; understanding the importance of story, language, place, and relationality; and committing to ethics and reciprocity. In gathering these guidelines, this articles promoted accountability to the rapidly growing pool of scholars and their body of scholarship on Indigenous knowledges, cultures, and perspectives.