Research Expectations
Through a collective effort, members of the Kluane First Nation community came together to establish a set of clear expectations for researchers interested in working within or near KFN Traditional Territory. These expectations were developed in close consultation with the Kluane First Nation government, and stemmed from a series of interviews conducted with local community members—including Kluane First Nation youth. These interviews took place between October 2019 and February 2020, with the primary aim of gaining insight into the historical and current relationships between the community and researchers.
Additionally, they sought to identify issues and engage in meaningful discussions about the ongoing expectations placed upon researchers. These expectations serve as a guiding framework to steer researchers in a positive direction that aligns with the values and norms of the community. It is essential to recognize that these expectations are not merely a checklist or a final destination. Instead, they represent a continuous process of engagement and collaboration.
Respect
“Have an understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and passing information and knowledge before coming to the community, so that you’re not coming with only your way and your biases."
Respect Indigenous ways of being, knowing, doing with intention
Indigenous Knowledge must be a part of the research process. It is not just about collecting and integrating that knowledge. It is also about respecting Indigenous principles, values, and methodologies by embedding them into research methods and practices.
- Indigenous Knowledge can contradict science. If this happens, it is important to listen carefully and have an open mind.
- Indigenous Knowledge needs to be properly recognized within western structures, such as in academic journal articles.
- Indigenous Knowledge can be shared and found in unexpected ways. For example, it may not be shared or found through a western-style question and answer format.
- Indigenous Knowledge is sensitive, and conversations about it need to be respectful. Kluane First Nation is working to finalize its own Traditional Knowledge policy.
Treat Kluane First Nation as equal partners with recognized rights
“A lot of researchers have a hard time understanding how OCAP looks (on the ground).”
OCAP are the First Nation principles of ownership, control, access, and possession. OCAP was established in 1998 during a National Steering Committee meeting of the First Nations Information Governance Centre. OCAP principles assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used. Researchers should learn about OCAP and understand how to weave it into their work. Learn more here.
Respect and kindness are the most important
This includes respect and kindness for people, culture, and history. It equally includes kindness and respect towards land, water and animals
Give back to the community
“You can give back to the community in a variety of ways, but sometimes it’s as simple as being yourself. because you’re opening up and letting yourself be known: you’re not just a researcher, you become a person. Or, what you take from the community and all the information that you research, then you can give that back to people in a way that they can actually understand. Those are two ways to give back.”
If you are going to take information from someone or from the land, think about opportunities to give back. Giving back can be done in a variety of ways, but they include taking time to open up to the community as a person, and disseminating information in a way the community can understand.
Know what is/isn’t appropriate in terms of cultural protocols
“Researchers have come and been a part of potlatches or funerals in the community, and you can hear the camera clicking away, so it’s normally (someone) that goes over and says ‘You can’t be doing that. It's disrespectful. You can’t share those (photos)’."
Try to learn in advance what is appropriate in Kluane First Nation Traditional Territory. If you are unsure, ask. Reaching out to Kluane First Nation’s Lands, Resources and Heritage Department is a good place to start.
Be present in the community; invest time and effort to build and maintain relationships
Spend time in the community. Talk to those you meet and take the time to listen. Try to build and maintain long-term relationships.
Community
Learn about Kluane First Nation
“The researcher should undergo deep learning of Kluane First Nation culture and history and research, just so that they (researchers) get a good understanding of our territory, how we function, the history, so that it shifts the mind from ‘I am coming here with my agenda’ vs ’How do I want to show up when I come to this community’.”
Take the time to learn about the area, the community, the history, and the culture.
Work with the community to identify a research project topic that is important for and benefits the community
“There is a lot of research here and a lot of times we find it redundant, or the researchers choose something that is not of any significance to us or that people don’t care about. It might be important to them (the researchers), but it’s not a priority to Kluane First Nation or its citizens.”
“Start here in the community, identifying what the community’s needs and concerns are for both the people and the land. Then go forward with it that way.”
Don’t just hire ‘token’ fieldworkers
Avoid hiring community members to just observe project activities without really participating. Think about how you can offer real training opportunities for KFN citizens, particularly youth.
Be flexible with timelines
“Lots of research is too quick and tied to a timeline, and it just doesn’t really allow for that good relationship building…”
This includes being flexible with both duration of timelines, as well as times of year. For example, some KFN members aren’t available in the summertime when most researchers are in the area. Consider visiting and communicating during times of year that work best for the community.
Communication
Maintain good communication
“A lot of the time, our relationships break down between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people because we are not clear about our expectations. And we assume the other is thinking the same way.”
Good communication between researchers and the community is very important, and includes messaging that is clear, easy-to-understand, and regular.
It is also important to communicate why a project is relevant and important. Expectations should be clearly defined, and two-way dialogue is critical. Methods of communication should default to the community’s preference (i.e., ask the community how best to communicate and with whom). Face-to-face communication is important, and reaching out to Kluane First Nation’s administrative office is a good place to start.
Plan ahead and involve the community from the very beginning
“When you’re planning your project, budget, and timeline, you need to already have an idea of what community engagement you’re going to do, including youth and Elders.”
“If the researchers come to us early enough, we can put in applications to sponsor a local student for the summer. Then it’s manageable and we can respond in a thoughtful way to these kinds of initiatives.”
This includes early communication and integrating funding for youth, Elder, and community engagement (e.g., budgeting for honoraria; working with Kluane First Nation to budget for and organize research support).
Share your passion for your work with the community
Find creative and accessible ways to share your research passion and interests with community members. Consider involving youth in your research project to build capacity and co-produce knowledge.
Dań Kʼè Kwánje - Our language, our traditions
The language of Kluane First Nation is Southern Tutchone. Southern Tutchone is an Athapaskan language of the Yukon Territory which is centred in the Southwest Yukon. However, due to the past lifestyle of constant migration, this is only a generalized location.
The primary dialect used here is the Kluane Dialect or “Lhùʼààn Mân Kwánje”, written using the EZ Alphabet method of writing Southern Tutchone. All Southern Tutchone dialects are mutually intelligible, with many of the same words or very similar across dialects. Historically, if a dialect did not have a specific term, it would be borrowed from another dialect. Some content found on this website may be in dialects other than the Kluane dialect.
Kluane First Nation ancestral lands stretched from the Teslin River in the east to the White River in the west, and from the lower Tatshenshini in the south to the Nisling River in the north.
To learn the correct traditional spelling using Southern Tutchone languages as part of your research project, please contact the Yukon Native Language Centre.
Humility
Have an open mind and come with humility
Be willing to learn about more than just information related to your research. Learn about the community and territory and be open to new ways of doing things.
Be aware that there are other ways to see the world, and the possibility that you could be wrong.
Help out at community functions when appropriate
Attend community events and activities when possible. Check with your community contact about which events are appropriate to attend. Offer to do things like helping wash dishes, set up tables, sweep the floor, etc.
Be a person first, and a researcher second
Connect with others as a person first. Pursue research when the time is right.
