A surge in the participation of Indigenous women in field research in Northern regions is sparking a wave of inspiration among young female scholars, according to researchers.
Nicole Redvers, an associate professor at Western University and a member of the Deninu Kue First Nation in the N.W.T., highlighted a noticeable increase in female Indigenous students pursuing advanced degrees over the past few years. While specific data on Indigenous women involved in field research in the North is not readily available, Statistics Canada reports a rise in the number of Indigenous women enrolling in post-secondary education in Canada and obtaining bachelor’s degrees or higher between 2016 and 2021.
Redvers emphasized the importance of establishing a centralized university in the North to streamline the tracking of such information across all territories. She attributed the growing trend to various factors, including heightened geopolitical interest in the Arctic, new funding opportunities, and the enhanced visibility of female Indigenous researchers, which was previously a significant challenge.
Education and funding disparities lie at the core of many of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) 94 Calls to Action. Redvers pointed out that while some academic institutions have begun to address systemic barriers affecting Indigenous students and researchers, the impetus for real change comes from Indigenous individuals advocating for reform.
Ashley Ens, a PhD student and member of the Nihtat Gwich’in in the N.W.T., emphasized the historical role of Indigenous women as knowledge holders. She noted a shift towards more women asserting the validity of Indigenous methodologies, community knowledge, oral histories, and their obligations to their communities.
Ens highlighted the impact of female Indigenous researchers on reshaping academic environments to be more supportive, allowing women to pursue degrees while fulfilling familial and community responsibilities. She shared her personal experience of pursuing a PhD as a mother and praised the inclusive and accepting nature of the academic spaces she encountered.
To drive further change, Ens stressed the need for institutions to enhance support for community-led projects, provide long-term funding, and facilitate travel opportunities for northern students to attend universities in the south.
By integrating traditional knowledge and involving community members in their work, northern researchers are fostering trust within communities, explained Redvers. She noted a shift in research practices away from traditional patterns of researchers briefly engaging with communities.
Laurie-Ann Lines, a senior researcher at the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research in Yellowknife, praised the growing presence of Indigenous female graduate and post-doctorate students. She attributed this trend to the collaboration of elders and community members in sharing Indigenous research methodologies.
Lines, a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, highlighted the evolution of research practices in the North, exemplified by projects like the Northwest Territories Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research. She emphasized that research is transitioning from being about Indigenous communities to being conducted with and by them, reflecting a significant shift in the research landscape.