Modifying Photovoice for community-based participatory Indigenous research

Photovoice, photographs taken by participants, and semi-structured interviews.

Indigenous people are skeptical of academic research as much of it reproduced colonialism, and produced little benefit for the community. This project used community-based participatory research to document the health and environmental issues faced by the community. This was done using Photovoice, photographs taken by the participants, and interviews. "The analysis revealed that Photovoice effectively balanced power, created a sense of ownership, fostered trust, built capacity, and responded to cultural preferences." (p.1393)

Community-based participatory research is done with the community on issues that are relevant to them. The community participates in the design, execution and analysis of the research. The process is transparent, and is modified based on continuous feedback from the community.

Research should build the community’s capacity to bring about social justice and change. This can be achieved when the research equalize power between the researchers and the participants, builds mutual trust, and creates a sense of ownership of the process and the results.

photographs taken by participants, interview transcripts

Created and distributed posters and newsletters of the research as it happened. These along with monthly potluck dinners and meetings made the research visible and accessible to the community.

"The historical imbalance of power, deep-seated mistrust, racism, and lack of control between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada has also permeated the research process, fostering the need to identify effective and culturally appropriate research tools…"(1394).
"Participants indicated satisfaction with the Photovoice method. This satisfaction stemmed from the method's success at balancing power, creating a sense of ownership in the research, fostering trust, building capacity, and implementing a culturally appropriate
research project in the community." (p. 1398)

Environment and Health
Research Methods