This research will examine the health and wellbeing outcomes for Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer (2S/IQ) people who participate in Métis-specific spaces. This research has the potential to create clear and measurable directives for the creation of Métis-specific spaces which improve health outcomes for Métis women and Métis 2S/IQ people.
The project was gifted the Michif name of Nakataymiihtowiin by Elder Verna DeMontigny. Project leads Lucy Delgado and Laura Forsythe sat with Elder Verna and told her about their dreams for this work and the impacts it could have, and this name came to her. She said the name means “think of each other” and encompasses five elements of care:
- Needs – be observant of others, notice people and their needs, emotions, etc.
- Think and look after people (no matter who/what they are)
- Be courteous of others, be respectful, no judgement of any kind
- Be attentive of people, making a place feel secure, [and making people feel] looked after, safe
- Look and think of each other with kindness, love, and respect
Learn more about the project
As universities across Canada Indigenize and decolonize spaces, processes, and policies, little attention is paid to the impacts that these changes have on the health and wellness of Métis students, faculty, and staff. Métis people are the fastest growing Indigenous Nation in Canada, and yet Métis epistemologies and ontologies are often not considered in the design and implementation of these Indigenization strategies, and many organizations ground their understanding of Métis in-group organizing in historical research that privileges male perspectives.
Through data collected as part of a series of gatherings, interviews, and qualitative surveys, this project will measure the outcomes for Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer peoples engaged in Métis-specific spaces and provide a framework for post-secondary institutions in their own creation of Métis-specific spaces. The final stage of this project will be an evaluation of the efficacy of the framework when taken up by new institutions.
This research will understand the different ways that Métis women and Métis 2S/IQ people experience both Indigenous umbrella and Métis-specific spaces and articulate the core values that are necessary to enhance Métis women and Métis 2S/IQ peoples’ wellbeing, including relational accountability, and cultural safety.
Métis-specific gatherings have shown to have a demonstrative impact on the well-being of Métis participants. Our previous research demonstrates that Métis students who participated in Métis-specific spaces were impacted in four areas: sense of belonging, sense of pride, sense of healing, and sense of empowerment.
Using a Wahkohtowin theoretical framework and the intertwining Michif methodology (IMM) that combines the Keeoukaywin, Lii Taab di Faam Michif, and Kishkeeyihtamaaniwan Kaanatohtamihk methodologies, this project will:
- develop a Framework of Métis Gathering Design (FMGD) guided by Métis Ways of Knowing;
- host a series of gatherings using the Framework of Métis Gathering Design (FMGD) and test the framework against the needs and desires of Métis peoples; and
- evaluate the efficacy and impact of FMGD through a variety of data collection mechanisms.
