Embodying Decoloniality: Indigenizing Curriculum and Pedagogy

Decolonizing may be conceptualized through the interconnected processes of deconstructing colonial ideologies and their manifestations, and reconstructing colonial discourse through Indigenous counter'narratives. Given that the field of psychology is firmly rooted in colonial systems of thought, it is integral that professionals in psychology and allied disciplines engage in meaningful, beneficial work with Indigenous communities through actively decolonizing and Indigenizing research, practice, and education. This paper illustrates an embodied approach to decoloniality through Indigenizing curriculum and pedagogy in community psychology and allied fields. Drawing on both Indigenous research and experience, the author presents a framework for decolonizing and Indigenizing curriculum through: (a) deconstructing what is not working in service provision with Indigenous communities; (b) restor(y)ing colonial narratives through community'based Indigenous perspectives that highlight the importance of love, good relationships, Indigenous knowledge, local approaches to wellness, responsibility, identity/belonging, and the land/earth in community wellness; and (c) how Indigenous best practices may be engaged through community'based processes and transformations. The author then discusses how Indigenous pedagogies may be enacted using Indigenous protocols and ethics, talking circles, storytelling, and land'based pedagogies. The paper concludes with the author's reflections on the challenges and rewards of decolonizing and Indigenizing in conventional postsecondary educational systems.