Urban Indigenous Water Knowledge Study Using CreativeVoice : Participant Manual

What is this research project about? This research study will explore urban Indigenous peoples’ relationships to water, water knowledge, laws, and ways of knowing using creative arts-based methods. Urban Indigenous communities have largely been left out of research that focuses on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Indigenous water knowledge. Therefore, this study has the potential to amplify the voices of urban Indigenous people in water policy and governance and showcase our wonderful cultures, knowledge, and strengths. What will we be doing? Making art! Sharing our knowledge! Participants will create artistic items that communicate their Traditional Ecological Knowledge relating to water and land relations. Participants will attend up to three focus groups/sharing circles to explore the research questions, share created works, and participate in a community art exhibit. Each focus group will take no more than two to three hours. The first focus group will consist of an orientation to the research project and an initial exploration of the research questions. Participants will then have around 2 weeks to create something that reflects their exploration of the research questions. A wide range of arts-based techniques can be used including photography, painting, beading, sewing, and singing. We will all meet to share our created works and discuss them in a sharing circle. Our final meeting will be a community exhibit of our created works and stories that we will present to an audience of policy makers and community members. All skill levels welcome! All genders welcome!