NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: social sciences

Objective(s): To explore how young Aboriginal girls in the north understand and use media to create a sense of who they are. Analyze how participants think of and use stories in their construction of identity, and how media might impact the stories that participants tell about themselves.

Project Description: The objectives of the project are: 1) Explore how young Aboriginal girls in the north understand and use media to create a sense of who they are. Analyze how participants think of and use stories in their construction of identity, and how media might impact the stories that participants tell about themselves. 2) Empower participants to develop skills while telling stories about their own lives. Create a supportive environment in which participants are encouraged to tell their own stories and discuss and critique the popular media targeted at their age group. Emphasize participants as co-researchers, agents, and as experts on their own lives. This project will be based in Participatory Action Research methodologies. Through contacts at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School and the Tlicho Government, the Principal Investigator will select eight to ten volunteers who are self-identified Aboriginal girls between the ages of 13 and 16. Participants will be engaged in a twice weekly month-long after school workshop. The 2-hour workshop will be loose in structure, but be based around the creation of individual new media projects based on interest, such as blogs, zines or photography projects. Media projects will be used as a jump off point for discussions during the workshop, as well as at least two one-on-one interviews with each participant. Discussions and interviews will be participant-led, relaxed in tone and open-ended, lasting approximately one hour. The PI will follow the lead of the participant, while prompting discussion on issues of identity and media. Discussions and interviews will be recorded for transcription. In the final thesis, the voices and stories of the participants will be used whenever possible. This approach recognizes participants as valuable holders of knowledge and emphasizes the importance of storytelling to the project. Because this project is focused on individual and community empowerment, local involvement is very important to the project. Conversations have already begun with the Tlicho Government and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and the intention is to keep both of these organizations engaged throughout the project. The hope is to conduct the workshop at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School, so school administration will be consulted and kept informed throughout each phase of the project. Formal letters of introduction to Behchoko's Chief, the Grand Chief of the Tlicho, and the principal of Chief Jimmy Bruneau High School will be sent in the next few days. At the participant level, the volunteers in the workshop will help lead the workshop and decide what they want to talk about. The project will treat participants as co-researchers rather than as subjects. Ongoing dialogue with both participants and the community will be a key part of the workshop. Socially and culturally, the project’s emphasis on storytelling could, if led by participants, bring in a connection to cultural oral traditions. The PI will be offering community presentations through the Tlicho Government. The PI will also be available for in-person, telephone and email question and answers throughout the project. All presentations and communication will be in plain language to ensure they are accessible to any community member who is interested in learning more about the project. Community input will be encouraged throughout every stage of the project through dialogue with the Tlicho Government and any other interested parties, and the final thesis will be available to participants and the community organizations. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from October 21, 2014 to December 31, 2014.