Joey-Lynn Wabie, Jennifer Walker, H. Neil Monague, Mary Elliott, Paulette Steeves, Elizabeth Carlson, Darrel Manitowabi, Robyn Rowe

Niigaaniiwin

Introduction

Niigaaniiwin. Niigaaniiwin is a grassroots Indigenous health collective in northern Ontario. Discover its vision for community-driven research, valuing Indigenous knowledge, mentorship, and reciprocal sharing.

Abstract

In 2018, we were awarded a one-year Tri-Council development grant that provided the needed resources and time to work together with community as we developed an application for a larger Indigenous health operating grant. In June 2019, a group of academics, community partners/researchers, and health professionals gathered to create a vision for a community- based health research network. Understanding the importance of community voices and authentic participation, our team hosted a gathering for community members interested in Indigenous health and seeing this proposed health research network become a reality in northern Ontario. As we prepared for our journey towards community-driven research, we asked community gathering participants to add their expertise, voice, and vision to these objectives: Build upon Indigenous health research that is led by communities through funding, connecting, and/or supporting community-based and community-partnered health research. Honour our Indigenous ways of knowing and being so that Indigenous health researchers, students, and organizations can do their work in a good way and feel safe doing so. Support community-based researchers and graduate students with learning opportunities and connect them to mentors. Share knowledge and be able to give back to communities in a way that reflects their needs and not the needs of the college/university. This visioning process brought forth a holistic image of structure, Elders as data keepers, land, language, relationships, youth involvement, the protection of Indigenous knowledges, land-based education, researcher training, addressing power imbalances, mentorship, community involvement, university connections, shifting perspectives, reciprocal sharing, data governance, Indigenous data sovereignty, sharing with respect, directory of experts, and importance of identity. These were all identified by community participants as areas that are important when working within Indigenous health research. Upon the initial announcement of unsuccessful funding, we found ourselves as a network with a responsibility to continue working within community and to further develop the seeds of this Indigenous health network. With the continued guidance of Elders H. Neil Monague and Mary Elliott, we refocused and have brought forth our Indigenous health collective: Niigaaniiwin. This grassroots collective is community-based with support from the academic community. We have gathered the knowledge, wisdom, and stories from the community and are moving forward, hoping to live up to the name gifted to our collective, which means “leading the way.”

Review

This abstract introduces "Niigaaniiwin," a newly formed Indigenous health collective in northern Ontario, outlining its origins and foundational principles. The initiative began with a Tri-Council development grant in 2018, aiming to secure resources for a larger Indigenous health operating grant. From the outset, the project emphasized authentic community participation, bringing together academics, community partners, researchers, and health professionals to envision a community-based health research network. This commitment to community voice is central to the collective's identity and methodology, laying the groundwork for truly community-driven research in a region where such initiatives are vital. The abstract details a comprehensive and inclusive visioning process, beginning with a community gathering to solicit input on key objectives for the proposed network. These objectives included building upon community-led Indigenous health research, honouring Indigenous ways of knowing and being, supporting researchers and students, and ensuring knowledge sharing that reflects community needs. The insights gleaned from this process were remarkably holistic, encompassing structural elements, the crucial role of Elders as data keepers, land, language, relationships, youth involvement, protection of Indigenous knowledges, data governance, and Indigenous data sovereignty. This rich articulation of community priorities underscores a deep understanding of what constitutes respectful and impactful Indigenous health research. Despite an initial setback in securing the larger operating grant, the commitment to the community did not waver. Guided by Elders H. Neil Monague and Mary Elliott, the network refocused its efforts, giving rise to "Niigaaniiwin," meaning "leading the way." This grassroots, community-based collective, supported by academia, embodies resilience and a dedication to self-determination in Indigenous health research. The abstract effectively conveys the collective's aspiration to embody its name by leveraging the gathered knowledge and wisdom to forge a path forward that genuinely reflects the needs and priorities of northern Ontario's Indigenous communities. This initiative represents a significant step towards fostering equitable and culturally relevant health research.

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