Arts-based research methods with indigenous peoples: an international scoping review

TLDR

Research with indigenous peoples has a legacy of exploitation, yet emerging indigenizing methodologies center knowledge production within communities, and creative arts-based methods—such as photovoice, journaling, digital storytelling, dance, and theatre—remain underexplored. The study proposes opportunities to further investigate arts-based methods with indigenous peoples. The authors performed a scoping review of 36 international studies on arts-based research with indigenous peoples. The review found most studies used photovoice in Canada, the USA, Australia, or New Zealand, and identified five key domains—participant engagement, relationship building, indigenous knowledge creation, capacity building, and community action—where arts-based methods could benefit indigenous research agendas.

Abstract

Research with indigenous peoples worldwide carries long histories of exploitation, distorted representation, and theft. New “indigenizing” methodologies centre the production of knowledge around the processes and knowledges of indigenous communities. Creative research methods involving artistic practices—such as photovoice, journaling, digital storytelling, dance, and theatre—may have a place within these new approaches, but their applications have yet to be systematically explored. We conducted a scoping review of 36 international research studies literature on arts-based research with indigenous peoples. The majority of studies used photovoice and were conducted in Canada, USA, Australia, or New Zealand. We identify five primary fields in which arts-based methods may offer benefit to an indigenous research agenda: (a) participant engagement, (b) relationship building, (c) indigenous knowledge creation, (d) capacity building, and (e) community action. We propose several opportunities to further explore arts-based methods with indigenous peoples.