Relationships with horses and humans: Smith’s legacy
ISSN: 1443-9883
Article publication date: 2 September 2024
Issue publication date: 4 December 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to outline the contributions of Smiths legacy in Indigenous methodologies and to show how her interventions encourage and facilitate meaningful research relationships with Indigenous communities. It is also a practical guide for future Indigenous researchers who aim to work with their communities.
Design/methodology/approach
This article outlines the legacy and interventions from Linda Smith that have influenced my research and pedagogy work with my community—the Navajo Nation. I weave together a Kejnrj story and theory to show how Smith’s predominant legacy has taught me how to create, maintain and safeguard relationships with horses, humans and knowledge while working within a Western institution.
Findings
I discuss the navigation of research relationships before, during and after official research and the implications this has for increasing indigenous sovereignty in partnership with research. It also describes the process of researcher reflexivity required for Indigenous methodological work.
Originality/value
This paper outlines one Navajo researcher’s individual story with research on community. This adds value to researchers who intend to do research/pedagogy work with Native communities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Honouring 25 Years of Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples”, guest edited by Dr Jennifer Markides, Dr Stephanie Bartlett, Dr Lucy Delgado, Dr Laura Forsythe, Dr Sarah Green, Dr Jennifer MacDonald, Dr Robin Minthorn, Dr Julie Morin, Dr Meagan Ody, Dr Hangsel Sanguino, Dr Darlene St. Georges, Dr Mila Mary Rose Tucker and Dr Angie Tucker.
Thank you to my mom for helping me remember my 7-year old self and my relationship to reading. My mom is a reading specialist, so she knew what she was talking about. Thanks to my dad for the little nuggets of reflection about our careers as academics. Thanks to Wade Adakai, Audre Etsitty and Christine Ami for ongoing conversations and for reviewing this article. And of course, thanks Bambi, who always has something to say. Thanks to past and present funders of Horses Connecting Communities who make this pedagogy work possible: UA American Indian Studies, the Indigenous Resilience Center, the Agnes Nelms Haury Program in Social and Environmental Justice, the UA Provost’s Investment Funds and Diné College Land Grant Office, UA College of Veterinary Medicine, CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, UA Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program and Arizona Humanities. The dissertation research I speak about was supported by the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation and the NSFGRFP.
Citation
John, K.D. (2024), "Relationships with horses and humans: Smith’s legacy", Qualitative Research Journal, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 500-509. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-03-2024-0070
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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