Sponsor
This project was funded by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health–Award Number R01DA057904 and funded CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence, under Award Number P50DA058619. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Published In
Qualitative Research Journal
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-10-2024
Subjects
Social Work
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this work is to honor the wisdoms of Anishinaabe Elders, community and culture by interweaving these teachings with my own (first author) Anishinaabe experiences and a research project. Ceremonies are an important health practice for Anishinaabe people. This project aimed to gain a clearer conceptualization of the protective role of Anishinaabe puberty ceremonies on health in adolescence and across the lifespan. Design/methodology/approach Spiritual offerings guided this project at every stage including inviting Elders and community members into shared spaces of storytelling and teaching elicitation and grounding me as I carefully adopted the use of a western tool (research) in sacred community spaces. Elders were invited to share their experiences and perspectives. Three community members engaged with the interview transcripts on their own before coming together to discuss themes, patterns and insights that arose for them. This group coding discussion constructed the structural foundation of the findings.
Findings: An Anishinaabe perspective on youth development emerged. Key aspects of this model included a foundation of ceremonial experiences that spiritually prepares a child for adulthood and impending life’s challenges. As one transitions into adulthood, they accept the responsibilities of being caretakers of their families and communities and gain new tools to contribute to Anishinaabe society. Ideally, this society prioritizes Anishinaabe spirituality, language and way of life. Originality/value Frameworks of health, grounded in unique community wisdoms and worldviews, are imperative to repair spiritual and community relationships damaged in a history of colonialism. An Anishinaabe perspective on youth development may shed light on shared Indigenous experiences of cultural restoration and continuity.
Rights
Copyright © 2024, Miigis B. Gonzalez, Alexandra Ziibiins Johnson, Lisa Awan Martin, Naawakwe, Jillian Fish, Lalaine Sevillano, Melissa L. Walls and Lee Obizaan Staples License Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1108/QRJ-03-2024-0072
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42654
Citation Details
Gonzalez, M. B., Johnson, A. Z., Martin, L. A., Naawakwe, Fish, J., Sevillano, L., Walls, M. L., & Staples, L. O. (2024). Planting the seed: using research as a tool to revitalize puberty ceremonies in Anishinaabe communities. Qualitative Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/qrj-03-2024-0072