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Journeys: Transforming Indigenous Education

Journeys: Transforming Indigenous Education

by Ryan Neepin

Education Society & Culture

Season 1

Prof. Graham Hingangaroa Smith: The Development of Kaupapa Māori Theory as Transforming Praxis

In this episode, we hear from Prof. Graham Hingangaroa Smith about his journey, from growing up in a small town to conducting groundbreaking research on Kaupapa Māori—a transforming, Indigenous philosophical approach that centres on Māori ways of knowing, being, and doing as normal and valid, while simultaneously challenging the impacts of colonization. Listeners will learn the concept of "transforming" Indigenous education—as per the podcast title—as Smith discusses with guest host Dr. Huia Jahnke: how do we ensure that Indigenous education and research remains transformative? Smith asserts we must remain wary of usage of Indigenous frameworks like Kaupapa Māori that seek to domesticate their radical transformative potential. Instead he outlines six elements that have been identified as critical to informing Kaupapa Māori Theory as a transforming praxis, and six elements to ensure its veracity for critical and transforming possibilities. -- ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Graham Hingangaroa Smith completed his doctoral studies at the University of Auckland, NZ. Currently, he is ‘Te Toi Ihorei ki Pūrehuroa’ Chair at Massey University, and a Distinguished Professor at Large. Previous appointments include Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) at Massey University, Pro Vice Chancellor Māori at the University of Auckland, Acting Head of Education Policy Studies – UBC; Director of the National Institute for Post Treaty Settlement Futures, and CEO and Vice-Chancellor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi: indigenous -university for eight years. Professor Smith has been recognized and honoured for his international contributions to the political, social, economic and cultural advancement of Māori and indigenous communities in New Zealand and around the Pacific Rim, receiving an Honorary doctorate (D.Litt.) from the Okanagan University College in 2005, and an Honorary doctorate (LLD) from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2013; he was elected as a Fellow of the American Education Research Association in 2014, and was awarded a Queens Honour - a CNZM in 2014. He was given the Prime Minister’s Life-time Achievement Award 2017; and received the ‘Te Ururangi’ National Award for Education (Matariki Awards 2019). In 2020 Professor Smith was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Professor Smith is known as an educational thought leader and transformer of Māori inequities both within and because of education and schooling. ABOUT THE GUEST HOST: Huia Jahnke is Ngāti Kahungungu, Ngai Tahu, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Hine. She is Professor of Māori and Indigenous Education in Te Pūtahi a Toi, Director of Toi Kura Centre for Māori and Indigenous Education, and Chair of the Māori Professoriate at Massey University. She was the past Director of Te Mata o Te Tau: The Academy for Māori Research and Scholarship.

Kiera Brant-Birioukov: Walking Her Own Path

In Episode 5, Kiera Brant-Birioukov reflects on teaching as a calling, her dream of returning to the rez to teach, and the journey that led her through academia and tenure-track life. As she shares how listening to her body guided her toward a different path, Kiera also highlights the importance of community, reminding us that while each path is our own, we never walk it alone.

Ixchel Bennett Pt. 2: Continuing the Journey

In Part 2, Ixchel Bennett reflects on her ongoing doctoral work, educational leadership journey, and experiences moving from an urban to a rural community. She discusses the importance of relationships with Elders and community members in guiding her work and shares insights into transforming Indigenous education from within.

Ixchel Bennett's Journey - Part 1: Living the Land Acknowledgment

In this episode—part 1 of a 2-part conversation—Journeys host Ryan Neepin is joined by Ixchel Bennett to discuss her journey with and through Indigenous education. In this first part, Ixchel shares her early journey: her student experience, the beginnings of her career, and the relationships and teachings that shaped her pathway and purpose. Listen along to learn what Ixchel describes as "living the land acknowledgment." ABOUT IXCHEL Guided by kinship, land, and responsibility, Ixchel is a Nahua/Zapoteca, Indigenous educator, tía, esposa, hermana, hija, amiga, sobrina from Turtle Island, born in Tenochtitlán (Mexico City). With over twenty years of experience as a teacher, seconded faculty member, and educational administrator, she has worked primarily within First Nations, Métis and Inuit educational contexts across rural and urban communities and school boards. She is a PhD candidate focusing on the experiences of Indigenous teacher candidates in the Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education Program. Her methodology is the tlayōlli (maize) cycle as a pedagogical approach to listening, understanding, and making meaning of shared stories. Informed by her roles within family and community, her work centers Indigenous wisdoms of care, accountability, transparency and resurgence in education, affirming Indigenous knowledge as living knowledge rooted in community, land, and responsibility.

Dance Your Style in Teacher Education: An International Panel

In this episode, we learn from global perspectives on teacher education, the possibilities and challenges of bridging local contexts with global citizenship within Indigenous and intercultural education, and the power of transnational collaboration. Guest host Zayd Waghid (South Africa) invites sharing across continents from colleagues Angelina Weenie (Cree - Canada), Esther Kiaritha (Kenya), Patricia Houde (Mexico), Alexis Oviedo (Ecuador), and Karine Hindrix (Belgium). ----- GUEST HOST: Zayd Waghid, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in South Africa. He is the South African National Research Foundation Chair (SARChI): Transformative Education, Social Justice and Innovation at CPUT. He is a South African National Research Foundation C-rated researcher, a recipient of the CHE-Heltasa National Teaching Excellence Award (Commendation) in 2019 and was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Cornell University in 2024. SPEAKERS: Alexis Oviedo is a professor at Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar (UASB) He coordinates the Public Policies for Education and the Mastery in Innovation of Social Sciences and Humanities teaching at the Department of Education. Oviedo researches and works in social pedagogy, curricular diversification, intercultural education, organizational behaviour, cultural studies and cultural management, educational policy and research methodologies in various Latin American countries. Angelina Weenie is Cree (nehiyaw) from Sweetgrass First Nation, Saskatchewan, and is the dean of the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island. Her research and teaching interests lie in Indigenous epistemology, culturally responsive pedagogy, approaches to Indigenous language reclamation, land-based pedagogy and research methods with Indigenous peoples. She has recently co-authored a book, Dance Your Style: Cree Pedagogy (2024). Karine Hindrix is a lecturer in Teacher Education at UC Leuven-Limburg in Belgium and a researcher within the UCLL Center of Expertise Education and Development. Patricia Marie Anne Houde is an associate professor at the Language Department of the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. She works in teacher education programs and has taught in French Immersion programs in Canada and English as a foreign language in Mexico. In 2018, she completed a PhD in Educational Studies in Language Acquisition at McGill University in Montreal. Her main research interest is in the area of reflective practice via collective accompaniment with EFL language teachers. Dr. Esther N. Kiaritha is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology and Deputy Director of the Centre for Strategic Leadership Development at Moi University. She is an educator, leadership trainer, researcher, and academic mentor with over 22 years of experience in higher education. She has also contributed significantly to university governance, TVET leadership, school management and community-based development initiatives. To learn more, extended bios and resources are available at oise.utoronto.ca/journeyspodcast. --- Follow us at @journeys.pod on Instagram to receive updates!

Frank Deer's Journey

From growing up in Kahnawake, to moving to Manitoba for sport, to teaching and entering academia, in this episode, Frank Deer joins host Ryan Neepin for a conversation on his journey and insights into transforming Indigenous education. -- Dr. Frank Deer is a professor in the Faculty of Education of the University of Manitoba. Frank is Kanienkeha’ka from Kahnawake, a community that lies just south of Tiotia’ke in the eastern region of the Rotinonshón:ni Confederacy. Frank earned a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Saskatchewan. Frank studies Indigenous language education and Indigenous religious and spiritual orientations in schools. Frank has previously served as a classroom teacher in Northern Manitoba and in the Inner City of Winnipeg. Learn more about his work at www.frankdeer.net.

Introducing Journeys: Transforming Indigenous Education - A Podcast

Welcome to Journeys: Transforming Indigenous Education! In this episode, your host Ryan Neepin shares what you can expect in this first season. Miigwech - Hai hai - Nia:wen - Thank you for listening!