S05E04: Kaandossiwin and Decolonizing Journeys: Returning to How We Come to Know with Dr. Kathy Absolon

Bio Dr. Kathy Absolon loves sharing stories about how we come to know. She is Anishinaabekwe from Flying Post First Nation Treaty 9. She has been involved in restoring Indigenous knowledge in education for 40 years now and for the last 19 years has been a professor in the Indigenous Field of Study MSW program in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her search for How we Come to Know is shared in her books Kaandossiwin How We Come To Know (Fernwood Publishing 2022, 2nd Ed. & 2011). Kathy’s work as a community helper has been informed by her close relationship to the land and her drive to restore Anishinaabe ways of knowing, being and doing. In this podcast she shares her most recent Indigenous and decolonial re-search project of Decolonizing Journeys.    Overview  In this deeply reflective episode, Gladys is joined by Dr. Kathy Absolon, Anishinaabe scholar, educator, and long-time community helper, to explore her lifelong journey of restoring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Kathy shares her origin story rooted in the land where she learned in the bush, guided by ancestors, and grounded in relational ethics long before formal academic training. She reflects on the tensions of entering Western academia, the erasure of Indigenous knowledge systems, and the decision to resist and center Indigenous methodologies in her doctoral work. Kathy shares stories from the Decolonizing Journeys research project, which explores how individuals engage in the ongoing process of unpacking colonial beliefs, values, and practices. Engaging in methodology grounded in circle work, digital storytelling, and relational accountability, the project resists conventional analysis and honours each participant’s journey as unique and evolving. Make sure to watch out for the upcoming book and documentary based on this work. Throughout the episode, Kathy emphasizes that decolonizing is not about returning to a pre-contact past, but about making conscious choices both individually and collectively to realign with Indigenous knowledge systems, restore relationships, and act with intention. This conversation is an invitation to reflect on our own journeys, to stay with discomfort, and to approach research, evaluation, and life itself as an ongoing, relational process of coming to know.    Resources  Kandosowin: How We Come to Know Digital Storytelling & Re•Vision Centre for Art and Social Justice (York University) Insights For Indigenous Evaluation Book (Open access and free online!) https://pressbooks.pub/indigenousinsightscollective/  For more visit: https://www.gladysrowe.com/podcast (Scroll to the bottom to subscribe to the newsletter!) If you are loving this podcast please leave a five star review on your favourite streaming service. If you would like to offer support please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InsightsPod