Drawing on the lived experiences of Indigenous people in the Carrier Nation in B.C., Dr. Matthew Etherington and TWU alumna Katie Robertson discover that “intentional relationship and not acts of benevolence can advance compassion, understanding and ultimately reconciliation.”
The two researchers co-authored an article in 2020 that was published in the Journal of American Indian Education, titled, “Moving From Patriarchal Benevolence to Relationship: Walking Humbly With Indigenous People.”
Matthew Etherington is Professor of Education and co-director of the Institute of Indigenous Issues and Perspectives at TWU. He writes on a diversity of topics in education and spirituality using a philosophical lens for analysis, and has published three books, Changing Careers to Become a Teacher: A Study of Mature Age Preservice Teachers in Career Transition, Foundations of Education: A Christian Vision (editor and author); and What Teachers Need to Know: Topics of Inclusion (editor and author).
Katie Robertson achieved her BA and BEd at TWU. She is currently an elementary school teacher in Langley, B.C. While studying at TWU’s School of Education, Robertson was inspired by a course she took, which explored how to integrate Indigenous perspectives into classroom contexts.
Throughout this course, there was an emphasis on building relationships with Indigenous peoples, and on listening to Indigenous stories and perspectives.
Motivated to delve deeper into all that she was learning, Robertson applied for and was awarded a $4000 grant by TWU to conduct research with Indigenous peoples. As a researcher working under the supervision of Dr. Etherington, Robertson pursued a qualitative ethnographic study, by spending time living among Indigenous people in Fort Babine, and taking time to build relationships before and after her research interviews.
Exploring how Indigenous peoples experience benevolence
Robertson was especially interested in the role of relationships in benevolence, particularly because relationships play a central role in the Indigenous worldview. Her research focused on how benevolence is experienced by Indigenous peoples from their own perspectives. She believes this knowledge is critical for K-12 teachers who desire to work towards reconciliation, and to teach students to become more compassionate and empathetic towards the experiences of others.
Robertson and Etherington’s research asked these questions, How does an Indigenous community understand benevolence? Does an Indigenous worldview provide an additional path to reconciliation counter to patriarchal benevolence? How can an Indigenous worldview benefit the classroom?
Their research uncovered how even well-intentioned benevolence can be harmful outside of the context of a genuine relationship, and how it is vital to first build a relationship with those one seeks to help, through listening and mutual understanding.
By highlighting the voices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples, Robertson and Etherington demonstrate the importance of taking on the posture of “authentic relationship, deep understanding, and…humble listening and learning” as a way forward towards reconciliation, and to “seek the perspective of the recipient” in order to provide help that is meaningful.
They conclude that the practice of listening first “communicates to Indigenous peoples that they are valued, welcomed and significant,” and builds a foundation of mutual respect. This relational foundation prepares the proper context for reconciliation to take place.
“When there is a foundation of relationship rather than simply relying on impersonal information and statistics, individuals are able to see past an issue, seeing and knowing the people behind it, and making more ethical and compassionate decisions,” they write.
Robertson and Etherington hope to bring this perspective into Canadian classrooms, in order to help students grow in their interest and care for Indigenous peoples and cultures, increase their capacity for empathy, and foster their desire for justice.
On September 30, 2021, TWU honoured the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a campus-wide Day of Learning.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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Photo credit: Cheyanne Stein