"Research in itself is a powerful intervention . . . which has traditionally benefitted the researcher, and the knowledge base of the dominant group society." - Linda Tuhiwai Smith, 1999, 176. I recall reading Linda Tuhiwai Smith's book earlier this summer. I found it very powerful in decolonizing or deconstructing research for Indigenous peoples. History has shown all of us how research and ethics played a role in Indigenous people's lives.
Ethics in research is a huge and vital component. I read Glesne's (2011) chapter 6, But Is it Ethical? Considering What's "Right." I liked how she included Indigenous perspectives in ethical issues and began her chapter with two quotes, one of them from a well-known Indigenous scholar. I found this chapter interesting as Glesne briefly introduces to readers about ethical standards in different ways, and further explains different ethics by her and other's experiences. Ethics are a system of moral principles, everyone has their own moral principles individually and within a particular group.
I recall watching a video presentation by Dr. Laiana Wong, a Professor from Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, at the 2008 Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand's Māori Centre for Research Excellence. There is no Hawaiian equivalent to ethics or ethical, however ethics are values and therefore, Hawaiians reverted to values as being ethical. His presentation was entitled "E nānā i ka hoa o kipa hewa ke aloha i ka ʻīlio." He shares 3 Hawaiian values: kuleana, maiau/kāpulu and pono.
Kuleana is commonly defined as right and responsibility, other definitions include property, authority, interest, claim, ownership and reason.
Maiau means neat and careful in work, correct and careful.
Kāpulu means careless, unclean, basically the opposite of maiau.
Pono means goodness, morality, benefit, welfare, balance, and righteous.
These are just a few values explained by Laiana. I believe that Hawaiian values can be used as an ethical framework applied to research on Hawaiians and by Hawaiians. As our guest speaker Corrine Glesne shared with us in tonights class, use qualitative methods "with people" to find possible solutions. Therefore, I believe a possible solution includes ways in which ethics frames the research. In other words, if qualitative methods are flexible, it shouldn't be a problem to adhere to Hawaiian and Indigenous values.
