From Pictures to Numbers: A Novel Approach to Native Community Participation and Data Analysis

Environmental issues that effect both larger society and Native American communities within it require collaboration on natural resource management. A problem exists however in the priorities of each group based on their respective community interests and cultural values. In an attempt to aid collaborative efforts between science institutions and Native communities, NSF funded indigenous sustainability workshops were hosted between 2008-2009 to identify differences in objectives for scientific inquiry and technologies. The workshops yielded focus group data from a primarily Native populated area and a primarily scientist/academic metropolitan center. Data were collected and analyzed from these diverse groups. Primarily Native populated workshops emphasized the preservation of culture, traditional knowledge and skills, and natural resource protection. Primarily scientist/academic populated workshops emphasized the use of scientific methods to solve problems, education, and collaboration between communities. The implications of these different priorities are discussed in relation to communication between these communities.