Doctoral Research

Thesis

Thesis Title: Braiding Knowledge Through Breath, language, and Movement: Culturally-adapted, Trauma-informed yoga for First Nations WomEn

To cite: Barudin, Jessica W.G. (2023) Braiding Knowledge through breath, language, and movement: culturally rooted, trauma-informed Yoga for First Nations Women. PhD thesis, Concordia University.

Background

The research project aimed at exploring the impacts of a culturally-responsive, trauma-informed yoga curriculum for Kwakwaka’wakw and First Nation women. The project presented opportunities to learn and practice yoga, meditation, and mindfulness (contemplative practices) with Kwakwaka’wakw self-identifying First Nations women and two-spirited peoples with an interest in learning about the parallel teachings in yoga and Kwakwaka’wakw gwayi’lelas (traditional teachings). The doctoral research underscored the importance of co-creating a Kwakwa’la language-learning community in conjunction with embodied and Indigenous wellness practices with the aim of collective healing and community caring.

The curriculum offered an 80-hour virtual cohort-based delivery model during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Core program themes of Yoga and healing from trauma were introduced in parallel with Kwakwaka’wakw healing practices, kwak’wala language, values, as well as other First Nations contemplative approaches and wellness strategies. The aim was to create an empowering space for Kwakwaka’wakw & First Nations women and two-spirit people to see and experience themselves, and their culture and language represented in accessible and safe community practice.

Several aspects of this project wove together technology-based tools and digital media to promote embodied practices, language learning, knowledge mobilization, and knowledge translation among the community of learners. The research project will build upon existing findings and principles in culturally rooted and/or trauma-informed embodied wellness practices while combining technology-based health and language revitalization principles. The values and worldviews of the language domains provided the source of information for developing lesson plans and modules. We developed 8 modules including a community-based practicum component, a hub of digital learning resources, and a program manual to build capacity for community-based yoga programming.

Ultimately, the research provided a model for the engagement and empowerment of Indigenous women in the field of Indigenous community health and wellness. The ongoing work of this project includes knowledge-gathering and sharing processes (virtually, in communities, and on the land) to build upon a compendium of contemplative, embodied, and language learning resources and wellness practices to support First Nations women and two-spirited folks in (re)connecting to their bodies, their families/communities, and the land.

See more about Jessica’s research - INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAM Student Research

Research Questions

1)   How can yoga be integrated as a trauma-informed, community strategy for cultural connectedness and language learning with Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw women?

2)   What are the processes and outcomes of developing, transferring, and braiding cultural knowledge through a community-based yoga program?

3) What is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on creating virtual solutions and approaches to learning and community care?