Exploring the Fullness of Singing and Teaching Experiences Using Indigenist Research Paradigms

Singing is, by its very nature, a complex activity involving physical, emotional, musical, relational, and cultural aspects. Many Western research paradigms, however, limit their engagement to one aspect at a time. Indigenist research paradigms ask researchers to consider multiple layers of relationality within a research process and honour the complex lived experience of co-researchers to better understand the fullness of experience of teaching, singing and researching. Based on the work of Indigenous scholars such as Shawn Wilson and Michelle Pidgeon, I developed a research approach relevant to voice pedagogy research that reflected the principles of an Indigenist relational paradigm: Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity and Responsibility.

This presentation will discuss the principles of Indigenist research paradigms, my experience of using them in my own voice pedagogy research, and the power of using a wholistic, relational paradigm to build understanding of music, singing and teaching. In addition, we will discuss the challenges faced by researchers in carrying out and presenting this research in an academic context.