Understanding Elders’ knowledge creation to strengthen Indigenous ethical knowledge sharing

Introduction. This study investigates Indigenous Elders’ oral knowledge creation as it is transmitted intergenerationally through storytelling. Synthesising oral knowledge to written text is problematic because the integrity of the spoken knowledge must be altered to suit the dominant language system, sometimes devaluing its significance.
Method. Using the principles of a community-based participatory study grounded by visual ethnography, data were collected from audio and video dialogic interviews with four Elders and one young participant as potential future knowledge keeper. Participants gave informed consent for the dissemination of these experiences.
Analysis. Data were transcribed and open coded, providing empirical information for analysis. The process was intended to capture unobserved shared practices and explore tacit and explicit knowledge creation as it evolved during social interaction among participants.
Results. Preliminary findings provide a structure for understanding the inherent value of participants’ tacit and explicit knowledge creation. This led to the development of a community-based participatory research iterative framework. This framework provides the research participants with the opportunity to actively engage with the research process.
Conclusion. The findings also assist in emphasising co-learning and collaborative study for ethical practices in conducting research with Indigenous people.