3.1: Allyship

Before proceeding with market research on or with Indigenous Communities, the individual or team must consider their understanding of allyship with Indigenous Communities. Plenty of discussions attempt to define this concept, but remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it changes over time, so be flexible. There are many resources to draw upon, which is the first step in educating yourself to avoid making mistakes moving forward. Some summarized points provided below bring these concepts into dialogue with each other.

1. Listen to Indigenous People – They are the experts of their reality, which is diverse and context-specific – we all have our own stories of how history affected us (Jonas, 2021).
2. Discomfort is part of the journey – The process is not about being comfortable because you may need to learn biases or make mistakes in the process – accountability is an expression of care and opportunity for growth (Jonas, 2021).
3. Be critical of motivations – Engaging or supporting Indigenous Communities is not an opportunity to “further one’s own self-interest, nor are they there as extra-curricular activities” (Swiftwolfe et al., 2019).
4. Start learning – It is not the responsibility of Indigenous Communities to constantly educate non-Indigenous People, and it is an ongoing process – this point will be expanded upon in a future section (Swiftwolfe et al., 2019).
5. Act Accordingly – Move forward with humility and critical self-reflection of on-going learning. Work to build a direct line of communication with an Indigenous Community. Lastly, there are three pieces to carry always: Acknowledging you are a guest on this land; Recognizing multiple nations exists within Turtle Island; and Respecting any cultural protocols and traditions (Swiftwolfe et al., 2019).
6. do not harm the community – This requires a centering of community in your mind and actions because harm can be done unintentionally. This requires a continuous process of consent and checking in, which is a way to be responsible for yourself and identify when to take a step back. Saviours are not needed here; solidity is (10 Ways to Be an Ally to First Nations Communities, 2022).
7. Give back – Use our labour, resources, and skills to help out (10 Ways to Be an Ally to First Nations Communities, 2022).

Resources

10 ways to be an ally to First Nations communities. (2022, July 2). Amnesty International Australia.

Dakota Swiftwolfe. (2019). Indigenous Ally Toolkit. Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network.

Jonas, S. (2021, September 30). Want to be an ally to Indigenous people? Listen and unlearn, say 2 community workers. CBC.