Indigenizing collaborative methods in studying human-water relations in the Syilx Okanagan Territory of British...

This article describes co-design and Indigenous methodologies applied in Waterways, Past, Present, and Future, a research inquiry and immersive media exhibition on human water relations carried out in the Syilx Okanagan First Nation territory of British Columbia, Canada. As a backdrop, we provide an overview of collaborative research, co-design, and Indigenous methodologies principles and then describe how these edicts were reflected in Waterway's praxis. The co-leadership of the research team, the cross-cultural interdisciplinary composition of the team, the decolonizing frame applied throughout the inquiry and design process, and the timeframe for team members to carry out personalized and collective multi-layered preparation were key ingredients in the application of Indigenous methodologies. Co-design principles observed in Waterways included prioritizing design justice and incorporating reflexivity and flexibility, iteration, and emergence in the design process. These methodological considerations can lead to more impactful co-design and cross-cultural research collaboration in Indigenous settings, which is currently a priority in Canada's ongoing reconciliation process.