Male Aboriginal identity formation in urban areas: a focus on process and context

Abstract

This study is concerned with how Aboriginal men primarily raised or living in urban areas struggle to maintain an Aboriginal cultural identity. Their narratives present a complex picture of how their Aboriginal cultural identity is shaped through relationships with the people they encounter every day--their families, other Aboriginal people and non Aboriginal people alike. This study found that Aboriginal cultural values are the primary foundation of personal Aboriginal identity and they tend to remain stable over time from generation to generation. The outward expression of these values changes to suit the environment one lives in. Aboriginal people in urban areas carry the same values as their ancestors but express them in new ways. When conducting Aboriginal cultural identity research, considering context is important. This study demonstrated that examining the contexts when Aboriginal identities become salient provides a more complex picture of how urban Aboriginal identities develop. Education experiences, community participation, family influences and stereotypes all affected the research participants' choices to express, hide, contest, or speak their Aboriginal identities. In contrast to definitional approaches that assign variables to authentic Aboriginal identity, as in John Berry's urban Aboriginal identity article in the Canadian Journal of Native Studies, an approach focusing on context demonstrates the continued vibrancy of Aboriginal identity in urban spaces. The thesis supports the theoretical work of Carl James, Stuart Hall and other cultural studies literature that conceives of identity as a dynamic process. The study employed learning circles, an Indigenous method of healing, as the method of data collection. Circles were conducted in the manner described by Michael Hart and were chosen to provide a respectful and safe atmosphere for Aboriginal people to share their life stories. This culturally appropriate methodology has rarely been used in the study of Aboriginal identity. A key exception is the Learning Circles Synthesis Report prepared by Kathy Absolon and Tony Winchester for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Based on its success in this study, circle approaches are recommended for researchers looking for a respectful method of social inquiry in future studies with Aboriginal people.