Beneath the Ink : Storytelling for Transformative Change

Abstract

Driven and drawn to the intersection of knowledges pertaining to meaning making this dissertation seeks to articulate storytelling as an Indigenous practice towards transformational change. As a manifestation of Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing, storytelling is a specific method in which lived experiences can be recovered, understood, and sustained in meaningful ways. Contributing to the literature on Indigenous methodologies paved by decolonial and Indigenous academics this dissertation posits that storytelling invites the researcher to critically review the methods used within colonial institutions such as the University. This is particularly important when considering lived experiences that reflect the interconnectedness of place, objects, people, and the spiritual domain. Using mainstream definitions and representations of homelessness as a case for operationalizing this form of methodology; (re)defining the elements of stories most relevant to understanding homelessness allows us to appreciate more fully the complexity, rather than individuality of lived experience. Storytelling unpacks relationships as both a means and destination, providing the context to understanding connected agents in a holistic manner. Importantly, Indigenous storytelling is not a new phenomenon. Rather, it reflects a practice of meaning making that has unfolded since time immemorial. As scholars, we must critically reflect on our own knowledge-building ecologies, considering more deeply the transformative qualities of storytelling.