Development of a Culturally Anchored Qualitative Approach to Conduct and Analyze Focus Group Narratives Collected in Diné (Navajo) Communities to Understand the Impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015

Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone, Carmenlita Chief, Jennifer R. Richards, Rebecca J. Clausen, Alfred Yazzie, Manley A. Begay, Nathan Lothrop, Janene Yazzie, Andria B. Begay, Paloma I. Beamer and Karletta Chief
Additional contact information
Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone: Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Carmenlita Chief: Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Jennifer R. Richards: Center for American Indian Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
Rebecca J. Clausen: Department of Sociology and Human Services, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO 81301, USA
Alfred Yazzie: Independent Researcher, Winslow, AZ 86047, USA
Manley A. Begay: Applied Indigenous Studies Department, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Nathan Lothrop: Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
Janene Yazzie: Tó Bee Nihi Dziil and Sixth World Solutions, Lupton, AZ 86508, USA
Andria B. Begay: Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Paloma I. Beamer: Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
Karletta Chief: Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: The Gold King Mine Spill (Spill) occurred in August 2015 upstream from Silverton, Colorado and released three million gallons of contaminated water into the Animas River, a tributary to the San Juan River that flows across the Navajo Nation. Using principles of community-engaged research, the Gold King Mine Spill Diné Exposure Project co-developed a culturally anchored approach to conduct focus groups and analyze narratives collected in three Diné (Navajo) communities along the San Juan River within 9 months of the Spill. Focus group questions were designed to document the socio-cultural impacts of the Spill. This paper: (1) outlines the partnerships and approvals; (2) describes focus group design, training, data collection and analysis; and (3) reflects on the use of a culturally anchored approach in Indigenous, specifically Diné-centered research. Diné social and cultural etiquette and concepts of relationality were used to adapt standard (non-Indigenous) qualitative methods. Findings describe community perceptions of short-term impacts of the disaster, as well as past and present injustices, communication related to the Spill, and concerns of persistent threats to Diné lifeways. The culturally anchored approach was critical in fostering trust with Diné participants and aligned with the candor of the discussions.

Keywords: qualitative research; culturally anchored; Navajo Nation; Indigenous; environmental disaster; community engaged research; decolonized research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9402/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9402/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9402-:d:630171

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().