Wongi mi bardup (doing it our way): methodologies promoting Aboriginal knowledges and cultural practices for Birthing on Noongar Boodjar

Abstract

The Birthing on Noongar Boodjar project investigated the cultural birthing practices of Aboriginal women living on country (Noongar Boodjar) in an urbanised environment and their experiences of interactions with maternal health care providers (especially midwives). The evidence from the five-year study identified the changes required in health systems to adequately support Aboriginal women and their families during the significant cultural and life event of childbearing. This article sets out the methodological and theoretical considerations that framed how the Birthing on Noongar Boodjar project was conducted by the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal investigators. We provide a brief project background before describing the Indigenous research methodologies and practices crucial to exploring the research questions, collecting data in culturally secure ways and using cultural lenses to analyse and interpret the data. The study design and results are reported in other publications.