Background: In Canada, Aboriginal women are disproportionately impacted by HIV and are tested later in disease progression, resulting in poorer health outcomes and increasing the risk of onward transmission. Methods: Using purposive sampling, 13 self-identified Aboriginal women participated in in-depth, qualitative interviews exploring women’s experiences with HIV testing and their ideas for improving the process. Thematic analysis was conducted in conjunction with constant comparison to identify emergent themes and to direct future interviews and analyses. Results: Women identified several barriers to HIV testing converging on the subjects of insufficient knowledge of HIV and HIV transmission, lack of perceived relevance of HIV testing, unwillingness or inability to confront the need for testing, and judgment from self and others regarding engagement in HIV-related risk-behaviours. The women also described their acceptable and unacceptable testing experiences, presented recommendations for increasing HIV testing uptake, and suggested ways to create the ideal testing experience. The findings demonstrate a clear need for stronger engagement of Aboriginal women surrounding their HIV-related testing needs and increased access to educational opportunities, culturally appropriate care, and initiatives aimed at reducing societal stigma around HIV.

Grounded in a historical, socio-cultural consideration of Indigenous women’s theatrical production, this dissertation examines representations of gendered violence in Canadian Indigenous women’s drama. The female playwrights who are the focus of my thesis – Monique Mojica, Marie Clements, and Yvette Nolan – counter colonial and occasionally postcolonial renditions of gendered and racialized violence by emphasizing female resistance and collective coalition. While these plays represent gendered violence as a real, material mechanism of colonial destruction, ultimately they work to promote messages of collective empowerment, recuperation, and survival. My thesis asks not only how a dramatic text might deploy a decolonizing aesthetic, but how it might redefine dramatic/literary and socio-cultural space for resistant and decolonial ends. Attentive to the great variance of subjective positions occupied by Indigenous women writers, I examine the historical context of theatrical reception, asking how the critic/spectator’s engagement with and dissemination of knowledge concerning Indigenous theatre might enhance or impede this redefinition. Informed by Indigenous/feminist poststructuralist and postcolonial theoretical perspectives that address the production and dissemination of racialized regimes of representation, my study assesses the extent to which colonialist misrepresentations of Indigenous women have served to perpetuate demeaning stereotypes, justifying devaluation of and violence – especially sexual violence – against Indigenous women. Most significantly, my thesis considers how and to what degree resistant representations in Indigenous women’s dramatic productions work against such representational and manifest violence.

The purpose of this study was to interview elite First Nations, Inuit, and Métis athletes to gain an in-depth understanding of their personal journeys to excellence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and a narrative analysis was used to analyze the research findings. The three objectives were to find success strategies, obstacles and advice the elite athletes would provide to Aboriginal youth. The main success strategies were found to be Aboriginal elements, focus, mental preparation for competition, parental support, passion, and positive self-talk. Multiple obstacles were faced by the athletes in this study, with racism and leaving home being the commonalities. The advice they provided for young First Nations, Inuit, and Métis athletes was rich and inspiring. The findings of this study provide useful information for aspiring Aboriginal athletes, and for future ongoing meaningful research, that may lead to reducing the gaps in the literature.

Western value systems and ways of knowing the world are in need of serious critique, especially in terms of colonialism and capitalism. These systems, many argue are fundamentally unjust and unsustainable while also working toinvalidate and erase alternative, indigenous ways of knowing. We need to work towards decolonization by both challenging these dominant Western systems, and exploring and supporting alternatives. That the primary intent of this thesis, which aims to engage and compare indigenous and Western worldviews using two specific case studies of land management. The first, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, represents an indigenous Māori approach in a New Zealand context, while the East Bay Regional Park District represents a ‘conventional’ Western approach in a US context. The analysis of these groups was based primarily on management plans and other assorted documents, as well as personal experience working with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in particular. The structure and practice of each group were explored separately, and connected with the systems and values of their respective cultural contexts. Comparisons were then made exploring differences in community participation, ways of knowing, and systems of values and belief. The District, while showing significant concern for the environment, was still engaged in limiting and harmful colonial practice. In contrast the practice of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, with its local focus, community engagement, and deep relation with the land, is a worthy source of inspiration in moving towards a world that is more safe, just, and sustainable.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study involves a group of pre-service teachers who are specialising in Science and Mathematics education at a university in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The aim of the study was to investigate perceptions about the earth in space held by the pre-service natural science teachers. A related aim was to create awareness among the prospective teachers about various views that people hold about the earth as against the scientifically valid view (Govender, 2009, Plummer & Zahm, 2010, Schneps & Sadler, 1989). To determine and improve the prospective teachers’ perceptions and awareness about the significance of the earth in space the study adopted the dialogical argumentation model (DAIM) and spatial modelling as a theoretical framework (Ogunniyi, 2013).Further, the study used pre- and post-test data based on the responses of the pre-service teachers to questionnaires, focus group interviews and reflective diaries. The data set was analysed using a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative).Results from the study show that most the pre-service teachers involved in the study hold both scientific and alternative conceptions about the earth in space. However, they seem to suppress the latter because they believe them to be unscientific. In addition they believe that their role is to impart scientific knowledge to learners. As has been revealed in a number of studies, some of the prospective teachers did not have much background in geography.

On-Reserve housing might be the most contentious, complicated issue faced by First Nations people in Canada. First Nations have unique relationships with the Canadian Government and face historical and on-going challenges. One of these many challenges is the growing gap between adequate housing need and availability. First Nations people face higher rates of overcrowding, exposure to mould, and living in poorly constructed or maintained homes. Housing has been studied from many angles by government and academics alike, from policy and planning to homelessness and health, but very few studies clearly quantifies the quality of On-Reserve housing. Most of the numbers used in studies, in both the grey literature and open research, draw from statistical information or self-reporting surveys. This information is helpful in a broad analysis but it lacks details that could be used for setting concrete strategic priorities and policies for building new housing and/or renovating existing stock. The objective of this research is to identify the differences between First Nation homes and non-First Nation homes in British Columbia (BC) using housing information provided by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). This data is available from the submission of home energy assessment data. Non-invasive procedures and professional experience is used to estimate many of the parameters used in these assessments. A home's air changes per hour at a pressure of 50 kPa, ACH50, was chosen as the value for home quality through this research. ACH50 is the only consistently measured parameter during home energy assessments. The information from NRCan represents 693 homes owned by First Nations between climate zones 4 and 7A and 127,295 homes owned by non-First Nations between climate zones 4 and 7B. The results of this research show that most First Nation homes were situated in climate zone 5, while most non-First Nation homes were in climate zone 4. Assuming that all the First Nation housing data is on reserve, a methodology was created to allocate the home data to individual First Nation communities in BC. This allowed 515 homes to be isolated into 25 First Nation communities, where other factors were compared to the data. Examining the aggregate data, First Nation homes faired better than non-First Nation homes in terms of ACH50 and ceiling insulation levels, but the analysis is more nuanced than the data presents. The number of homes that were isolated by First Nation community as well as the history and current situation of On-Reserve housing must be considered in the analysis. Socioeconomic factors (i.e. unemployment rates, average total income, and annual band revenues) did not seem to significantly impact the quality of homes on reserve, but the remoteness of a community did have a negative impact on the quality of a home. This research is useful in identifying some key aspects of First Nation and non-First Nation housing in BC but the analysis recognizes a gap in the data which requires a more critical and holistic evaluation to identify how this information relates to the current housing situation First Nations people continue to face. / Graduate

The consumption of indigenous leafy vegetables is a significant tradition and culture of South Africa. The purpose of this research was to investigate the access and consumption of indigenous leafy vegetables in rural and informal settlements of the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM), Western Cape, South Africa. The research identified ILV being available and accessible in WCDM, methods of preparation used as well as the factors influencing the consumption of ILV. A cross sectional descriptive survey design was used and data collection was done using a structured questionnaire. Respondents were randomly selected from the five local municipalities in the West Coast District Municipality. A total of 205 respondents representing 205 households in the rural and informal settlements of the West Coast District Municipality were interviewed. Majority of respondents were black females, unemployed and had no formal qualification. Seventeen indigenous leafy vegetables were identified in the West Coast District and the majority of the respondents consumed indigenous leafy vegetables as part of their diet mainly because of the health benefits and taste. Four methods of cooking, namely stewing, boiling, steaming and frying were used by the respondents to prepare indigenous leafy vegetables and most of the respondents added additional ingredients during cooking such as mealie meal, fish oil and salt. The informal sector was identified as the major source of indigenous leafy vegetables and cultivation of ILV was very limited. The majority of the respondents consumed ILV at least once a week. Preservation of ILV was not a common practice. Factors such as employment status, higher household size and higher income levels did not influence the frequency of ILV consumption. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Consumer Science)

Environmental education in the U.S. has been slow to incorporate Indigenous knowledges, with most pre-university curriculum centering around Western science. I believe incorporating Indigenous knowledges into environmental education can promote reciprocal, critical, and active human-nature relationships. While Indigenous knowledges should infiltrate all levels of environmental education, I argue that alternative forms of education which operate outside the formal school system might present the fewest immediate obstacles.

Cancer among Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) is disproportionately higher than the overall Canadian population. Many Indigenous Peoples have difficulty accessing care and do not receive culturally safe care due to a longstanding history of marginalization and colonization. The role of a nurse navigator (NN) was developed to improve continuity of care and overall health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples; however, limited research exists on what a NN does or how they are perceived. Using constructivist case study methodology, this thesis explored the experiences of a NN working in a large tertiary care hospital in Ontario, Canada, and the processes the NN used to support Indigenous cancer patients in a culturally safe manner. Six in-depth semi-structured interviews were performed with health care providers and managers, and shadowing of a NN occurred over two weeks allowing direct observations of the NN that was captured in field notes and reflective journaling. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed; all data was entered into NVIVO 12 qualitative software and coded thematically. Analysis revealed the NN to be an important complement to clinical care and key resource to navigating the health care system, providing mechanisms for building trust, and raising awareness of Indigenous historical and cultural contexts. The NN practiced non-conventional, patient-centered approaches that included engaging with the land and arts, interpreting healthcare information, advocating for and aiding autonomy over healthcare. All participants felt the NN had a positive influence on health and wellbeing. Thesis results inform healthcare delivery and nursing practice to improve quality of care and outcomes for Indigenous cancer patients.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol) / The Overberg renosterveld rangelands of the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) has become well associated with commercial and communal agricultural practices, namely crop and livestock production. This Mediterranean region is characterized as being a semi-arid, winter rainfall area with nutrient-limited soils. Livestock farmers rely largely on introduced legume species such as lucerne (Medicago sativa) as high quality forage to sustain their livestock’s diets. Generally, these introduced species are reliant on the accessibility of water and nutrients, due to the specific climatic and edaphic conditions of the region. The availability of high quality forage has always been a major concern to farmers when it comes to managing their livestock, since livestock productivity is determined by the quality of the forage consumed.