In Canada, out of the total Aboriginal populations, the older Aboriginal adult populations continue to increase and suffer disproportionately poor health compared to non-Aboriginal seniors. Despite these facts, there is a dearth of research concerning Aboriginal older adults, especially regarding their engagement with physical activity. My thesis is written in the publishable paper format and is comprised of two papers. Using a scoping study methodology in paper one, I demonstrate that intersecting factors such as colonialism, social inequities, and physical activity practices that are rooted in Western ideals and do not address Indigenous older adults’ needs, all contribute to Indigenous older adults’ lack of participation in physical activity. Using a case study approach in paper two, I demonstrate how Elders In Motion, a program offered by the Northwest Territories Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA), shows a shift in physical activity programs becoming more respectful of older Aboriginal adults’ cultures and communities; however, while the staff at the NWTRPA has made a strong effort to adapt a southern-based program for northern communities in the NWT, there are several program features that reaffirm colonial practices and support Westernized ideas of physical activity. Taken together, the papers in this thesis make apparent that physical activity programs and research concerning physical activity for older Aboriginal adults continue to be embedded in colonial practices. As a result, there is a demonstrated need for program development and research in this area to work towards reducing health disparities and challenging colonial practices.

This purpose of this interpretive research study was to deepen our understanding of the meaning of culturally relevant physical education and health pedagogy (Ladson Billings, 1994; Halas, McRae & Carpenter, 2012) from the perspective of racialized minority women. Four female students from diverse backgrounds participated in a talking circle where they discussed their experiences in physical education and health (PEH) settings. Wilson’s (2008) idea of relational accountability, as described through Indigenous approaches to research, was used to help interrogate and interrupt systems of privilege, power and marginalization that characterize many PEH settings. The findings reveal the on-going need for culturally relevant pedagogical approaches that encourage, affirm and recognize the cultural landscapes of students. More research is needed to understand how students can be motivated to learn and grow in ways that develop their critical social consciousness regarding the social inequities that impact their PEH experiences. / October 2015