Abstract The implementation and delivery of prison rehabilitation programs is crucial to the successful restoration and reintegration of incarcerated people. However, the high recidivism rate nationwide is a clear indication that the current prison programs are not working. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that the core content of most prison-based programs are designed through Western lenses and facilitated predominantly by non-Indigenous program providers. This has greatly impacted on the progression of those Indigenous peoples who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, speak other languages and who have very limited numeracy and literacy levels, hence hindering their rehabilitation and restoration processes. Another factor of concern is the current retributive model of ‘correcting’ or prison-for-punishment approach as opposed to a more therapeutic model of ‘restoring’ or healing-in-justice approach. The aim of this study is to explore viable ways of achieving rehabilitation and restoration in an effort to address the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori individuals and families in the Queensland and New Zealand criminal justice systems. The study provides the opportunity for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori peoples who have been in custody to put forward their voices about the effectiveness or benefits of prison-based programs, and culturally-specific programs offered in Queensland and New Zealand prisons. It also opens up the debate about the importance of utilising culture-as-rehabilitation when dealing with Indigenous people in custody; hence, the voices of Indigenous program providers from Queensland and New Zealand have been instrumental in bringing this issue to the forefront. This research utilised qualitative Indigenous research methodologies and guided by an Indigenous epistemological framework. Whilst a set of informal interview questions guided the process; the use of mir atager or Indigenous yarning modalities was a core aspect of communication during the data collection. With the consent of all participants, the interviews were tape recorded verbatim and analysed thematically with the use of a culturally appropriate colour coding method. In conducting comparative cross-cultural research between Queensland and New Zealand, I was guided by the skills and expertise of an Indigenous research advisor, a cultural supervisor and language interpreters and advisers. Twenty-one Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori participants shared their stories. The findings arising from the yarnings have identified the cultural inappropriateness of mainstream prison programs and the lack of culturally-specific programs, particularly in the prisons in Queensland. The voices of Indigenous program providers in Queensland also highlighted the lack of Corrective Services recognition for, and accreditation of their programs. A key issue arising from the data is the lack of culturally relevant and gender-specific programs that addresses the special needs of Indigenous women in Queensland and New Zealand prisons. Also arising from the people’s voices is the need for more pre-release and post-release support to assist in their journey from prison to community. In consideration of the endemic representation of Indigenous peoples in custody as noted above, the research strongly advocates for the funding and establishment of Indigenous-specific prison support services in the community and in the correctional centres to cater for the culturally-specific needs of Indigenous peoples in their journey from prison to community. This research documented the complex and multi-layered issues facing Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders and Māori peoples in the criminal justice system and calls for a more healing-in-justice approach utilising culture-as-rehabilitation methods to correcting the behaviours of Indigenous people who come before the criminal justice system. Last, but not least, the research respects and acknowledges the pain and suffering of those who have been victims of crime, and thereby it is envisaged that the findings of this research will assist in the creation of safer and whole communities.

Abstract The implementation and delivery of prison rehabilitation programs is crucial to the successful restoration and reintegration of incarcerated people. However, the high recidivism rate nationwide is a clear indication that the current prison programs are not working. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that the core content of most prison-based programs are designed through Western lenses and facilitated predominantly by non-Indigenous program providers. This has greatly impacted on the progression of those Indigenous peoples who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, speak other languages and who have very limited numeracy and literacy levels, hence hindering their rehabilitation and restoration processes. Another factor of concern is the current retributive model of ‘correcting’ or prison-for-punishment approach as opposed to a more therapeutic model of ‘restoring’ or healing-in-justice approach. The aim of this study is to explore viable ways of achieving rehabilitation and restoration in an effort to address the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori individuals and families in the Queensland and New Zealand criminal justice systems. The study provides the opportunity for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori peoples who have been in custody to put forward their voices about the effectiveness or benefits of prison-based programs, and culturally-specific programs offered in Queensland and New Zealand prisons. It also opens up the debate about the importance of utilising culture-as-rehabilitation when dealing with Indigenous people in custody; hence, the voices of Indigenous program providers from Queensland and New Zealand have been instrumental in bringing this issue to the forefront. This research utilised qualitative Indigenous research methodologies and guided by an Indigenous epistemological framework. Whilst a set of informal interview questions guided the process; the use of mir atager or Indigenous yarning modalities was a core aspect of communication during the data collection. With the consent of all participants, the interviews were tape recorded verbatim and analysed thematically with the use of a culturally appropriate colour coding method. In conducting comparative cross-cultural research between Queensland and New Zealand, I was guided by the skills and expertise of an Indigenous research advisor, a cultural supervisor and language interpreters and advisers. Twenty-one Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori participants shared their stories. The findings arising from the yarnings have identified the cultural inappropriateness of mainstream prison programs and the lack of culturally-specific programs, particularly in the prisons in Queensland. The voices of Indigenous program providers in Queensland also highlighted the lack of Corrective Services recognition for, and accreditation of their programs. A key issue arising from the data is the lack of culturally relevant and gender-specific programs that addresses the special needs of Indigenous women in Queensland and New Zealand prisons. Also arising from the people’s voices is the need for more pre-release and post-release support to assist in their journey from prison to community. In consideration of the endemic representation of Indigenous peoples in custody as noted above, the research strongly advocates for the funding and establishment of Indigenous-specific prison support services in the community and in the correctional centres to cater for the culturally-specific needs of Indigenous peoples in their journey from prison to community. This research documented the complex and multi-layered issues facing Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders and Māori peoples in the criminal justice system and calls for a more healing-in-justice approach utilising culture-as-rehabilitation methods to correcting the behaviours of Indigenous people who come before the criminal justice system. Last, but not least, the research respects and acknowledges the pain and suffering of those who have been victims of crime, and thereby it is envisaged that the findings of this research will assist in the creation of safer and whole communities.

Using Indigenous epistemology blended with qualitative methodology, I spoke with forty-five Indigenous people about navigating the problematic processes for multiple American Indian identities within different contexts. I examined Indigenous identity as the product of out-group processes (being invisible in spite of the prevalence of overt racism), institutional constraints (being in the unique position where legal identification validates Indian race), and intra-ethnic othering (internalizing overt and institutionalized racism which results in authenticity policing). I find that overt racism becomes invisible when racist social discourse becomes legitimized. Discourse structures society within the interactions between institutions, individuals, and groups. Racist social discourse becomes legitimized through its normalization created within social institutions--like education, media, legislation, and family. Institutions shape social norms to make it seem right to enact racial violence against, and between, Indigenous Peoples, using stereotypes, racist labels, and laws that define "Indian" race by blood quanta. Ultimately, Indigenous Peoples can reproduce or contest the legitimized racism of Western social norms. Therefore, this work explores the dialectical and reciprocal relationship between notions of structure and agency as represented in negotiations of Indigenous identity.

A plethora of cross-cultural research studies has been conducted and published on the conflict or collision between western models of education and indigenous knowledge and learning. Following on the visions of these studies, the research reported in this thesis explores how these tensions between differing bodies of knowledge impact youth identity in non-western societies. More specifically, the study examines the case of how western models of education impacts the Palauan traditional educational models and whether or not the privileging of western systems of learning over Palauan systems does in fact have a negative impact on the development of identity, well-being, and empowerment of Palauan youth today. Theoretical approaches in this study derived from the knowledge of Palauan elders and scholars as well as literature works of Freire, who argues for transformative education as a means of empowering people, and Lave and Wenger‟s theory of legitimate peripheral learning. Methodological approaches include narratives and a Palauan dialogic approach using questionnaires, unstructured and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from June to September 2009 in Palau. Selected participants were the youth of Ulimang village in Ngaraard and a particular group of Palauan elders and scholars that are involved in Palauan education, knowledge, and research. Data were analyzed in two stages: a questionnaire for Ulimang youth and interviews for the Palauan elders. A range of concepts addressed in the analysis, such as cheldecheduch and relationships, strengthened the belief that Palauan knowledge was important in the lives of the Ulimang youth. The need to maintain Palauan knowledge to empower Palauan identities and to support the quality of life for Palauans was articulated by the Palauan elders. The importance of Palauan knowledge and values was stressed from the participants and emphasized how it informs identity development in Palau.

This dissertation aimed to expand the current literature's understanding of Indigenous epistemology within contemporary social media environments. The qualitative study used social descriptive analysis from forty TikTok videos and comment threads. The descriptive analysis captured major cultural themes, common informal learning behaviors, and perceptions of Indigenous culture. The findings revealed that Indigenous creators and audiences engaged in questions and answers, personal experience sharing, evaluative feedback, and expressed forms of appreciation to learn with TikTok content. Although the audience perceived Indigenous culture and content positively, community guideline considerations and power challenges to making cultural content available in social media environments still exist.

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