Decolonizing Music Education: A Journey of Reflection and Reconciliation
Abstract
This research-creation project explores the journey of an Indigenous music scholar seeking to decolonize music education by embracing Indigenous methodologies and reflecting on their identity and culture throughout the music-making process. Drawing inspiration from Indigenous stories, knowledge, and cultural practices, the researcher creates a musical artifact as the central outcome of the project, which highlights the significance of music as a form of reconciliation.
The researcher emphasizes the value of practice-based creative processes within research-creation, highlighting the paradigm's compatibility with Indigenous ways of knowing. The project advocates for research-creation as a pathway that leads to a more diverse and authentic representation of culture and music in education, thus contributing to reconciliation.
This research journey reflects on the complexity of decolonizing education, discussing the need for inclusive and accessible learning environments that honour differing cultural perspectives. By acknowledging and respecting Indigenous stories and music, the researcher argues for a shift away from standardized perspectives imposed by colonial constructs and toward recognizing unique expressions of culture through music as methods that lead to new knowledge.
Ultimately, the project underscores the importance of listening, respecting, and engaging in meaningful conversations with Indigenous communities to ensure research-creation artifacts contribute to reconciliation efforts. By integrating Indigenous methodologies to decolonize music education, this project advocates for a future where all individuals can learn from and share cultural knowledge, fostering a sense of unity and respect among diverse communities.