Indigenous community level strengths for the promotion of wellbeing

As Alaska Native scholars, we share a short essay about lessons learned from a project that addresses suicide within rural Alaska Native communities. From this experience we provide a brief overview of the research study and explain why it is so important to (1) remain authentically engaged in Indigenous relationality, (2) center strengths-based approaches, and (3) focus on community level protective factors within research. From this work, we have learned that the way we address community concerns, and reveal community solutions plays a substantive role in ensuring the transference of Indigenous values, knowledge, practices and skills to younger generations that help them to have a strong sense of identity and belonging. We have also learned that research can serve to deepen our understanding of Indigenous relationality in real time and contribute to positive health and wellbeing among our communities at multiple levels. We hope to inspire others to think about and shift their approach to research within Indigenous communities so that we can collectively achieve the outcomes we desire.