Decolonizing methodology: Co-designing research with the voices and footprints of the community

This article responds to calls for a relational praxis and rigor in qualitative research, seeking alternative ways of knowledge co-construction that serve the needs of marginalized and racialized communities, thus subverting research-as-usual designs. I describe the collaborative development of a research methodology within a partnership involving members of the Callemar township's educational community in the Colombian Caribbean region. Conducted over 18 months, this research aimed to co-design decolonizing language curricula with rural teachers and their educational community. Data for this article stems from the first 5 months of the partnership, utilizing a variety of data collection methods, including field notes, audio and video recordings from both online and in-person meetings, and participant-generated media such as videos, audio recordings, and photos during community walks. The primary focus of this phase was analyzing participants’ interactions and historias that shed light on the values that informed the ways of knowing and being in the community. Guided by decolonial, participatory, and community-based methodologies, the central inquiry of this research was: How does a rural community's lived relationality frame the co-construction of a research methodology within a partnership with schoolteachers and an allied researcher? This question was addressed by demonstrating how community dialogue initiated a co-theorizing process that facilitated joint knowledge-making, leading to a deeper understanding of the community's local literacies. These findings contribute to ongoing decolonizing research efforts that aim to center relationality and to challenge the coloniality embedded in traditional knowledge-making practices. This article models a decolonial approach, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration in research. By centering the voices of those directly impacted by educational practices, this research offers valuable insights for future initiatives, promoting a forward-thinking, applied practice in collaboration with communities.