An Emergent Typology for Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks

ABSTRACT Evaluation that is by, for, with, and as Indigenous peoples supports responsive, evidence‐based practice that is centered on Indigenous wellbeing. Grounded in community, culture, and relationality, Indigenous Evaluation (IE) moves away from individualistic, detached, and objectivist Western approaches to focus on decolonization and Indigenous self‐determination. Over the past two decades, the field of IE has grown as Indigenous practitioners have shaped the direction and expectations of evaluation practice. Yet, despite the proliferation of IE approaches, limited attention has been given to how they are being developed. This article introduces an emergent typology of Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks (IEFs). In doing so, it explores evaluation frameworks and the diverse ways in which culture, people, and context are positioned within them. These considerations are not only relevant to Indigenous contexts but have broader significance. The people‐centered implications of localizing evaluation practice offer critical lessons for evaluators working in other underserved or historically marginalized settings, including racial equity work, disability justice, and decolonial practice. A localized, relational approach invites a reconsideration of whose knowledge counts, how power is distributed in evaluation, and what constitutes ethical, responsive practice. Written by three wāhine Māori (Māori women) scholars, this article privileges the lens of Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), while conceptualizing frameworks from other Indigenous communities through the notion of Manuhiritanga or guesthood. As Māori researchers without genealogical ties to three of the cultural contexts discussed, we write with humility and critical awareness of our position as guests in these spaces.