My Research
Master of Arts - Public Issues Anthropology, University of Waterloo
THESIS: Responsible Representation and Collaboration in Supporting Indigenous Maternal Health in Canada.
My thesis has two threads: In addition to understanding the historical and contemporary nature of Indigenous maternal health and Indigenous midwifery in Canada, I felt it was important for me to situate myself as a white settler researcher and maternal health practitioner in my work. This would then help me to be cognizant and respectful of the boundaries around work that can only be done by Indigenous people, work that can only be done by non-Indigenous (settler) people, and work that must be done in partnership.
Honouring the sacredness of pregnancy, childbirth, and the early postpartum period has long been held as integral to the strength and celebration of Indigenous families and communities in Canada. Although the impacts of oppressive settler colonial systems have strained the connection to and practice of traditional approaches to these reproductive life stages, there are immense efforts under way by Indigenous midwives, doulas, women and birthing parents to reclaim and restore what had been lost. With an awareness of historical and current conditions of Indigenous maternal health, I explored how to best situate myself as a white settler anthropology researcher and maternal health practitioner, and how to support Indigenous maternal health in an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and culturally safe manner.
Over the course of my research, I had the honour of interviewing a number of highly respected Indigenous scholars, midwives, and community leaders across Canada to seek their guidance and insights about how I can responsibly represent and partner with Indigenous midwives, doulas, women and birthing parents, as well as the role and extent of the impact of having shared identity in the provision of culturally safe care. With honest self-knowledge of being a settler Canadian, critical understanding of how settler colonial systems and structures continue to harm and disenfranchise Indigenous women and birthing parents, and a commitment to equal, respectful relationships, there is the potential for robust, healthy partnerships with Indigenous practitioners to champion Indigenous maternal health in Canada.
Graduate Supervisor
Supervisory Committee
Awards
2021 - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship
2021 - University of Waterloo President’s Graduate Scholarship
2021 - Sally Weaver Graduate Scholarship
2021 - Iris Yuzdepski Memorial Graduate Award
Publications
Abstract: Personal reflections and key insights on instrumental guidance received from an Indigenous advisory consultant that significantly redefined a qualitative thesis research project in anthropology graduate studies on Indigenous maternal health in Canada.
Editor’s Note: In Study Yourself: Pivotal Guidance that Reshaped my Graduate Research in Indigenous Maternal Health, Sarah Tomkins shares the self-reflections that took place during her journey through a qualitative research project on Indigenous maternal health in Canada. Through this piece, Tomkins begins to describe the multiple layers of relationships that shaped and informed the way she approached her Master’s thesis, and ultimately made it possible for her to look inward and examine her own thought patterns through a wholistic perspective. Moreover, Tomkins describes how relationships across time, space, and different living and nonliving beings create the fullness of Indigenous knowledge around maternal health.
Abstract: Indigenous women and birthing parents in Canada disproportionately face mistreatment in their maternal healthcare experiences due to systemic anti-Indigenous racism, ongoing harmful impacts of settler colonialism, and power differentials inherent in many healthcare relationships. Indigenous midwives and doulas are important leaders in resisting these conditions and reclaiming traditional Indigenous birth knowledge and practices. Ultimately, they work to uphold Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty. Grounded in an understanding of historical and current challenges regarding Indigenous maternal health, this qualitative study explored how best to situate oneself as a settler researcher and maternal health practitioner to support Indigenous maternal health in a culturally safe, anti-racist manner.
In this article, key insights are shared from semi-structured interviews conducted with five prominent Indigenous scholars, midwives and community leaders. These consultants emphasized the central importance of intentional relationships in advancing the reclamation of traditional birth practices and providing culturally safe care, along with the indispensability of Indigenous midwives and doulas in these processes. Consultants also stressed the critical need for increased numbers of, and accessibility to, Indigenous practitioners in communities across the country. Settler practitioners are urged to understand the historical and contemporary impacts of settler colonialism, and the significance of building culturally safe, anti-racist relationships with their Indigenous colleagues and clients.