Research

Our research weaves Indigenous and Western frameworks to illuminate the relationships between environmental, social, and institutional systems. We co-create knowledge that is culturally grounded, ethically guided, and practically useful, supporting partners in designing transformative, not extractive, solutions.

We focus on understanding how power, policy, and practice intersect, helping communities and organizations align governance, finance, and stewardship with principles of equity and renewal.

What We Offer

Monitoring & Evaluation

Institutional Ethnography, Diagnostics and Pattern Recognition

Ethical Governance

Reading socioecological indicators of systems and institutional relationships health or imbalance, indicating opportunity for regeneration.

Embedding accountability to institutions working in, with and for local communities and indigenous peoples on ancestral commons (e.g. land, watersheds etc) to facilitate shared decision-making.

Trans-systemic Analysis

Impact Monitoring

Bridging Indigenous and Western analytic systems without subordinating one to the other.

Develop long-term, community-cantered indicators of change rather than short-term or externally imposed metrics.

We develop long-term, community-centred indicators of change rooted in place based cultural values. Our evaluation tools recognize patterns of imbalance and opportunity, guiding long-term regeneration rather than short-term efficiency.

Participatory Project Design

Project Co-Creation

Knowledge Sharing Platforms

Co-create research questions with Indigenous communities and stakeholders to ensure relevance and reciprocity, ensuring balance through the project.

Use visual, interactive, and culturally resonant tools to disseminate findings widely while respecting sensitive information.

Future-oriented Design

Using tohu to navigate away from “maintenance paradigms” (sustainability, resilience) toward renewal and transformation.

We co-create research questions with local communities and Indigenous peoples to ensure relevance, reciprocity, and benefit sharing. Projects include inclusive design workshops, scenario mapping, and storytelling platforms for collective visioning.

Data Analysis & Visualisation

Relational Data Practices

Data Insights

Seeing data as part of a living network rather than a static object. Communities have access to data and agency over how data is used.

Integrate qualitative insights (oral histories, cultural indicators) with quantitative metrics and spatially accurate.

Data Ethics

Check data with data generators and co-design ‘give back’ protocols.

We integrate qualitative knowledge—such as oral histories and cultural maps—with spatial and quantitative data. Our visual tools help partners understand complex relationships while upholding data sovereignty and ethical return protocols.