Rediscovering our Roots: Lived Experiences of Filipino Researchers Engaged in Indigenous Research

• Main Authors: Del Villar, Rafael Isaiah O., Javier, Julie Francess F., Magsaysay, Milano Carlitos B., Ochoa, Ernesto Gabriel P.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: indigenous research; Filipino researchers; indigenization; lived experiences; social sciences; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2022/paper_mps/6
• Institution: De La Salle University

Indigenous research is a form of research rooted in cross-cultural psychology, propagating cultural sensitivity and appropriateness within the social sciences. This study documented the lived experiences of Filipino researchers including their motivations, difficulties, and development as they pursue indigenous studies in the Philippines. Using chain referral sampling, six (6) Filipino researchers were selected to be key informants for the study. Online interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings showed that the driving force for the key informants to pursue indigenous research was the inappropriateness of western frameworks in the local context and the desire to contribute to the existing body of knowledge. The common difficulties that they faced were a lack of universality, publication difficulties, and local discrimination. The findings have also shown how the key informants progressed by contribution over time through growing academically, publishing new literature, and experiencing a shift in consciousness. As for the impact of conducting indigenous research on their views and perceptions, key informants consistently experienced an increase in social awareness and shared that their collected research-based experiences affected how they viewed the research process. Finally, for their projection and recommendations, the key informants shared synonymous sentiments: young researchers will be a critical factor in the continuity of indigenous research in the Philippines, and collaboration remains crucial for progress. These findings reflect that the present state of indigenous research in the Philippines is not far-fetched from its past, suggesting that measures must be taken for its future progression.