Towards the Development of an Aboriginal Cultural Model of Identity through Sport Research

When Aboriginal peoples move outside of their home cultural communities and attempt to enter “mainstream” contexts, they are confronted with acculturation challenges that threaten their sense of identity and wellbeing (Berry, 1999; Goodwill & McCormick, 2012). However, little is known about these challenges and their experiential implications, such as how they affect Aboriginal athletes who relocate off reserves to pursue sport within Euro-Canadian contexts. Research has been limited by an overly reductionist view of acculturation which has failed to account for the complexity and fluidity of people’s lives (Chirkov, 2009). Accordingly, the current project aimed to elicit rich, experiential accounts of the acculturation challenges encountered by Aboriginal athletes during sport relocation, using an Indigenous arts-based methodology. Upon completing the project and reflecting on the descriptive data, the researcher considered the question: Why do Aboriginal athletes encounter these challenges? The theory of (socio)cultural models (Shore, 2002) is herein proposed for opening up more critical understandings of the mechanisms underlying Aboriginal athletes’ acculturation. It is posited that Aboriginal athletes have a cultural model of identity that differs from, and often conflicts with, the non-Aboriginal models of identity prevalent within Euro-Canadian sport contexts. To build upon the current study, researchers need to explore the distinctive elements of these cultural models and consider how Aboriginal peoples can be assisted in reconciling cultural discrepancies during relocation. Preliminary insights into an Aboriginal cultural model of identity are offered from the current research, including the centrality of family, community connectedness, and a history of cultural resilience.