Storytelling and Peace Research in Indigenous Contexts: Learning the Peace Culture of Opaaganasiniing (Place Where the Pipestone Comes From)

Abstract:This article will discuss the role of narrative in an Anishinabeg search for peace within the field of Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) in Indigenous contexts. I suggest that stories told by the voices of Indigenous peoples, facilitated by using land as the instigator and focus of discussion, can act as a source that allows the rediscovery of Aboriginal culture leading to an increase in resiliency and a discovery/rediscovery of Indigenous peace. The stories provide a glimpse into the life ways of the people and assist in the identification of remnants of their peace culture. Considered in relation to the process of gathering the stories, narratives take on a new meaning; they become the tool for cultural transmission.