A Part Not Apart: A First-Person Exploration of the Role of Reciprocity in Decolonizing Relationships

Conducted in adherence with Royal Roads University requirements, this research explored the question: How might I develop my capacity for reciprocity as part of my decolonization journey? Addressing this question was central to my personal and professional growth, as it enabled me to identify and overcome barriers to connection. Participants included trusted friends and subject matter experts who shared their knowledge about the ways music elicits different emotions in listeners and how to inhabit a relationship with the land. Applying first-person action research methodology with arts- and land-based research methods, this research incorporated recorded video reflections, music-inspired drawing, storytelling, and land-based feedback conversations. The findings revealed that embodying reciprocity involves a fundamental change in how I understand myself in relation to everything else in creation, sentient and nonsentient, living and nonliving. Key recommendations emphasize increasing capacity for reciprocity by embodying curiosity, accountability, connection, vulnerability, creativity, and humility.