We use Indigenous methodologies to address research issues affecting Indigenous people while considering Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and protocols, population heterogeneity, access to Elders, and sociocultural and linguistic needs. Our engagement has been grounded in Musqueam Indigenous teachings, including xʷc̓ic̓əsəm (the place where we grow), nə́c̓aʔmatct (we are one), xexá:ls (transformers), and Hands Back and Hand Forward, which have allowed us to build ethical spaces of engagement to address conflicts of interest, consent, privacy, and vulnerability. In addition, our cluster has adopted Indigenous research frameworks to protect Indigenous ownership and control of IKS, promote cultural humility, and enhance cultural identity, which allowed us to articulate common goals and define a consensus-governance aligned with Indigenous values and principles. Our cluster supports the building of cultural competency by creating ethical space for dialogue on colonialism, cultural genocide, and intergenerational trauma in a context of healing and reconciliation

Our interdisciplinary experiences and backgrounds will contribute to fostering dialogue and advancing ethical research frameworks, guidelines, and protocols. In addition, we will contribute to designing and delivering workshops, speaking engagements, and pilot projects. Finally, our members will continue to advise on how equity, inclusion, race, and ethnicity affect Indigenous research and develop a training network inclusive of Indigenous knowledge holders, Elders, and traditional practitioners.