*5.1. Two-Eyed Seeing as an Underlying Approach to Decolonizing Research*

The application of a Two-Eyed Seeing approach is critical to decolonizing digital citizen science. This approach requires working closely with Indigenous communities to ensure alignment of research and community priorities, and culturally appropriate knowledge dissemination [35,38,43]. In collaboration with communities, learning where and how specific Western methods or technologies can complement Traditional Indigenous Knowledges and methods is important to advancing our efforts for climate change adaptation and mitigation. For instance, in the FEEDS Project, Traditional Knowledge about the history of climate and weather events, environmental hazards, and shifts in the land, wildlife, and plants serve as indicators of climate change. These shifts have impacted traditional food acquisition practices, food access, and mental and physical health in the communities most adversely impacted [28–31]. In some communities, climate change has led to "positive" effects on food systems, including longer growing seasons [64,65].

Many Indigenous communities, particularly those in rural and remote areas, bear the brunt of climate change impacts [18–22]; however, this also means that these communities have developed invaluable knowledge about climate change adaptation, preparedness, and management [28–30]. Geographic isolation poses a barrier to timely data collection and knowledge sharing in many communities, and digital tools—especially those most widely available, i.e., smartphones—can help with rapid data collection and response [9,11]. Île-à-la-Crosse is better situated than many Indigenous communities in terms of data and WiFi access, which makes the application of this technology more feasible than it may be in other communities. While the experiences of each community regarding climate change impacts on food sovereignty, food security, and mental health differ, the use of digital tools may help bridge some gaps in health equity that result from a lack of access to resources, technology, and support [9,11,16].

It is also important to recognize that the Two-Eyed Seeing approach is not essential to the success of a community project, as an Indigenous-focused lens brings sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge to tackle the complex social and health issues facing Indigenous communities globally. However, where appropriate, Two-Eyed Seeing can be applied to projects where the use of multiple research methods is beneficial. In this context, decolonization has been less commonly referenced as a critical step in applying Two-Eyed Seeing, but decolonization is required if we are to make meaningful change in our systems of research—particularly towards the goals of Indigenous self-governance and data sovereignty [35,39].
