Mi'kmaw Women Principals' Leadership as Pathways for Cultural Revitalization

Abstract:This article examines the leadership practices of five Mi'kmaw women school principals and their ability to revitalize Mi'kmaw culture within their school communities in Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey (MK), an Aboriginal educational authority. Data were collected through one-on-one sharing circle conversations with the participants. The use of Archibald's (2008) storywork, a decolonizing methodology, positioned the participants to work collaboratively during data collection and analysis. The findings identify that the principals' leadership approach consists of Mi'kmawcentric education, collaboration, and student-centered leadership. These decolonizing leadership practices have supported the revitalization of the Mi'kmaw language, culture, and worldview.