Indigenous studies - Challenges and opportunities for better engagement

Indigenous peoples, indicative of many different cultures and locations across the globe, are overrepresented amongst the world’s poor. As such they are frequently the focus of international development efforts, including sport-based initiatives. Yet despite 20-plus years of dedicated SFD theorising, research and practice, Indigenous voices within SFD theorisation, policy and practice remain under-represented. One way to rectify this is for the SFD sector to engage more with Indigenous scholars, studies, methodologies and knowledges, and to maintain a stance of critical questioning of the SFD space, especially with regards to privilege, power and agency, while also looking to support and/or contribute actively to assignments which further decolonisation where possible. This chapter, in overviewing past challenges facing Indigenous peoples related to sport, development and sport for international development and through interrogating the current state of play, makes clear as to why an authentic intersecting of Critical Indigenous Studies with sport for international development is necessary. We argue the importance of not re-gazing Indigenous peoples, alongside working in ways which make a contribution to healing, resurgence and sovereignty efforts. SFD scholars as critical and conscientious individuals should actively reproach SFD practices and initiatives which can then make a strong contribution to addressing the ongoing marginalisation, oppression and discrimination of Indigenous peoples.