Danette Jubinville
MSc in Health Sciences and PhD Candidate
As a doula and researcher, Danette works towards self-determination in health care for Indigenous people.
Danette Jubinville鈥檚 research into the historical and contemporary role of doulas in Indigenous communities cannot be tied down to one discipline. 鈥淒oulas are birth workers who support pregnant people throughout pregnancy, labour, post-partum and and through different outcomes, like abortion, miscarriage or perinatal loss. It鈥檚 a role that has existed for a long time amongst Indigenous communities. My work looks at the role鈥檚 historical roots, and how it continues today, including its impact on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people. There鈥檚 a lot of fields involved; it bridges Indigenous studies, health sciences and gender studies.鈥�
Her work follows from her MSc with FHS. Part of the reason she stayed on to complete her graduate studies was the level of faculty support. 鈥淭he professors that I鈥檝e had the opportunity to work with have been extremely supportive. I developed a really positive working relationship with my PhD supervisor, and she鈥檚 very supportive of Indigenous students and initiatives.鈥�
While her research is important as a documentation of Indigenous practice, it also has immediate practical applications. 鈥淚 work as a doula and I鈥檓 a founding member of the Indigenous Doula Collective of Vancouver, or ekw鈥櫭�7tl鈥攑ronounced 鈥渁h-quay-tull,鈥� and it means 鈥渇amily鈥� in the Squamish language. I鈥檓 developing an Indigenous doula training curriculum, drawing heavily on my research to inform it. My research informs my practice, and vice versa.鈥�
Working in Indigenous health also gives Danette a chance to focus on social justice, a part of health sciences the faculty is deeply committed to. 鈥淚ndigenous populations bear a disproportionate burden of ill health, which is why it鈥檚 absolutely crucial that research about Indigenous populations will actually serve those populations. It must take the lead from Indigenous people to self-determine their own desires. As an Indigenous person, working closely with Indigenous communities, my research is able to be better held accountable to those communities that I work with.鈥�