Hearing indigenous voices in mainstream social work

In this paper we attempt to counter misconceptions about silencing Indigenous voices in mainstream social work. We contend that Indigenous voices are present in several emerging bodies of mainstream social work literature, such as the literature on spirituality and ecosocial work, but most social workers do not hear them because they are more inclined to turn the cross-cultural or anti-oppressive practice literature, predominantly in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively, when seeking answers for issues relating to diversity in social work. Few look to the Indigenous social work literature. Thus the central question this article addresses is 'what might we learn about diversity and culture from the Indigenous social work literature that might inform mainstream culturally relevant social work practice?'