Indigeneity, Technology, and Education
As my last post, I want to share the powerful words of Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson (now retired) who comes from the Jiman, Budjalung people of Australia. Her life’s work is dedicated to the field of violence and trauma through building bridges between Indigenous healing practice and Western trauma recovery process. Her approach to healing is about ‘deep listening’. She says ‘In order to heal, the stories behind the trauma must be heard’.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1609406917696742
This is an example of a co-creation research process about perinatal health beliefs of elder Indigenous women of the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. The paper provides a detailed approach to the research process which provides insights into how to research within a decolonizing framework. The research abstract states:
‘Our study paired constructivist grounded theory data collection and analysis methods with an Indigenous epistemological framework. We aimed to create knowledge that was specific to an Indigenous context, which was useful and resonant with both Indigenous and Western readers. The multidisciplinary research team included Indigenous and non-Indigenous members and worked with a common appreciation for multiple knowledge sources. We offer an account of our process and methodological principles to serve as an illustrative case study of bringing together diverse approaches when working with Indigenous communities.’
I was inspired by this film on a youth co-creation workshop for education.
The youth of the Workshop propose the following Declaration
Today, I diverted slightly and took a journey into philosophies of Cybernetics and the Ecology of Mind. Though I don’t want to draw comparisons between these philosophies and Indigenous Knowledge. I do think the perspectives elucidated in Cybernetics and Ecology of Mind on interconnectedness, relationality, and transdisciplinary worldviews, are interesting in the light of Indigenous Knoweldge. If you are interested in learning more check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7r0hUyT7q4
This case study provides insights into the challenges of decolonizing research, and how a group of well-intentioned researchers got the process wrong, and what they learnt along the way.
The Touch Pad Body https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/4/2/256 is a collaborative research project which set out to develop a digital device prototype, with a deep engagement of Indigenous communities to understand their cultural and visual perceptions of health. The Device facilitates communicative practices about body, health, life and sickness. The ‘interruptive device’ aims to lead to conversations that support ‘mutual understanding, collective agreement making, and bottom-up change in remote Aboriginal health policy and practice’ (Christie & Verran, 2014, p. 256).
Unfortunately, as far as I can ascertain this device is still in prototype due to lack of funds.
HITnet is a digital kiosk which allows users to access tailor-made interactive content via a simple to use, culturally specific touch screen panel.
#thisismymob http://thismymob.org/ is a community-based health education initiative which aims to establish the notion of ‘digital land rights’, asserting the right of Indigenous peoples to a safe online space that they control. Through a project to design and evaluate a mobile app, the project aims to investigate how social technology can enhance well-being of Indigenous communities by connecting Indigenous communities. The focus of the Project is for Indigenous communities to lead the design of culturally appropriate and sensitive technologies that afford a safe refuge for Indigenous peoples .
I found this talk by Dr Alika Lafontiane, an Ojibwa-Cree anaesthesiologist, very insightful and inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=34&v=UxWT9-AKArU
My digital journey in Module 3, is sourced from my research for Assignment 3 Final Project Paper, focusing on community-based health education and use of technology.
In ETEC521 we have discussed the crimes and suffering associated with the residential school policy, however I was not aware of the atrocities that happened in Indian Hospitals which included restraining indigenous children in hospital beds for years, physical and sexual abuse, and experimentation.
Meijer Drees, Laurie. (2013) Healing Histories: Stories from Canada’s Indian Hospitals, gives testimonies of the survivors of Indian hospitals that are shocking. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Healing-Histories-Stories-Canadas-Hospitals/dp/088864650X
In Australia the State’s involvement in perpetuating atrocities to the well-being of indigenous, in youth detention centres continues to go on today, as described here. https://theconversation.com/why-are-so-many-indigenous-kids-in-detention-in-the-nt-in-the-first-place-63257