Tag Archives: Indigenous Voice

Post 10: Between the State and Indigenous Autonomy: Unpacking Video Indígena in Mexico

The emergence of “Video Indígena”, a media project designed to train indigenous people in the fundamentals of video production is created in the early 1990’s as a way to broadcast their cause to the world and to other indigenous communities and to invigorate the integrity of their community. This essay explores how video makers create meanings of their work and how this aligns with the development of the indigenous autonomy movement in Mexico. “These stories are combined to show how specific regional and local expressions of indigenous autonomy were also key areas through which video Indígena developed” (Wortham, 2004).
This is a great source to understand the strategic appropriation of media by Indigenous communities for a cooperative transnational indigenous media making.

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/stable/pdf/3566972.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A26c32bead364004c98bcb3c29bdd6c55

Post 9: Outside the indigenous lens: Zapatistas and Autonomous Videomaking

In the early 1990´s, a Mayan Indigenous organization based in Chiapas, Mexico, declared war on the Mexican Government, demanding work, land, housing, food, health, education, independence, liberty, democracy, justice, and peace. This social movement was an eye-opening event for both the Mexican government and the non-indigenous population to realize the alarming situation of indigenous people in Chiapas. It was due to the production of their own media how the Zapatistas got the local and international attention that was needed as an agent of change; by using the Internet to broadcast their cause to the world and producing videos for internal community use and local circulation.
This article raises some questions related to the different manifestations between media produced by indigenous communities and corporate media where the mainstream bias vary.

Halkin, A. (2008). chapter 8 outside the indigenous lens: Zapatistas and autonomous videomaking. Global indigenous media: Cultures, poetics, and politics, 160.

Post 4- Healthy Education for Teachers and Students

After listening to Lee Brown’s interview in Module 1, I realized that he has a lot of insight into making inclusive classrooms for First Nations Students.  I have downloaded his thesis Making the Classroom a Healthy Place: The Development of the Affective Competency in Aboriginal Pedagogy and begun to unpack what he is noticing in classrooms.

There is a lot of fear for teachers when teaching about cultures that are not their own, but Lee Brown helped me to realize that it’s not specifically about the academics, but about the emotional attachment, the values, and the connection to each other and our place, that will create more culturally inclusive classrooms.

Module 2 Entries

As the second module draws to a close, I find the time devoted to my cybertravelling is torn between pursuing sites that narrow the focus of topics relevant to my research proposal and the modules to date, and general exploration of authentic sites and sources that may be helpful for my classroom. This week’s selections may seem a little random and simplistic, but they will nevertheless suit my needs well for my classes.

#6

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4881203/

A literature review examining the prevalence and effects of social media and digital technology among Aboriginal youth in Australia. Published in the International Journal for Equity in Health, the review incorporates fairly recent data in a review featuring over forty references. Good for an reasonably quick, at-a-glance assessment for technology use among Aboriginal youth in Australia.

#7

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/joseph-boyden/article35881215/

My earlier posts have alluded to my interest in – and frustration with – using works by Joseph Boyden as authentic Indigenous texts in my classroom. This article from Eric Andrew-Gee in the Globe and Mail examines both Boyden’s Indigenous ancestry claims as well as issues of Indigenous identity in general. From the article:

But the real difficulty of answering the question [of Boyden’s ancestry] rests with the essential thorniness of coming to grips with Indigenous identity in a country that has spent centuries trying to warp and misconstrue the very concept.

This is the story of Joseph Boyden and his Indigenous identity – how it came about, how he has put it to use, and to what extent it can be credited. But it is also the story of that elusiveness – the story of how Boyden thrived by cultivating a quality that is painfully at the heart of so many quests for Indigenous blood and belonging and, in doing so, laid bare historic wounds that he had hoped to heal.

#8

https://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/_Library/Ab_NonAb_Relations/bridge_between_nations.pdf

Thoughts and comments from the last few weeks have also revolved around seeking resources that are both authentic, and relatively friendly to perspectives (like mine) that are still coming to terms with understanding First Nations’ experiences in a variety of contexts. I came across this document, “Bridge Between Nations: A History of First Nations in the Fraser River Basin,” published by The Fraser Basin Council. The document is an introduction to the lives, histories, and issues of these First Peoples, and is intended to “encourage greater communication, understanding, and respect between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal peoples.” It reads insightful and authentic, and appears to thoughtfully address the relevant concerns of the peoples it describes.

#9

http://nctr.ca/assets/reports/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

I had yet to read the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report. As a part of my journey towards understanding, this primary source is essential.

#10

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/indigenous-language-inuktut-natan-obed-1.4168017

In my general browsing, I came across this article from 2017 that reports on the status of Bill S-212, “An Act for the advancement of the aboriginal languages of Canada and to recognize and respect aboriginal language rights.” The article outlines the status and need for protection of Aboriginal language amongst Inuit, Metis, and First Nations peoples throughout the country. A complete description of the Bill can be found at http://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/S-212/first-reading .  Reading this article reminded me of the Lorna Williams interview.

#11

http://nwejinan.com

I wanted to find at least one source that showcased authentic Indigenous voice amongst youth. “N’we Jinan is a non-profit organization that brings a mobile recording studio into schools and community centres across North America. The program is aimed to create an environment where youth can express themselves musically and creatively under the guidance of a professional music producer.” The organization has a significant presence on Youtube and Itunes, where videos and songs featuring various community youth and their projects can be found.

 

Post 5-The Condor And The Eagle

This documentary film (which will be released on October 15th in Vancouver) brings the stories of four Native environmental leaders who create alliances with Indigenous communities in Latin America and North America to deepen the meaning of Climate Justice, discovering the power of their shared voices to bring change.
It also emphasizes the role of Indigenous women as an important and influential agent that gives life to this Environmental Justice Movement. It presents a perspective of resistance to colonialism and its extractive economy and how “the direct relationship between man and nature presents itself as a way out of our colonial imprint to begin the journey towards rediscovering our natural roots”.

 

Here is the link to the preview and movie trailer:
https://vimff.org/the-condor-and-the-eagle/

Module One Resources – Scott Pike

For my Module One contributions, I was initially focused on resources that attempted to preserve oral traditions and stories essential to Indigenous learning.  I feel I was successful in finding a sample of such resources, but the #next150 site was the resource that stood out for me, not for its ability to preserve stories, but because of its innovative blend of technology and social media employed for the purpose of spreading awareness and understanding of Reconciliation.  This is something I would be able to use in my teaching almost immediately.

 

First Nations Pedagogy Online

https://firstnationspedagogy.ca/about.html

As described on the website, First Nations Pedagogy Online is an “online resource that builds on research, consultation, and community-based activities. This site provides best practices and support for online learning initiatives that are intended for Indigenous students, Elders, educators, curriculum developers, and educational leaders.”

The site appears to be a hub for various resources concerning indigenous education. Provided are various summaries of indigenous education best practices, and a portal to a forum that provides members the opportunity to share thoughts and experiences regarding indigenous education.

 

Indian Horse

http://www.indianhorse.ca/en/education

This site serves a promotional vehicle for both the movie Indian Horse, based on the Richard Wagamese book of the same name, as well as general awareness and education for the Reconciliation movement. The #next150 section is of particular interest, as it combines social media with a series of initiatives that challenge the audience to “push [thinking and understanding] of Indigenous issues forward.”

 

Four Directions Teachings

http://fourdirectionsteachings.com

 

This site is a multimedia showcase of indigenous oral teachings, specifically from the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and M’ikmaq nations. It is an interactive experience, combining animation and audio, which relates foundational stories, teachings and customs. Teacher resources are provided.

 

Our Voices

http://www.ourvoices.ca/index/about

From the website, “the OurVoices.ca website is intended to provide access to a wealth of audio material on the history and culture of the People of Canada.” The site is an archive of recorded stories and interviews from Louis Bird, aboriginal scholar and storyteller. The site provides hundreds of hours of audio documenting Cree oral traditions, and is provided in English and Cree.

 

The Legends Project

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/topic/Tag/Legends

 

The Legends Project is a series of podcasts created and presented by CBC Radio, which tell foundational stories from several nations. According to the site, “CBC Radio’s Legends Project compiles traditional oral stories, legends and histories of Canada’s Inuit and First Nations, gathered in communities across the country.” Some of the featured nations include: Blackfoot, Mi’kmaq, Shuswap, Inuit, and Ahtahkakoop.