The readings in this module demonstrate that the mainstream technologies are not culturally neutral. It has been argued that the web’s values reflect its builders — primarily Western and do not represent Indigenous perspective. As such, I desired to research innovations that reverse the trend. Below are three notable developments representing local contexts and addressing the specific needs of Indigenous cultures. One keynote the development process has Indigenous communities’ involvement at every stage of the technologies production (i.e., check the references for more information).
[1] #thisismymob
It is a smartphone application developed by researchers in the Engineering and Information Technology faculty at the University of Technology Sydney. According to the project’s director, Christopher Lawrence (2018, August 1), the project was inspired by the idea of “postcolonial computing.” It employs participatory design to grant the technology design is culturally relevant and accessible to the Australian local context.
(NITV News, June 19, 2018)
[2] SIKU
It is an Indigenous Knowledge Social Network (SIKU) smartphone application released in December 2019. The app was created by the Nunavut civil society group Arctic Eider Society with funding from the 2017 Google.org Impact Challenge. It is named after the Inuktitut word for sea ice (UNESCO Courier, 2019). The app aims to keep Inuit communities updated about sea ice conditions while hunting or traveling and recording and exchanging comprehensive traditional information and language amongst community members in a way that engages the younger generation (Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4). One important note about this app is the specialized privacy setting that ensures that Indigenous knowledge of its Indigenous users remains protected (Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4).
(Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4)
[3] When Rivers Were Trails
It is a 2D adventure educational game focusing on the impact of assimilationist allotment acts of the 1890s on the Anishinaabe community. The game is developed by Elizbeth LaPensée in collaboration with Games for Entertainment and Learning (GEL) Lab at Michigan State University and officially released in 2019. According to LaPensée (2021), “games can [be used to] express Indigenous cultures through self-determined representations” (p.293). The production combines indigenous ways of knowing, themes, and story-telling formats, such as non-linear paths that mimic conventional story-telling systems, utilizes indigenous characters, and places games in historical contexts.
(SGSChallenge, 2019, November 6)
References
- Arctic Eider Society. (2019, November 29). SIKU: The Indigenous Knowledge Social Network Public Launch [Video Post]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkyaYWN3bYw
- LaPensee, E. (2021). When rivers were trails: Cultural expression in an indigenous video game. International Journal of Heritage Studies: IJHS, 27(3), 281-295. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2020.1746919
- Lawrence, C. (2018, August 1). ‘Digital land rights’: co-designing technologies with Indigenous Australians. The conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/digital-land-rights-co-designing-technologies-with-indigenous-australians-99751#:~:text=We%20call%20this%20%E2%80%9Cdigital%20land,communities%20on%20their%20own%20terms.
- NITV News. (2019, June). #Thismymob: The first ever app connecting Indigenous people digitally [Video post]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezAa01UsdkY
- SGSChallenge. (2019, November 6). When Rivers Were Trails Trailer [Video Post]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Om0i4GG5vk
- UNESCO Courier. (2019). SIKU: Mixing high-tech with ancient know-how. Retrieved from https://en.unesco.org/courier/2019-1/siku-mixing-high-tech-ancient-know-how