Indigeneity is tied to land and place. I’m very interested in learning more about the importance of place and identity and how technology can be integrated in a meaningful way to support this. I came across an incredible program from Pirurvik, which is an Inuit-owned center of learning based in Nunavut’s capital, Iqualuit. Through this program, there is an online free opportunity called Tusaalanga which allows anyone to learn Inuktut in seven different dialects and with thousands of sound files. This can be accessed anywhere you have wifi or internet. Furthermore, Pirurvik has launched a packet of 3 keyboards for use on Apple’s iPhone for free so that it can be converted into syllabics on screen. This was really exciting to see because the people who identify with this land, have not only created a holistic space where Inuit language, cultural expression, and wellbeing would be fully integrated but have also done so with various technologies.
You can visit Pirurvik by clicking HERE
You can visit Tusaalanga by clicking HERE
– Sasha Passaglia