Author Archives: daniella balabuk

Module 2, Post 5 | Salt & Sage Books

In my research to learn about the kinds of resources there are out there for authors and publishers, I came upon this site. This organization specializes in “sensitivity reading” – which is a big talking point at the multi-national higher education publisher (Pearson) that I work for. They offer many different types of services, but I’m most interested in the sensitivity readings, as it is most related to my final project. I discovered that they employ (or rather, hire on a contractual basis) many consultants from super diverse backgrounds – in terms of (dis)abilities, race, heritage, trauma-informed and trained, sexuality, and more.

https://www.saltandsagebooks.com/

Module 2, Post 3 | RavenSpace

The University of British Columbia Press has taken on an enormous and highly engaging initiative in recent years with it’s RavenSpace project. So far, they’ve published one text: As I Remember It: Teachings (Ɂəms tɑɁɑw) from the Life of a Sliammon Elder, which can be experienced here:

http://publications.ravenspacepublishing.org/as-i-remember-it/index

This is multimedia and immersive project intended to capture the dynamic story it tells. From a publishing perspective, it offers a new and exciting path to digital books.

https://www.ubcpress.ca/ravenspace

Module 2, Post 2 | University of Manitoba Press

From what I can see, the University of Manitoba Press is doing great work. By focusing on local, and place-based content, their front-list titles consistently seem to reflect a broad lens on Indigeneity. I’m particularly fond of their First Voices, First Texts imprint – which “aims to re-connect contemporary readers with some of the most important Indigenous literature of the past.”

Module 2, Post 1 | Indigenous Editors Association

This organization’s goal is to provide editorial, consultation, and training services to authors and publishers that work with content intended to reflect Indigeneity. Staffed by folks with an Indigenous heritage, they make editorial, consultation, and training opportunities available to their members so that publishers and authors can be put in touch with an appropriate IEA consultant/editor. My final project looks at how publishers can make their content more reflective of diverse perspectives; employing a services like this, that provides consultation and sensitivity readings, is a step forward on the path to more inclusive content.

https://www.indigenouseditorsassociation.com/

Module 1, Post 4 | Indigenous Education in Ontario

With a child just entering the elementary public-school system in Toronto, I looked into what kind of Indigenous education my child will be receiving from the TDSB (Toronto District School Board). I found it a bit difficult to find this information – but I located an “Arts” curriculum guide dated 2009! A note informed me that it was replacing the 1998 curriculum, and it appeared that other elements on the webpage were recently updated (2021).

In the curriculum, there were a few objectives that factored in the inclusion of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit arts and culture in Grades 3 and 6.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/grade1.html

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts18b09curr.pdf

Module 1, Post 3 | First Nations University of Canada

Interested in what makes the First Nations University of Canada different than other higher education institutions in the country, I discovered the following:

  • The application of a wholistic approach that places the learner at the centre – i.e., a focus on building relationships with the students, heavily subsidized child-care options, tutoring support
  • An emphasis on the importance of physical spaces – i.e., there is a sacred and ceremonial tipi on the premises that guests are not allowed to enter
  • A strong reliance on teaching subjects through a lens of Indigenous ways of knowing
  • A community-oriented approach that takes learning out of the classroom

https://www.fnuniv.ca/

Module 1, Post 2 | Isuma & Inuk Artist Asinnajaq

I was so pleased to see IsumaTV come up in this class via Ginsberg’s “Screen Memories.” Described on their website as “a collaborative multimedia platform for indigenous filmmakers and media organizations” the production company is creating space for Indigenous storytellers to have a wider audience.

Without a doubt, though self-produced representation, communities are better positioned to preserve and explore the dynamics of culture identity. Interested in knowing more about what they do, I watched an interview of Isuma founders Zacharias Kunuk, Apayata Kotierk, Norman Cohn who sat down with Inuk artist Asinnajaq to talk about their production goals, after which I looked up Asinnajaq to see what kind of art she made.

I found this 2017 film she created, called Three Thousand, here: https://www.onf.ca/film/three-thousand/.

Diving into the NFB’s vast archive, she parses the complicated cinematic representation of the Inuit, harvesting fleeting truths and fortuitous accidents from a range of sources—newsreels, propaganda, ethnographic docs, and work by Indigenous filmmakers. Embedding historic footage into original animation, she conjures up a vision of hope and beautiful possibility.

Module 1, Post 1 | CFAT

In one of the first readings I engaged with for this course the Australian Centre for Appropriate Technology was mentioned. Intrigued, I visited the site to learn more about what they do.

Serving and represented by Aboriginal communities, the organization conducts research, designs, develops and teaches appropriate technologies, and delivers technical training to Indigenous people living in remote areas to support their tech needs.

Curious to know what kinds of technology the organization was prioritizing, I discovered that their focus areas include clean energy production, ICT, transport services, as well as essentials like housing, water, and sanitation. Their website highlighted some the challenges in serving these remote communities – meeting their needs requires collaboration, including a co-design process and training for operational use and upkeep.

So far, in the course we’ve exploring how remarkably unneutral technology is and how its application and expectations can be culturally harmful in that it can be inflexible and produce adaptation (both voluntary and insidiously) through engagement – this organization seems to be countering that through a successful approach that empowers communities through consultation, transparency, collaboration, and active participation.