Author Archives: aldene crew

Where synthetic forms of communication developed they actually work to preserve it rather than break it down at the same time they helped form some degree of pan Indian identity. Some use the technologies to maintain and reinforce ethnicity as a specific tribal entity such as Dakota or Ioway while at the same time others use it to push towards a more pan Indian identity. Complicating the issue is the matter of non indian wannabes participating in the process.

Reference

Smith, C & Ward, G.K. (2001) Indigenous Cultures in an Inter-Connected World. Cyberspace Smoke Signals: New Technologies and Native American Ethnicity. UBC Press

Computers create a special challenge for native cultures of North America, clearly they can be highly useful in maintaining networks, sharing information between culture groups and enabling people to communicate with each other over vast distances.

Reference

Bowers, C. A., Vasquez, M and Roaf, M (2000) Native People and the Challenge of Computers: Reservation Schools, Individualism, and Consumerism. American Indian Quarterly Vol. 24, No. 2 (Spring, 2000), pp. 182-199. University of Nebraska Press

While ongoing struggles for self-determination play a complex role in the drive to bring the information age to indigenous communities in Australia and around the world it can be argued that self-determination within one system may well be a further buy to another, the issue that needs to be raised before any question of indigenous usage of the internet is addressed is whose information infrastructure or infostructure determines what is valued in an economy whether in a local community or the greater local economy which they are linked to.

Reference

Ginsburg, F, “Rethinking the Digital Age,” in Global Indigenous Media, Pamela Wilson and Michelle Steward, Eds., pp. 287-306.

Technology can send children to the internet to experience the presentation of text, audio graphics that no teacher and no book can duplicate. Technology can put children in touch with their peers in the Australian Outback. Technology allow children to navigate their own learning trails and access information unavailable in the classroom.

Reference

Cramer, R.L. (2004). The language arts: A balanced approach to teaching reading, writing, listening, talking and thinking. Boston. Pearson

Educational perspectives of tribal people has always been oriented towards living sustainably in a place that they define as a homeland contrast this with the schools increasing emphasis on educating for global citizenship and participation in a post industrial rootless workforce.

Reference

Marker, M. (2006). After the Makah whale hunt: Indigenous knowledge and limits to multicultural discourse. Urban Education, 41(5), 1-24.

Economic globalization, triggered by the imposition of this new “world order” and the
inclusion of vast regions of the planet into FTAs that are dominated by the wealthiest
states, without information for or consultation of large sectors of the populations of Third
World states affected by these agreements, have had huge impacts on these countries, in
particular on Indigenous peoples who live in them.

A report by the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations published in 2003 examines
the most relevant impacts on these peoples as a consequence of globalization. Among the
impacts the UN Working Group identifies is the accelerated migration from rural
communities to urban centers as a consequence of the industrialization of agriculture,
pressure over Indigenous lands and erosion of Indigenous self-sufficient economies. The
living conditions of Indigenous peoples in urban centers, far from being better, are
characterized by exploitation, low wages, lack of access to social services such as
education and housing, and discrimination, thus turning Indigenous peoples, on many
occasions, into second class citizens. Another impact identified by the UN Working Group
is that generated by communications technology, which on the one hand has enabled
Indigenous peoples access to internet, global networks concerning their rights, and
organizations that provide them with resources and opportunities. On the other hand,
however, this technology has weakened Indigenous cultures.

http://www.reseaudialog.qc.ca/docs/CahiersDIALOG-200801.pdf

Adidas has announced an initiative to help high schools nation wide drop Native American mascots. The German apparel and shoe maker says it will offer free design resources to schools looking to shelve Native American mascots, nicknames, imagery or symbols. Adidas announced the initiative in conjunction with the White House Tribal Nation Conference on Thursday in Washington.

http://espn.go.com/moresports/story/id/14057043/adidas-offers-help-eliminate-native-american-mascots

The US Department of Education today announced the availability of an estimated $3 million in grants to help Native American Youth become college and career ready. Funding for the New Native Youth Community Project is a key step towards implementing President Obama’s commitment to improving the lives of American Indian and Alaska Native Children. The new grants will support the President’s Generous Indigenous “Gen I” Initiative launched last year to help Native American Youth.

genindigenous.com/2015/04/29-us-department of education-announces-3-million-in grants available-to-help-native-youth

Today, the White House  will bring together tribal leaders from federally recognised tribes to participate in the 7th Annual White  House Tribal Nations Conference. The President and members of his cabinet will discuss issues of importance to tribal leaders, with an emphasis on ways the administration can continue to make progress on improving the nation to nation relationship and ensure these gains continue in future administration. In addition, 24 youth delegates will participate in the conference to share their unique perspective.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-official/20/11/05 fact sheet

The idea that individuals or states can exercise power autonomously is the idea of sovereignty. It may be a fatally flawed ideal, yet rightly or wrongly the pursuit of the ideal of sovereignty has fueled much of the pursuit of the technology. Ironically, this sometimes seems to produce societies that sacrifice a degree of freedom to what we could call “technosocial” forms of control. The technology of globalization involve a series of flexible but specific control. These are designed to impose non localised forms of order on specific locations in the world and when needed.

Murphie A & Potts J (2003) Culture and technology. Palgrave Macmillan