Category Archives: Module 3

Module 3 Post 1 (Karyn Recollet)

I have included the academic/artist, Karyn Recollet (Plains Cree), because of her focus on decolonization through the reclamation of space and imagery in connection with grassroots artistic and activist practice. Her writings, nicely position Indigenous resistance through remix culture in context with the historical resistance against settler occupation.

 The below articles, can be accessed through UBC library.

Glyphing decolonial love through urban flash mobbing and Walking with our Sisters

Here Recollet connects two movements, Idle No More Flash Mob Round Dance and the Walking with Our Sisters Movement to the historical usage of glyph making. In her writing, she argues that these forms of resistance are not new to Indigenous culture; rather, extensions of traditional practice. In this way, these forms of resistance through art and movement help reposition and reconnect Indigenous cultures.

Gesturing Indigenous Futurities Through the Remix

In this article, Recollet uses the work of Ay I Oh Stomp as a case study to investigate the possibilities of a the remix as an artistic tool to decolonize settler identity constructions and ultimately create new identity possibilities.

 

Module 3 Post 2 (Rise)

Directed by Michelle Lattimer and hosted by Sarain Fox, Rise is a Viceland produced documentary series that explores how Indigenous Peoples across the Americas are resisting colonization, cultural genocide and environmental destruction through direct action. The series travels to meet the communities and provides a platform for Indigenous voice within mainstream settler culture. In the CBC article , This is a political fight’: Doc series Rise brings Indigenous resistance to Sundance and beyond, Lattimer explains that the series isn’t just about the Sundance thematic theme of the environment, she explains:

“It’s about sovereignty and liberation. So when you see the Trump administration coming in, as well as in Canada where the government has approved three major pipelines cutting through various Indigenous territories — I think with that kind of political willpower and power of the state, it’s a war on Indigenous people.”

In addition to the above article, Indian Country Today interview Lattimer and Fox in trhe writing VICELAND RISE Series: A Conversation With The Indigenous Women Hosts. In the interview, Fox and Latimer describe the process involved in making the series as well as what they hope to accomplish.

Additional Press: Rabble, Real Screen

 

 

Module 3 Post 3 (Makoon’s Media Group)

As soon as you enter the Makoons Media Group site, they assert that … “THE MAKOONS MEDIA GROUP CREATES DIGITAL PROJECTS THAT MAKES SPACE FOR INDIGENOUS VOICES TO DISRUPT, INSPIRE & TRANSFORM THE WORLD AROUND US.”
The organization is both a content producer as well as a service provider for Indigenous communities. There goal is to create a digital story platform-space that gives voice for new expressions that expose settler culture and the decolonization practice.

As part of their work, they have constructed the portal Indian and Cowboy, which is a website that hosts numerous podcasts and resources for aspiring Indigenous media producers. The site encourages submissions or pitches from members. Below are direct links for some of the featured podcasts with brief explanations. However, I encourage you to check out all of the content. I have highlighted the three that I have been able to listen to.

Red Man Laughing

In this series, Host and comedian Ryan McMahon challenges the notion of reconciliation by arguing that before any reconciliation can happen decolonization must be the placed as the primary discourse for Indigenous communities.

“RED MAN LAUGHING – INDEPENDENT, FORWARD THINKING CONVERSATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS & PONTIFICATIONS ABOUT THE COLLISION BETWEEN INDIAN COUNTRY & THE MAINSTREAM.”

Stories from the Land

This series focuses on the connections, intersections and inseparability between Indigenous cultures and the land they collaborate with. The series also explores the philosophical difference between settler resource exploitation and Indigenous holism.

“STORIES FROM THE LAND ARTICULATES AND REINFORCES INDIGENOUS WORLDVIEW & INHERENT CONNECTION TO LAND VIA LIVE STORYTELLING EVENTS, LISTENER SUBMISSIONS AND SOUND RICH AUDIO DOCUMENTARY.”

Think Indigenous

In cooperation with the University of Saskatchewan, Indian and Cowboy have created this mini series for teacher education programs and practicing educators. The series explores the possibilities of Indigenous focused education efforts. The series features educators explaining their experience working with Indigenous youth and explores what they believe to be best practice.

Module Three Post 4 (Indigenous Environmental Network)

Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a non-profit organization that was established in the 1990’s with the goal of uniting Indigenous communities across both Turtle Island and globally. With the aim of  environmental preservation through Indigenous practices, the organization stresses that environmental and cultural preservation are one in the same; that without preserving Indigenous and global space, cultural genocide looms. As part of their site and decolonization strategy, IEN developed Indigenous Rising: a blog and YouTube channel that curates and/or produced available content. Below is an example of their video content.

 

 

 

Module 3 Post 5 (Jarrett Martineau)

Jarrett Martineau is a digital media artist, and academic whose work is focused on the relationships and interconnectedness of digital media, storytelling and social movements. His academic work focuses on how media can inform political resistance and action.

Though Jarrett’s work is extensive and includes very diverse content, I have posted a few notable projects below.

Reclaimed

A CBC radio podcast that explores how Indigenous artists are reclaiming culture through music.

Revolutions Per Minute

A record label focusing on supporting the promotion and distribution on Indigenous music throughout Turtle Island. In addition to co-founding this label, Jarrett has also helped to distribute RPM’s music through their own streaming platform.

Decolonizing Media

Is a media producer, blog and apparel company that focuses on supporting community resistance through the reclamation of settler imagery. The goal of this organization is to challenge the false identities of Indigenous through remix culture.

 

Module 3 – Post 5 – How Media Supports Indigenous Memories (Part 3) by Kevin Andrews

Intercontinental Cry‘s online publication for world indigenous studies is more like a grassroots journal. This site is an excellent example of using technology to connect Indigenous groups around the world.

I explored several of the opinions, news, and editorials that can be found on this website; here are some of the titles covered:

Each of these stories goes into more depth and lead to further links and information on the subject.  This type of website offers all Indigenous communities who wish to do so, a platform for expressing their concerns about various subjects that affect their communities. I believe this type of media forum can serve to inform each other and the world about issues, and it can also be used to learn from each other.  Perhaps such a platform can also provide Indigenous communities with strength in number and offer them ideas and ways to protect their collective histories and ancestral ways.

Each web news segment also offers the opportunity to blog, with many comments supporting various causes.  It is interesting to note that this site provides the Musqueam people the ability to get a worldwide audience to react to their plight. The story on the Musqueam Marpole ancestral burial site under “Canada” was interesting and will be noted in my final paper.

It is my opinion that the Internet was an important tool for the Musqueam people in propagating their issue and in resolving the matter.  Thus I conclude that various forms of media: the Internet, blogs, videos, interviews etc. did serve to protect and disseminate their collective history. I also believe that other Indigenous groups can likely use this example as a guide for their own struggles and give them ideas about how to work with government entities to resolve issues.

Module 3 – Post 4 – How Media Supports Indigenous Memories (Part 2) by Kevin Andrews

This video entitled: The Musqueam Marpole Midden Vigil Interview, explains what the Musqueam community has done:

The steps that have been taken, from peaceful demonstrations, suggestions of swapping land to relocate the condo project, their efforts to talk to the provincial and federal government, until their blockade on the bridge – which is sad when the government decided to take note of the issue and begin talks.

The speaker makes a good case of why saving this site is important to the Musqueam people and also of comparing the fact that digging up other Canadian graveyards is not allowed or done in Canada, why should it be different for them.

 

 

Module 3 – Post 3 – How Media Supports Indigenous Memories (Part 1) by Kevin Andrews

Site #1:

It is interesting to note the different ways Indigenous people use media to cover one issue concerning the protection of their collective history. I chose to examine the village and Midden site of c̓əsnaʔəm of Marpople village and the Musqueam community.  The first means with which the Musqueam Community spreads the word about their plight is through Facebook where they have various news clips, photos and also a blog that describes their efforts to stop a condo development site from being built so that their ancestors are no longer desecrated.

Below is a link to their Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/ProtectTheVillageAndMiddenSiteOfMarpoleVillage/info

By this means of communication, they are able to get the public to react and support their cause through blogs and even a petition. There are quite a few supportive comments in their blogs, but it is unclear how many actually come from outside the community itself.

Site # 2

By continuing to explore this story and how the Musqueam community is using the Web and Internet to protect their 4,000-year-old burial site, also know as the Eburne site, Manpole Midden or Great Fraser Midden, I found a 5-minute youtube video, here is the link:

I found that this video was powerful, the message is clear – the images are evocative.  The Musqueam community is really working together to save their historical site and they are willing to go all the way to protect their collective history.  I found this to be a very effective way to get the Musqueam message across.  Many people view YouTube and it can obviously help their cause.   The video is well made and has a very important message. 

Module 3 – Post 2 – First Nations Students Need Broadband Internet by Kevin Andrews

In a 2009 article by Stephen Hui, Denise Williams of the Cowichan Tribes discusses the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the need for broadband. In the article, she states that “It’s the infrastructure that’s going to strengthen the entire social fabric of the community,” and in many respects, it can help broaden opportunities on the often remote and isolated reserves.

While all First Nations schools have some level of Internet access—mostly supported by the federally funded First Nations SchoolNet program—their connections range from dial-up and satellite to cable and digital subscriber lines. In the eyes of Williams, many of the schools the Internet isn’t built into the curriculum providing a disadvantage to many students. Later that year, the provincial government has invested $30.8 million in First Nations connectivity and digital-literacy programs providing much-needed broadband to many schools.  Williams states Their scope of what’s possible is limited to where they are,” Williams stated that. “What technology can do in a school with the Internet is open the whole world.”

 

 

Module 3 – Post 1 – Digitizing Indigenous Languages by Kevin Andrews

The decline of aboriginal languages is part of the tragic legacy of Canada’s residential school system. Mike Parkhill, founder of aboriginal language advocacy website SayitFirst.ca believes that technology can help save lost languages. A past Microsoft director, Parkhill says his main goal is to ‘revitalize the language’ so that he can help the First Nations people. His main concentration is to get the language back so that he can support saving culture. Another goal he has is to modernize Indigenous language using technology making it easier to communicate modern thoughts. He talks about how Indigenous names have no literal meaning to modern words. For instance, the Inuktitut meaning for the Internet is translated literally into “my body stays here but my soul travels other places”.  Parkhill believes that using software to help translate modern words into usable Indigenous meanings will help preserve  Indigenous culture.

In Addition,  Brent Tookenay from “Seven Generations Educational Institute“, teamed up with Parkhill to further collaborate on digitizing Indigenous languages. If Tookenay is able to bring all of the  Indigenous content and Parkhill has the technical knowledge, together they can help preserve lost languages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because we live in a digital age, there are many tools at their disposal. Using just a mobile phone and an app called “Arasma” parents can now read children books to their kids in their native language.