Tag Archives: Identity

Module 3 | Post 7 Critical Whiteness theory

Fiona Nicholl has adopted a different approach to teaching race relations or indigenous studies in the classroom.  She calls it critical whiteness theory and the focus here is on  “exploring whiteness as a problematic, critical whiteness theory reverses the tendency of white academics of every political persuasion in Australia to focus investigation on Aboriginal ‘issues’ or ‘problems.” (Nicholl, 2004).   This seems to fits a ‘culturally responsive form of teaching where the focus is not on the other but includes a study of white  culture and values in the context of humanity and places all subjects on an equal footing where they look at one another to gain a greater understanding of one another.

http://www.borderlands.net.au/vol3no2_2004/nicoll_teaching.htm

Module 3 – Post 2: Emergent Indigenous Identities and Social Media

Carlson, B. (2013). The ‘new frontier’: Emergent Indigenous identities and social media. In M. Harris, M. Nakata & B. Carlson (Eds.), The Politics of Identity: Emerging Indigeneity (pp. 147-168). Sydney: University of Technology Sydney E-Press

This article, while focusing on Indigenous populations in Australia, provides for some interesting insight as to how social media has given rise to significant cultural and social interaction among Aboriginal people and groups. By way of a content analysis, this article contends that popular social media sites, like Facebook, are becoming popular vehicles amongst Aboriginal people, to build, display, and perform Aboriginal identities. Likewise, Aboriginal users take advantages of Facebook as a site for self-representation and as a tool to communicate their Aboriginal identity to other social media users in online communities.

Module 2 – Post 5: Indigenous Women’s Use of YouTube

http://ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/article/view/559

This is another report on a related topic to to my previous on Digital Storytelling and YouTube. In this report, Sonja Perley analyzes the representation and participation of First Nations women in online videos. It examines several YouTube videos created by First Nations women as well as two First Nation websites in order to assert claims that as it becomes increasingly easy to create and upload videos, there are new opportunities for First Nation women to represent their perspectives, to challenge mainstream representations of First Nations peoples and issues, and to promote social change.

Module 2 Post 3: Urban Indigenous Resources (#1)

In an effort to begin looking into Urban Indigeneity, I have included here a handful of links to online resources I have come across so far.

Link: Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network

Link: Government of Canada – Urban Aboriginal Peoples

Link: Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres 

Link: Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study

I hope to find more resources with deeper exploration of the topic, and I will add them as I do.

Module 1 | Post 2 Education and Research into understanding post secondary indigenous student perspectives

Derik Joseph is an Educational Advisor at the British Columbian Institute of Technology.  He has recently completed a Masters of Communication at Royal Roads and his thesis work is titled “How Are the Aspirations of British Columbia Institute of Technology First Nations Students Defined by Their Indigenous Perspective?”.   I met with Derik last week at BCIT to discuss a possible project with the aboriginal services department and was fascinated by his study and his perspectives on education, technology and the experience of First Nation students at BCIT (Joseph, 2014).   He has shared his paper with me and I look forward to reading it in the next week or so.  I also have attached a link to his talk at BCIT as part of the aboriginal speaker series that is ongoing at the institution.

Many of the ideas and perspectives presented in his talk and in my meeting with him are in agreement with the articles and ideas we have explored in Module 1.  In particular, I found the preeminence of place as discussed in Micheal Markers paper “After the Makah Whale Hunt” (2006)  of First Nation discussions or stories to relate to a place first and localize experience to be true in both Derik’s talk and in his discussion with me.  There is also an emphasis on local indigenous perspective.  While this may not comply with critical theory, it seems better suited to deal with the issues at hand and to truly connect and construct a solution that will be meaningful and of interest to the students that Derik introduces in his talk.

To view the talk, visit https://youtu.be/zL-2hrlmwMk

References

Joseph, D. (2014, May 8). Aboriginal Speaker Series [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/zL-2hrlmwMk.

Marker, M. (2006).  After the Makah Whale Hunt: Indigenous Knowledge and Limits to Multicultural Discourse. Urban Education,  41(5), 482-505.

Module 1 Post 4 – Culture and Identity

This article is a research project, this section was completed between Batchewana First Nation and researchers from Algoma University College and York University. It examined all aspects of culture both as identity and transmitting culture through generations.
http://www.cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/1627/1774

This is a study of early education for Ontario’s aboriginal students. It stress the importance of culture-based early learning. It is part of the Best Start Program.
http://www.beststart.org/resources/hlthy_chld_dev/pdf/FC_K13A.pdf

This is a book review of five books about aboriginal culture. The review links together some of the themes of the books, as well as providing the resources of the five books.
http://canlit.ca/reviews/first_nations_identity

Catherine

Module 1 Post 3: Taking back Visual Identity

In searching for how First Nations people are reclaiming their identities, I fell on an interesting article called “ReMatriate wants to take back ‘visual identity’ of First Nations“.

In response to a Canadian designer’s announcement that its new fashion line was inspired by Indian tribes in Canada, women from various First Nations in the country are coming together and using social media to reclaim the control of their ‘visual identity’. Although short, the article addresses the issue of injustice regarding the Westerners’ ability to “borrow” elements of First Nations traditions and culture they deem pleasing while the Aboriginal peoples are required to fight in order to preserve them.

These women are using Facebook and Instagram as a means to share pictures and stories in an attempt to take back their identity and role in society as females. This article could definitely serve as an inspiration to researching women’s role and identity in society and how technology is being used to help them to share who they are and how they are represented.

Module 1 Post 1: Revitalization of Mi’gmaq Language

Seeing as ancestral languages play such a crucial part in First Nations’ teachings and culture, I wanted to search for ways in which Indigenous peoples were using technology as a way to encourage the learning and revitalization of their ancestral languages.

Learn Mi’gmaq Online is a self-guided site that offers users the ability to learn how to speak Mi’maq, either individually or as a classroom supplement. A Mi’gmaq Partnership between Listuguj Education Directorate, McGill University, and Concordia University developed the site and content.

The website consist of lessons that are categorized into units, varying in themes and topics of conversations. Each lesson provides new vocabulary and audio recordings of Mi’gmaq speakers, so you can listen and practice as you work through the lessons.

The site is very well organized and introduces users not only to words, but also touches on the importance of pronunciation and rhythm of the language. I found this website to be a great example of how technology can help facilitate the revitalization of languages, thereby helping Aboriginal people restore a sense of identity.

In my search, I also came across the Mi’gmac Mi’kmaq Micmac Online talking dictionary. The aim of the project is to develop an online resource for the Mi’gmaq/Mi’kmaq language, and so far they have posted over 3500 entries in the dictionary. You can do a simple English word search and it will generate a list of Mi’gmaq words that correspond to it.