Tag Archives: Technology

The need for supporting Indigenous students from the top down and the ground up. (Mod 4- Post 1-5)

Watching the interview with Tim Michel sparked my ideas for discussion for Web Blog Module 4 because the connections he made about the lack of understanding and foresight surrounding Indigenous post-secondary education connects with the area of my group’s research about Indigenous students in STEM/STEAM education and careers. Michel mentions that a career fair, he witnessed universities continually asking prospective students to sign up to their mailing lists.  He realized after discussion with many of the Aboriginal students that about 40% didn’t have an email, couldn’t access e-mail, or didn’t have access to a computer at home. It seems there is still quite a disconnect between post-secondary education and our indigenous communities.  We can commend many Canadian universities for reducing barriers Indigenous students face, one of which is financial, by providing substantial scholarships and bursaries to help financially support Indigenous students.  Moreover, the government of Canada “To ensure that First Nation and Inuit students have the same opportunities for success as other Canadian students… …will increase funding to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program by $90 million over two years, beginning in 2017–18.”  This is in addition to “[t]he current budget for the Post-secondary Student Support Program is $340 million which supports approximately 23, 000 First Nation and Inuit Students.”

For more details click here

However, the focus on providing financial means is a bit like putting the cart before the horse if we are unable to support Indigenous youth completing high school with the checklist of requirements, or even at all.

The Canadian labour market is critically understaffed in many technological fields.  So much so, that many fortune 500 companies are hiring students before they even graduate and starting them with a six-figure income.  Yet despite this, universities are finding lower enrollments in STEM/STEAM courses like computer science. (CBC News)

In an article by Ellie Bothwell from Times Higher Education, she discusses how Canadian Universities can bring more Indigenous Peoples and knowledge. In her article, she notes that “Aboriginal people are the fastest-growing demographic in Canada. More than 1.6 million people – or 4.9 percent of the country’s total population – self-identify as indigenous, according to the 2016 National Household Survey, representing a 42.5 per cent increase since 2006.”

Universities need Indigenous peoples. To help fill out a workforce in STEM/STEAM careers is just one of the many reasons why.  But not enough is being done prepare and provide skills for Indigenous students.  A report by Randstad looks at Canada’s technical shortage and addresses the need to expand the talent pool to more individuals.  Randstad notes: “Statistics for STEM skills among Aboriginal people are even more discouraging. In 2013, 10 percent of the total working-age population of Aboriginals had a university degree compared with 26 percent of the non-Aboriginal population. Making up 3.7 percent of the adult population, only 2.6 percent of people with a post-secondary degree are Aboriginal. Clearly doing more to promote the study of STEM-related disciplines among the Aboriginal population is necessary. As the study points out, the inclusion of people with diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas creates a wider talent pool with deeper assets. ” (p. 5).

What we can see in statistics is reiterated in the academic research and literature and that is the need to couple Indigenous knowledge with 21st-century learning in order to increase the success rate of Aboriginal learners. As Munroe, Borden, Orr, Toney, and Meader (2013) write that it’s essential “to ensure that Aboriginal children maintain their cultural identity while achieving their formal education” and  “that schools that respect and support a child’s culture and language demonstrate significantly better outcomes for students” (p. 319).

Click the following articles for more on culturally response education.

Munroe, Elizabeth Ann; Lisa Borden,; Anne Orr,; Denise Toney,; Jane Meader,. “Decolonizing Aboriginal Education in the 21st Century.” McGill Journal of Education (Online). McGill Journal of Education. 2013.

Nicol, C., Archibald, J., & Baker, J. (2013). Designing a model of culturally responsive mathematics education: Place, relationships and storywork. Mathematics Education Research Journal (Springer), 25, 73-89.

That’s why programs like ANCESTOR (AboriginNal Computer Education through STORytelling) are not only successful but essential.  Students at LÁU,WELNEW Tribal School in Brentwood Bay have animate stories that hold meaning to them and in return, produce outstanding results. As their teacher notes: “Translating arm and arrow movement into animation involved an incredible level of problem-solving and I’ve seen it spill into other parts of his education such as improvement in math. He has turned into the classroom problem-solver,”. For more information on the ANCESTOR project, review the link below.

Weston M., Biin D. (2015) The Ancestor Project: Aboriginal Computer Education Through Storytelling. In: Isaías P., Spector J., Ifenthaler D., Sampson D. (eds) E-Learning Systems, Environments and Approaches. Springer, Cham

 

 

Weblog 3 – Kenny Jamieson

Mi’gmaq Language Resources

http://migmaq.org/

This first resource is a collection of language resources for the Mi’gmaq language.  What is interesting about this web resource is it is one that utilizes a variety of different tools for teaching the language.  This is one of the more comprehensive resources that I have discovered so far.  The Learning Mi’gmaq online portion of the resource is extremely detailed and set up in such a way that it can be used both by individuals and as a classroom support tool.  The learning portion of the site also provides descriptions of how to say words and situations that they would be used in.  Each section has an audio portion so that people can pick up on the intricacies of the words and phrases being learned.  In addition to this main resource, the web page also has a quizlet section, a wiki page, a blog, a dictionary and links to both the Facebook and Twitter pages for the group.

Tusaalanga – Learn the Inuit Language

http://www.tusaalanga.ca/splash

This is a second teaching a language based resource that can be used as a comparison to the first.  This resource is again quite comprehensive as a tool and collection of words and phrases from the Inuit language.  This website is also set up to allow individuals to progress through at their own pace and to benefit from hearing how words and phrases are said.  The lesson structure for this site is not quite as user friendly as the first tool, but it is set up in a sensible order.  Much like the first resource, the feel of this tool is that it was designed after traditional second or additional language courses.  It chooses to focus on words and phrases that people may think are important to know when attempting to learn a language.  These first two resources also create an opportunity to ensure that their particular language is preserved and that learning it is made accessible to people who may live outside of the respective community.

First Peoples Principles of Learning

https://firstpeoplesprinciplesoflearning.wordpress.com/

The third resource that I wanted to include this week can be used for many different purposes.  I chose to explore it from the standpoint of evaluating the first two resources and seeing how well they fit in with the First People’s principles of learning philosophy.  As many web based language tools are likely being used by individuals and not in a face-to-face or group setting, it is important to evaluate if those tools are causing users to miss out on the important cultural aspect of language.  Within this blog, the piece that I found related the most to my topic is the section that focuses on connectedness and sense of place.  This section talks about how learning is a social process that benefits from the support of family and community.  It can be helpful to critically evaluate the various online language learning tools that are available.  In addition, educators may find this resource to be quite useful as a tool for better understanding the First People’s principles of learning.

Globe and Mail – Indigenous Language vital to telling Canada’s story

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/indigenous-languages-are-vital-to-telling-canadas-story/article30016076/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&

The last two artifacts that I have included in this post focus on the impact of language loss on communities and cultures.  This first, is written by former Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, and provides an interesting perspective on the importance of preserving Indigenous languages.  The main argument in the article is that Canada has shown to be a country that accepts a variety of languages and though we are officially a bilingual country, it is understood that many people speak a different language at home.  The article goes on to highlight the drastic decline in fluent speakers of Indigenous languages, in particular in British Columbia where for many Indigenous languages, only about one in twenty Indigenous people are fluent in their native language.  Clarkson makes a strong argument that Indigenous languages are unique from other languages because of their importance to culture, heritage and individual identity.  She states that “losing one’s language is like losing all freedom of expression.”  As this article is written by someone previously in a government position, it allows some insight into how people outside of Indigenous communities can view language loss.

The Youth Journal – Language Loss

https://theyouthjournal.com/2017/07/27/language-loss-a-cultural-social-and-environmental-tragedy/

I found this article to be quite interesting as it provides a youth’s perspective on language loss and its impact on culture and communities.  The writer of this post is not Indigenous, but she provides some interesting insight into the issues that various communities can face.  From her writing, the passion she has for this topic is quite clear and it definitely highlights the impact that language loss can have on people, communities and cultures.  The article focuses mostly on Canada and highlights the challenge faced by Indigenous communities as many of the fluent speakers of their respective languages are adults and elders.  In addition, the article focuses on the impact that language assimilation can have on language loss.  This is quite relevant to our current and past education systems.

Aboriginal Tourism and Technological Language Tools

The Fraser River Journey video got me wondering what kind of options are available for those who would like to immerse themselves in communities, activities and experiences that would allow them to learn more about Indigenous cultures and languages. To my surprise, I discovered that there are quite a few websites that provide these opportunities.

How can visitors best explore Canada’s indigenous culture?

This article provides an overview of Indigenous experiences available in many provinces across Canada. From restaurants and hotels serving traditional food and displaying art from Indigenous artists, to museums and tours, there are many informational and educational options available.

Quebec Aboriginal Tourism

The Quebec Aboriginal Tourism Association’s vision is to “create activities that are conducive to the social and economic development of the Aboriginal communities of Quebec” (QATC, 2011). Through different forms of tourism, they help preserve and promote the traditions that are specific to the eleven Aboriginal Nations of Quebec. The website also provides information about the different Nations, as well as news, videos and images.

Aboriginal Canada

The Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada (ATAC) is a “non-profit organization that is committed to growing and promoting a sustainable, culturally rich Aboriginal tourism industry in Canada” (ATAC, 2017). The website provides information on First Nation, Metis and Inuit People as well as a breakdown of the various regions and provinces. There is also an extensive list of activities, experiences, villages, expeditions and hotels/lodges that are offered across the country.

 

One of the themes that has been discussed throughout the course is how and if technology can help preserve languages. I was shown a website and a program by my students that they use in their Cree Language class and I thought they might be helpful for those who are exploring this topic for their final project.

EastCree.org

EastCree is a website dedicated to the language, spoken mostly in the James Bay area of Northern Quebec. The site has been running since 2000 and has information for two dialects: the Northern dialect and the Southern dialect. There is a stories section in which “you can hear the language and in the texts subsection you can also read it in syllabics. We are restoring old tapes of Cree stories as well as collecting new ones” (eastcree.org, 2017). The site also provides information about grammar, lesson and games to learn Cree syllabics and vocabulary, as well as terminology and dictionary pages.

Field Linguist’s Toolbox – East Cree Syllabics

The Field Linguist’s Toolbox is a program designed by SIL International. This nonprofit organization is trying to encourage sustainable language development. Through research, translation and training, they put together a data management and analysis tool for field linguists.  Below is an example of the toolbox that is installed on the computers at the school I work in and was created from numerous contributions from people within the school board. It includes key words, the East Cree Syllabics, the East Cree Southern spellings and English definitions. This is an interesting application of how technology can help preserve language.

Women in Tech- or Lack Thereof (Mod 2-Post 3)

Thinking about the recent initiatives set forth by the BC government to recruit and train British Columbians in skilled trades, I wondered if there was an for technology training specifically for Indigenous peoples.  It was here where I found out about the 2.2 Million invested into Indigenous skills training for the tech sector. 

The Bridging to Technology program was created by the First Nations Technology Council and when reviewing the team making up the council I was pleasantly surprised to see a team full of women.  However, I was disappointed to find the board of directors consisted of only men.  This was a stark reminder of the gender gap in authoritative roles that women of all ethnicities face.

As the CNET article highlights, the tech industry is already male-dominated:

And this is for white women. The statistics get worse if you’re a woman of a minority.  According to a study done by Michelmore & Sassler (2016), “Black women, Latina women, and Indigenous women especially, earn less than white and Asian American women” (Rao & Lunau, 2017).

The dominance of men over women in higher paid, higher power positions is a trend in most sectors but is especially pronounced in the tech sector.  As Blanche (2016) highlights “The problem is when diversity programs focus on “women” as a whole, they often fall into the trap of prioritizing the majority: White Women”.

If we truly want to make our tech industry more diverse, we need to analyze the barriers that Indigenous women face specifically.  Grants for an example are a start, but while I did find technology grants for women, I was unable to find grants dedicated specifically to Indigenous women

References

Blanche, A. (2016, December 20). Diversity in tech too often means ‘hiring white women.’ We need to move beyond that. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://www.recode.net/2016/12/20/14013610/gender-diversity-women-race-age-geography-initiative

Michelmore, K. & Sassler, S. (2016). Explaining the Gender Wage Gap in STEM: Does Field Sex Composition Matter?RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 2(4), 194-215. Russell Sage Foundation. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from Project MUSE database.

Rao, A., & Lunau, K. (2017, April 04). You Can’t Close the Gender Gap in Science and Tech Without Equal Pay. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/4xeevp/stem-science-technology-women-pay-gap-equal-pay-day

 

Indigenous Girls and Technology (Mod 2 Post 2)

For our final research assignment, Kathryn, Sara and I have decided to look at the relationship of technology and STEAM learning and Indigenous girls.  We were drawn to focus our research on girls because of the unique differences they have in learning compared to boys as well as the fact that Indigenous girls, already from a marginalized community, are even more vulnerable as they face gender bias and stereotypes in a male-dominated technology industry. In our research of current programs and initiatives in place, we found “Native Girls that Code” .  The goals of this program are:

  • Build leadership of women and the capacity of women-led projects and organizations
  • Build the capacity of our youth to develop strong identities through Indigenous knowledge and stronger supports for their education
  • Advance the preservation and revitalization of traditional Native knowledge through environmental justice programming that focuses on following the original teachings of Mother Earth

This program has found a way to incorporate STEAM learning with place-based learning that connects the girls with the land around them.

The success of this program but shows the promise and capability of integration between Indigenous girls and technology and could pose as a model for other similar programs.

STEM and Coding

We’ve been discussing how and if technology can be used to preserve elements of Indigenous culture. While doing research for my project, I found two programs that integrate culture/language with STEM and Coding.

  1. inSTEM

Actua has a STEM outreach program that has an Indigenous Youth in STEM program called inSTEM. It aims to create community-centered programs that are culturally relevant to engage First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

First Nation Resource Magazine has an interesting article that outlines the program really well. Find it here, on pages 8-11.

  1. Codemakers

Also offered by Actua, the Codemaker program allows students to explore computer science though coding. I found this particularly valuable as a resource because one of the projects they did in Iqualuit involved using digital programming skills to remix traditional throat songs.

Here is an article about the program.

Here is a short video of the program in Iqualuit:

Module 2 Weblog Posts 1 – 5 – Kenny Jamieson

For my second entry into the Weblog, working with some of the recommendations made by Professor Marker, I have attempted to focus my searching on the understanding the connection between language, culture and landscape.  Also, in keeping in line with the focus on educating with technology, I have worked to find additional examples of ways that Indigenous languages are attempting to be preserved and passed on through using technology.

Last Fluent Stolo Speaker:

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/last-fluent-stolo-speakers-language-lives-within-her

This first link is from the Vancouver Sun and the article and accompanying video highlight the efforts being taken to help preserve the Halq’emeylem language.  This language is on the verge of no longer having any fluent speakers of it and the article highlights the importance of finding ways to help ensure future generations can become fluent in the language.  Some interesting quick takeaways from the article and video are that one of the linguist’s working on preserving the language describes how context and pronunciation are just as important as dictionary definitions.  She also speaks in the video about how knowing other languages can have a positive impact on the way you perceive the world.

Language and Identity, Language and the Land – Patricia Shaw

UBC E-Link – http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/article/viewFile/1595/1636

This journal article from Patricia Shaw focuses on how language is a crucial part of identity and culture for Indigenous cultures.  She compares the importance and impact of language on Indigenous identities to that of the English language on people who are native English speakers.  This comparison is used to show the devastating effects of language extinction on Indigenous communities and how by losing their language it directly impacts their culture.  Her article goes on to discuss how individual Indigenous languages have a direct tie to the landscape, and how understanding ones identity is linked to their ancestral language and land.  As many Indigenous languages, lands and cultures go unrecognized, either through ignorance or other means, it becomes more challenging for communities to continue to value their heritage and ensure it is passed on to future generations.  As Shaw’s article is centered around communities in British Columbia, her message and claims are quite powerful.

“Speaking with names” – Keith Basso

http://www.douri.sh/classes/readings/Basso-SpeakingWithNames-CultAnthro.pdf

Following one of the recommendations made by Professor Maker regarding my research statement, I looked into the work of Keith Basso.  This essay is part of a larger collection titled “Wisdom Sits in Places” and this particular essay focuses on the connection between landscape, places and language among the Western Apache.  Within the article, there is a particularly interesting section that details a short conversation between two members of the community.  Through their conversation, it becomes clear that places have a unique significance in their culture and that places help connect people to their ancestors and that their language is also directly connected to places.  Within the stories that the Western Apache tell, locations and places in which the stories take place are paramount.  There is a line that states “Placeless events are an impossibility; everything that happens must happen somewhere”.  I think this line in particular signifies the importance of place and land within Indigenous languages and cultures.

Indigenous Language Revitalization TEDx Talk – April Charlo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kuC_IemiCs

This TEDx video focuses on how languages are used as a way to help people create meaning and understanding of their world.  The speaker goes on to discuss the concept of ownership, and how for some Indigenous communities, this is not an idea that exists naturally in their language.  The reference she makes is focused specifically on the natural environment and how it is impossible to own things that occur naturally in the world.  For many Indigenous communities, certain concepts were forced upon them and their languages and cultures were forced to adapt to new ideas in order to survive – such as the concept of owning land.  The video also highlights the connection between Indigenous cultures, language, and the land by discussing the idea of owning water.  For the communities being talked about, water was not something that could be owned but that one had to ask to use.  The speaker’s community understood how vital water was to life and did not believe in owning it.  The video highlights how languages can have important meanings that go with the words being used and show important connections that different groups can have to certain aspects of the environment.

How Technology is Saving Native Tribe Languages TEDx Talk – Darrick Baxter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPBI8oUXZ8Q

This video focuses on how utilizing technology as a way to teach a language, in this case Ojibway, can be beneficial for learners who are interested in technology.  The speaker in the video created an app to engage his daughters with learning the Ojibway language after he found that other methods, such as books or audio CDs, were not as successful.  The speaker also discusses how the source code for the app was released for other Indigenous groups to use to create their own language apps and how various groups have created apps as a way to preserve and teach their language.  Apps continue to show up as ways for languages to be shared and learned.  An interesting feature of the Ojibway app discussed in the video (available here – http://www.ogokilearning.com/ojibway/) is that it is designed to work offline so that those living in places without reliable internet connections can still use it.

 

Indigenous Peoples, Technology, and our Post-Secondary Institutions (Mod 1 Post 4 & 5)

With our recent class discussions on the cultural neutrality of technology and the difference of educational goals in our Indigenous communities, I realize there is strong evidence for and against Indigenous use of technology and the extent of its benefit. However, for the non-Indigenous community, I believe that technology been an invaluable tool to help increase awareness and understanding as well as helping to promote advocacy for Indigenous communities.

Many have a willingness to learn but not always the tools or resources at their disposal.  Technology helps reduce boundaries by increasing our learning networks.  One of these learning networks is the MOOC/EdX course run by Jan Hare through UBC on Reconciliation through Education.  This free online course starts Oct 16, 2017 and covers the following program outcomes:

  • Explore personal and professional histories and assumptions in relationship to Indigenous peoples histories and worldviews
  • Deepen understanding and knowledge of colonial histories and current realities of Indigenous people
  • Engage with Indigenous worldviews and perspectives that contextualize and support your understanding of the theories and practices of Indigenous education
  • Develop strategies that contribute to the enhancement of Indigenous-settler relations in schools, organizations, and communities
  • Explore Indigenous worldviews and learning approaches for their application to the classroom or community learning setting
  • Engage in personal and professional discussions in an online environment with others committed to understanding and advancing reconciliation

Additionally, another post-secondary resource from UVic sees the revitalization of Aboriginal languages. Technology and western education has contributed to the diminishment of Aboriginal languages,  but now it is also being used to revitalize the languages not only with the descendants of native tongue speakers but with the non-Indigenous community as well.   While this course, unfortunately, is not free, it does offer courses that are face-to-face with Indigenous community members as well as career opportunities to work in and with various Indigenous communities upon completion of the course.  The program outcomes are as follows:

  • Learn foundational knowledge and skills in linguistics that are needed to undertake language preservation and revitalization work.
  • Build knowledge and skills in language preservation and revitalization.
  • Develop your ability to analyze language preservation issues relevant across Indigenous cultures and specific to your own communities.
  • Enhance your capacity to develop responsive strategies and programs designed to preserve and revitalize Indigenous languages.
  • Earn a comprehensive and respected certificate.
  • Create a foundation for subsequent academic studies in related areas, such as education, cultural resource management and linguistics.

 

Dana’s Contributions to Module 1

From CBC: Sachs Harbour, N.W.T., teen pens song about uncle’s death, garners thousands of views online

This story, published on September 16, 2017, came to my attention from my Facebook feed. Two years ago, a colleague of many years, left Victoria to take a teaching position in Inuvik, Northwest Territories.  Jasmine has been Michelle’s student for the last two years.  Because the community that Jasmine is from is so remote (Sachs Harbour in Inuvialuit Territory), she stays with a host family in Inuvik while attending high school. At the time of the recording, Jasmine was part of a program that takes part on a ship that sails through the Arctic in the summer, visiting communities and taking part in cultural communities along the way. Apparently, a student from my school, Esquimalt High, recently took part in this program as it is open to any student that applies, who falls within the age restriction. Until the song went “viral”, Michelle did not even know that Jasmine was a singer-songwriter! Another layer to Jasmine’s viral social media experience, is her mother’s story of attending residential school. Sending her daughter away to school, however, was not an option for her.

 

From CBC: ‘A punch in the gut’: Mother slams B.C. high school exercise connecting Indigenous women to ‘squaw’

This story was published September 18, 2017. A Grade 9 teacher, using the Teacher’s Guide, distributed worksheets to their students that had students associate racist nomenclature with the person of origin. Apparently, the motivation was to teach students what the ubiquitous terminology of the day was, however, as the mother astutely points out, the workbook is void of context, and fails to educate students about relevant information regarding the Indian Act and the reserve system, amongst other knowledge. Turning to Michael’s essay from this week; “ Educators must help students conceptually focus the mirror rather than a magnifying glass at native people.” (p. 499) This workbook perfectly exemplifies the magnifying glass approach.  What also should be pointed out, is that the teacher in question, was likely trying to incorporate the new K-9 BC curriculum that has attempted to bring Indigenous knowledge into every course. As a BC teacher, I can say with certainty, that there has not been enough (any?) professional development to facilitate this change so that BCTF members can actually teach Indigenous knowledge with confidence.  I am grateful that I am taking ETEC 521 so that I can hopefully avoid making one of my students or their parents feel link I have “punched them in the gut.”  Most teachers will not be paying $1600, however, in order to take such meaningful Pro-D.  Moreover, I wonder how many teachers will simply side step this portion of the curriculum in fear of making a mistake?  <Segway to next article…>

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

 

From CBC: Teachers lack confidence to talk about residential schools, study says

This story was published August 20, 2017. Yes. This is me.  Or rather, this was me. I feel fortunate to work at a school that devotes a portion of our Pro-D time, every year, to Indigenous education and the well-being of our Indigenous students.  But still, I do not feel like I know enough to say too much in class. With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission being part of mainstream media, combined with some incredibly meaningful Pro-D, I have begun to say more, however. On Orange Shirt Day 2016, I gave my first talk to my homeroom class about the significance of the day— how could I not? I felt like I had finally broken through my self-imposed, block of ice. It is now three weeks into ETEC 521, and I feel more equipped to say what needs to be said, when it needs to be said. I am looking forward to learning more, however, as I know there is much more knowledge to come!

This is Just Us: A Digital Media Documentary

At my high school, we run a course called First Peoples English, in which any student may elect to take this course, in lieu of regular English.  Recently, students created the documentary, “This is Just Us.” For whatever reason, I only just learned of this documentary this week (it is amazing what you can find on your school’s website!). It is a bit of a commitment to watch, however, should you have 38 minutes to spare, you will not regret it.  In the documentary, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students are interviewed. As well, a local Elder, one of our school’s Aboriginal Educational Assistants and the teacher of the course are all interviewed. Topics that are touched on include: Why Digital Media? What is self-esteem? Who are you thankful for? … and more! I was blown away with the students’ candidness, honesty, bravery and wisdom in their responses. The Elder speaks of running away from his residential school, seeking refuge in Washington.  This really drove home the reading of “Borders and the Borderless Coast Salish” from last week. As opposed to the educator who ran into trouble when they attempted to “teach” Indigenous knowledge using an inappropriate “magnifying glass”, Ms. Dunn helped her students “conceptually focus the mirror”, with this project. The project would not have been a success without the partnership with Dano, an actor and director from Tsawout First Nation. Dano came in once a week for a couple of months, and after getting to know the students, he decided that the common thread was how self-esteem affects individuals, families and communities.

Indigenous Leaders on How to Celebrate National Aboriginal Day

This page was published on June 20, 2017, on the University of Toronto’s website. It interviews a variety of Indigenous Leaders (a student, an Elder, and the former National Chief, amongst others), who share how they plan to celebrate June 21 and what any Canadian could also do to recognize this day. I would like to specifically highlight one piece from this page, that addresses the Canada 150 celebrations. This summer, there was a heap of dialogue concerning whether we should be celebrating 150 years of colonialism. Many people I know chose to boycott all July 1 celebrations, and they were not afraid to make it known to all who would listen. Reading this piece, you will find Phil Fontaine’s (albeit brief) take on Canada 150. I don’t think everyone shares his perspective, however, it does exemplify the power of the “positive re-frame”.  That is, when a situation is not ideal or seemingly “good”, by changing our perspective a few degrees, we can sometimes see opportunity past the darkness.

Pacific People’s Partnership

PPP is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability, peace, social justice and community development for Indigenous peoples from the Lekwungen territory in coastal BC and South Pacific Indigenous peoples.  I chose this site because I was able to attend a recent event at the BC Legislature on September 16, 2017, The One Wave Gathering.  Five local Indigenous youth won a contest that resulted in their work being displayed on the front of four longhouses that were temporarily erected on the Legislature. The fifth artist’s work was made into a dance screen, as the judges were not able to let his work go unnoticed. Both the Songhees and Esquimalt Nation chief’s spoke at the opening ceremony. Chief Andy Thomas described the history of the land that we were meeting on, and how his Great-Great Grandparents were forced to move their village from Victoria’s Inner Harbour to the Esquimalt Harbour. I was particularly moved by the stories of the young artists and I truly felt the sense of proudness that they had of themselves and that their community had for them.  That proudness wrapped itself around everyone in attendance.  I will put a couple of my pictures on this blog, however, feel free to check out the Instagram hashtag, #onewavegathering to see other pictures and videos.

 

Module 1 Weblog: Digital storytelling

After the first few readings of this course, my interest has been peaked by the use of digital storytelling that is created by or with indigenous peoples for indigenous communities. Ginsburg (2002) discusses the potential that media such as satellite television transmissions have to indigenous communities in terms of offering a means of “cultural preservation and production and a form of political mobilization” (p. 54) and I’d like to explore the impact of the medium of digital storytelling.

I’ve found the following resources to be a great starting point for this focus. I’m not sure at the moment how I will narrow my focus down, but I’m excited about the possibilities within the realm of digital storytelling!

  1. Digital Stories – First Nations Women Explore the Legacy of Residential Schools

This project looks at how the residential school legacy is passed on between generations. There are several digital stories told by six women in their own words and their understanding of how residential schools have impacted them and the relationships they have with their mothers.

  1. Community-based Indigenous Digital Storytelling with Elders and Youth

This article by Iseke and Moore (2011) covers a few projects of indigenous storytelling and discusses the many benefits of indigenous storytelling, including creating opportunities to understand political activism and reflecting cultural mandates of communities. It highlights the importance of indigenous self-representation and “reversing the colonial gaze by constructing their own visual media, telling their stories on their own terms” (p. 32).

  1. The rise of Indigenous storytelling in games:

I was intrigued by this aspect of storytelling. While different from digital stories, it discusses using videogames as a medium to spread indigenous values and stories. They are also being used to reconnect youth with their heritage and help to maintain it. The video game released is called Never Alone with the hopes that youth would listen, learn and pass down their stories for future generations. Here’s a video clip of the game developers discussing the collaboration between game designers and members of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council on the videogame’s development. 

  1. Yijala Yala Project: a project by Big hART

The Yijala Yala Project is based in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and it “seeks to highlight cultural heritage as living, continually evolving and in the here and now, rather than of the past, and works with community members to create content and develop skills that assist in communicating their cultural heritage to a wide audience.” You can see the list of all the videos they’ve created so far here: https://vimeo.com/user5307782

  1. VIU Digital Storytelling Project Empowers Aboriginal Youth

This article discusses a digital storytelling research project at Vancouver Island University where five Aboriginal youth are trained as mentors and research assistants to teach other Aboriginal Youth and Elders how to create their own digital stories about topics they find important. I want to share one quote that stood out to me from one of the research assistants, Gladys Joe: “I hope I can do this kind of work for the rest of my life. Sharing stories and culture through modern technology is beneficial for future generations.”