For the uninitiated, ImagineNATIVE is a yearly film festival showcasing Indigenous filmmaking. The festival has launched a virtual reality media series that speculates about the future of Indigenous people 150 years into the future rather than the past that range from utopian to dystopian (Johnson, 2017). Points of view are presented in a sort of ‘Oral Storytelling 2.0’ format, continuing the long-held tradition of oral storytelling with a technological ‘upgrade’ that illuminates the full spectrum of aspirations, fears, and general speculations of Indigenous community members and their futures.

Beyond entertainment, VR is increasingly being leveraged as an educational tool. Although some might not immediately discern a connection between Indigenous histories/stories and VR, it is a powerful method that can be incorporated into the classroom (Johnson, 2017). The incorporation of VR in classrooms is still not mainstream, but the more it is leveraged in events and festivals and the educational value is highlighted, perhaps those opportunities will emerge in the coming years. Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike would benefit immensely from such incorporation, including enhanced digital literacy, (inter)active learning, and deepening of historical knowledge. It would also provide an excellent foundation for imagination and exploration, which I would argue should be expanded in K-12 nationwide.

References

Johnson, R. (2017, October 20). ImagineNATIVE VR imagines Indigenous lives in 150 years. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/imaginenative-virtual-reality-1.4365311

The acronym ‘IM’ stands for “Indigenous Matriarchs”, and the ‘4’ denotes the number of matriarchs who lead the VR/AR lab in collaboration with Emily Carr University: it was founded by Cree/Métis filmmaker and artist Loretta Todd (Sandals, 2019). The lab devotes itself to ‘Indigenizing’ VR/AR/360 technology by enabling integration into linguistic, educational, cultural, artistic, and commercial pursuits; Indigenous artists and media creators are supported within an ‘Indigenized’ tech ecosystem that is governed by respect, reciprocity, and diversity of expression (IM4 Lab, 2020). This epitomizes an ideal ‘linkage’ between Indigenous cultural values and modern technologies, dispelling preconceived notions about modern tech’s alleged ‘incompatibility’ with Indigenous cultures.

Figure 1. In many Indigenous communities, matriarchs are the knowledge holders and cultural leaders. (2020). IM4 Lab. IM4 Lab. Retrieved June 15, 2021.

The IM4 VR/AR Lab conducts workshops on these technologies for Indigenous youth and adults, with all public programs free of charge – including cameras and other necessary equipment provided by the lab (IM4 Lab, 2020). Film and video have been means through which Indigenous people have been colonized, but VR/AR present an opportunity for them to seize the ‘means of production’ through which their stories can be told, and new worlds can be envisioned and created by them (IM4 Lab, 2020). With storytelling being a cornerstone of Indigenous cultures, VR/AR technology can effectively aid in decolonization, empowerment, and even sovereignty efforts across Canada.

References

IM4 Lab. (2020). Immersive Learning & Opportunities for an Indigenized Tech Eco-System. Indigenous Matriarchs 4 – XR Media Lab. https://im4lab.com/

Sandals, L. (2019, August 1). A Vancouver VR Lab Named for Indigenous Matriarchs. Canadianart. https://canadianart.ca/news/a-vr-lab-named-for-indigenous-matriarchs/

Exploring teaching and including land acknowledgements, Indigenous writer Selena Mills illustrates the importance of land acknowledgements and connections to reconciliation.

https://locallove.ca/issues/what-are-land-acknowledgements-and-why-do-they-matter/#.YMrc06hKhPZ

Illustrations By Chief Lady Bird from the article “What are land acknowledgements and why do they matter?

Connecting back to Stereotypes and the Commodification of Indigenous Social Reality this YouTube narrative from 2017 summarizes Disney’s portrayal of Indigenous people and discusses if Disney has learned from the mistakes of Pocahontas.

I think discussions like this one are useful tools in encouraging educators and learners to think always strive for improvement, make mistakes, think critically, and then learn from those mistakes. This is an important part of the process in seeking to learn from Indigenous cultures.

To just get a sample I would suggest watching the first 1:50 and the last minute 32:10-32:55

The FNESC BC First Nations Land, Title, and Governance Teacher Resource Guide is an amazing resource http://www.fnesc.ca/governance-2/ for facilitating the respectful and meaningful inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into BC classrooms.

I find myself returning time and time again to the Glossary in particular.

There is an accompanying  FNESC/FNSA Teacher Resource Guides, Units, Lessons, and Activities for Blended or Remote Learning Contexts (Dec. 2020) for adaptation ideas for remote/online or blended learning situations!