I stumbled across http://www.maoritelevision.com/ this morning. This is a prime example of a culture connecting to technology to promote and build their culture. It is quite an interactive site that has a very positive feel. It is free to visit and contains more than 90% locally-made programming. From comedy, sports, documentaries and lifestyle to news and current affairs, about New Zealand. It is also in both languages.
Te Kotahitanga is a collaborative response to the rising problem of underachievement among Māori students in mainstream schools. The professional development/research project, which began in 2001, is now in its fourth phase and has involved 33 schools around New Zealand, hundreds of teachers and thousands of Māori students.
http://www.tekotahitanga.org.nz/moodle/
This site is of interest to me because of the many similarities and connections that I see with BC’s Aboriginal students. Is this program something that would work for us? Would our education system adopt a similar system?
Click here to watch a recording of Keynote Speaker Russel Bishop at the BC Rural School’s Conference
On Thursday I had the opportunity to listen to Calvin Helin at the 3rd Annual Rural Schools Conference.
He is a Canadian businessman and writer on aboriginal topics who is a member of the Tsimshian First Nation in northwestern British Columbia.
Here is a link to the recording of the key note presentation today. It is really worth watching.
In his presentation, Helin argues the Canadian government spends billions (18 I think) a year on services for aboriginal people and transfers to reserves. Therefore if money alone were capable of fixing problems there would have been major successes by now.
He says it’s time for indigenous people to stop dwelling on the injustices of the past and decide how they can influence the future.
According to the article below and the presentation Helin believes “the only hope for aboriginal communities in the future is to create their own wealth, with the private sector as the most efficient way to create that wealth” He also feels that “simply throwing more money at the problem will not make it go away. It probably will likely make things worse.”
(http://www.spiritorca.com/pdf/VCourier-July23-08_HT.pdf)
Please watch one of these videos. Overall he made some very moving and thought provoking statements.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_mUZYIS5x0[/youtube]