Module 4, Post 4: Digital Drum

http://www.digitaldrum.ca

“It’s a running gag amongst some Inuit and social scientists that a traditional Inuit family consists of a mother, a father, children, and an anthropologist.” – from Geronimo’s blog. Had to include that as it made me chuckle and think back on several discussions about research and videos during the course.

Digitaldrum is one of Linda Smith’s examples of a space of resistance and hope. Digital drum allows for Aboriginal people to upload video, audio and write stories on blogs. Digitaldrum is supported by the Aboriginal People’s Television Network and by Canadian Heritage. It is a place for people to share culture, language, stories, and experiences.

I have thought about how can you easily store and transmit culture that has been orally shared for centuries. This social medium allows for people that have access to the technology and high speed internet to do it quite easily.  A question occurs, what about Aboriginal people that do not have access? I think that access needs to be provided to everyone through whatever means possible. This site can act as an amazing community as well as an archive.

One that is worth a watch is a poem called “Heaven’s Fiddle” read in a beautiful video. I hope you take a couple of minutes to watch it http://www.digitaldrum.ca/en/node/1357

One other thought I had regarding how to engage in another culture and the effect we can have on it by engaging. Through this medium I am able to view, consume perhaps, some parts of the culture without affecting it. It allows me a view into families and stories that otherwise I would not likely have the opportunity to be part of. While I think it is best to experience cultures face-to-face in an immersive way, this at least may be more accessible to start.