Tag: globalization

Society for Ecological Restoration International: Indigenous Peoples’ Restoration Network (M4, #2)

http://www.ser.org/iprn/founder.asp

This is another site that fits nicely with our Module 4 focus on Ecological Issues in Indigenous Education and Technology. Dennis Martinez, chair of the IPRN, discusses the rising interest in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). He suggests that TEK offers a complementary approach to Western Science in the quest to understand our natural world. He notes that Indigenous societies were the first to notice the effects of climate change, and that they have a wealth of environmental information base on the observations of countless generations.

Martinez goes on to discuss how TEK is being threatened by globalization, which has often resulted in Indigenous groups losing control over their ancestral lands and resources. He stresses the need to restore and repair the relationship between nature and humans.

There is a wealth of additional information on this website, organized through numerous links on the left side of the homepage. Well worth a look – so much to learn and consider here!

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Indigenous Perspectives on Globalization: Self-Determination Through Autonomous Media Creation (M2, #3)

http://www.globalautonomy.ca/global1/summary.jsp?index=RS_Tabobondung_MediaCreation.xml

This is a thought-provoking article examining, among other issues, how Indigenous cultures have been resisting the forces of globalization while also asserting their autonomy and right to self-determination for over five centuries.

The article goes on to discuss how it’s important for Indigenous peoples to be in control of media representations of themselves so that dominant stereotypes about their communities are no longer perpetuated. Needless, to say this is a challenge for any culture outside the mainstream, Indigenous or otherwise.

Despite many challenges, the range and creativity of Indigenous media production in Canada and around the world is now quite substantial. With large, successful Indigenous-led film festivals, such as The ImagineNATIVE Aboriginal Film and Media Arts Festival in Toronto firmly established, it’s anticipated that this positive momentum will continue.

Native Planet: Preserving Cultures, Empowering People (M2, #1)

http://www.nativeplanet.org/index.shtml

The strikingly vivid colours  and images throughout this website reflect the uniqueness of Indigenous cultures. It was created to give native peoples a voice and to showcase how world cultures are working to protect their traditions despite globalization.

One of Native Planet’s main goals is the creation of authentic cultural documentaries as a means of empowerment. Many of these emphasize how Indigenous cultures are traditionally great examples of sustainable living.

Also, there is an intriguing section on Indigenous mapping of world ethnic cultures. The primary goal here is to produce a comprehensive database of Indigenous communities, including information on the successes and challenges they face. This completed database will be available to the public with the aim of providing a comprehensive resource of factual, unbiased information for interested students and researchers.

Native Planet is a non-profit organization and on each page of the site there is an area where visitors can make donations to futher their projects.

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