Tag Archives: technology use

SAY Magazine: For and about Native Youth

http://www.saymag.com/canada/4-this.php

SAY Magazine claims to be the largest national magazine for and about Native youth. They state that there is a need for a magazine for Native youth because the aboriginal population in Canada is projected to increase three times faster than the non-Aboriginal population and Aboriginal youth will represent a much larger share of the youth population over the next decade. They will also account for an increasing share of entrants into the workforce. There is a section on technology on the SAY Magazine website. It presents a number of aboriginal individuals who speak about technology and how it has impacted their lives. Kirk Mann is a member of Peguis First Nation. He also works for Status Solutions. He mentions that technology is important for him in helping out in his community. Brian Bull is another aboriginal individual. He is from the Nez Perce Nation. While there are many other mediums out there, Bull remains dedicated to broadcast journalism because it most closely follows the time-honored custom of oral tradition. He also states that technology is helping many tribes of preserve their history through digital recordings and high-resolutiont scans. Lastly, Scott Grossman is a speaker coordinator from Native Nations Events. He talks about the importance and benefits of technology use in the process of producing conferences. They are able to speak to tribal leaders as well as government officials. If one subsribes to this magazine, access to many more articles can be obtained. This magazine is very useful for those who are conducting research on Aboriginal youth networks and exploring the more topics surrounding Aboriginal youth today.

Aboriginal Youth and Internet Technologies

http://arago.cprost.sfu.ca/smith/research/fncr/Youth.pdf

This paper is written by the First Nations Connectivity research team at SFU. It discusses aboriginal youth and internet technologies and the issues affecting remote communities of British Columbia. The article puts emphasis on youth as the wealth and wellbeing of young people will directly shape the future of all British Columbians. This reminds me of Module 3 where the topic of aboriginal youth and cultural preservation were discussed.

Broadband connectivity can play an important role in these various youth programs, as it helps remote communities work together to tackle major problems. This article also connects a range of youth issues to broader Aboriginal movements in BC, in order to demomstrate the interconnectedness of broadband uses in remote communities. Developing the infrastructure and knowledge-base needed to fully exploit the internet’s potential is largely inseparable from grassroots Aboriginal movements and initiatives.

This article would be useful for someone who is interested in investigating technology use in remote communities in British Columbia. It would also be interesting for someone who is doing research on Aboriginal youth and the effects of technology on cultural preservation revitalization.