Finding Our Talk is a documentary series consisting of 13 episodes that examine the states of various Indigenous languages in Canada and worldwide. Finding Our Talk 3, which I chose to share, examines Canadian aboriginal languages, as well as Sami, Maya, Quechan, Maori, Arrente and Hawaiian languages. The episode addresses the role of new technologies endangered language revitalization.
The video can be found on: http://vimeo.com/13656664
The Indigitization toolkit is a collaborative project between the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC), the First Nations Technology Council (FNTC), and three First Nations communities: Heiltsuk, Ktunaxa, and ‘Namgis. The project was initiated by by MOA (Museum of Anthropology at UBC).
In a nutshell, “Indigitization” aims at creating a digitizing a collection of audio materials from oral history, in order to assist Indigenous communities in preserving and managing their information. The digitized materials constitute a published toolkit, available for First Nations communities that wish to engage in digitization, and, consequently, for future generations of First Nations.
In the video below, “Xelsilem Rivers, an intern at MOA, discusses with CBC how he is helping to digitize Northwest Coast First Nations languages. Most of these languages only have a handful of fluent speakers left and this archival process is enabling people like Rivers to study what would otherwise go extinct.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LG8dWCcIYk
While researching Inuit contemporary art, I came across Isumatv. Isumatv is a video site that provides a free service for indigenous artists/filmmakers. The main aim of Isuma is to raise awareness on indigenous peoples’ rights and cultures through a multimedia approach. Isuma was founded in 1990. It has an archive of three films, three Unikaatuatiit (Story Tellers) series and numerous documentaries.
Cyber-safety is a concerning issue for all children; Cyber bullying victims have significantly increased with the widespread and fast adoption of digital technology: Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.), as well as mobile phones’ messaging features and applications. These features are used by indigenous youth as a means of communication within their communities and with the outside world. According to cyber-bullying statistics, indigenous youth are more likely to victims of cyber-prejudice and harassment. The video below tackles the “fight against cyber-bullying in remote indigenous communities”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-17/the-fight-against-cyber-bullying-in-remote/4206910
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by the United Nations in September 2007.
According to Wikipedia, the purpose of the declaration is to “set out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues.” It also “emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions, and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.” Moreover, the Declaration “prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples”, and it “promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development.”
The UNDRIP was adopted by 144 countries, and was first voted against by 4 countries, Canada and the USA (have yet to reverse their position), and New Zealand and Australia (reversed their position in 2009).
Like all UN declarations, the UNDRIP is not legally binding. However, the main purpose of the declaration is to provide standards for treating the indigenous peoples, and for eliminating the violation of their identity and their cultural rights.
The UNDRIP can be found on:
Indigenous people are isolated by definition, largely due to socio-cultural, economic, political and historical reasons. However, rapid growth and advancement in digital technologies have achieved a level of affordability and ubiquitous access, which have empowered billions of people worldwide by bringing such technologies ever closer to their grasp.
A growing number of aboriginal communities, which now have access to ICTs, are appropriating technology in order to meet their knowledge purposes. However, there still prevails a major economic, social, cultural and technical factor that may influence how ICTs can be effectively utilized as far as meeting the needs of aboriginal people is concerned.
The proposed research will attempt to tackle the state of ICT adoption in Aboriginal communities, with specific reference to Indigenous Canadians. The research will attempt to investigate the following questions:
How do new technologies affect aboriginal Canadian communities?
What challenges do these communities face in adopting ICTs?
Source:
KTA Aboriginal Practice Group. (2005). Aboriginal Culture in the Digital Age: Aboriginal Voice Cultural Working Group Paper. Toronto: KTA – Kaufman, Thomas & Associates.
Ramirez, R., & Richardson, D. (2005). Measuring the impact of telecommunication services on rural and remote communities. Telecommunications Policy.
Scott, T. (2005, June 27-July2). Community Perceptions of Student Multimedia Technology Projects in a Remote First Nations Village. Paper presented at the ED-MEDIA 2005: World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Montreal.
I would like to share two web-pages embodying multidisciplinary information that spans a great variety of indigenous cultural themes.
The International Journal of Indigenous People (http://www.alternative.ac.nz/) is a scholarly journal that presents views from ethnic minorities around the world. The themes tackled by the journal cover issues of origins, communities, culture, history and heritage, colonialism and power, intervention, development and self-determination.The journal was established in 2005; it publishes articles in English with one article in each volume published in its original language.
The Center for World Indigenous Studies, (http://cwis.org/), is an independent American organization whose mission “is to advance traditional knowledge in the fields of traditional healing arts and sciences, fourth world geopolitics, and human rights through public policy analysis, clinical services, research and education.
Many smart phone applications intended for “indigenous language” use on iPhones, iPads and iPods abound, making such tools accessible to users worldwide – although their use require somewhat advanced computer literacy.
I think Arab Bedouins present a special case as far as indigenous people are concerned. I would say there are four criteria when it comes to the definition of an indigenous people: 1) ethnicity; 2) language; 3) culture; and 4) lifestyle. If we take Arabia as an example, the term “endangered” indigenous culture or language is a far cry from reality. The only Arabs who can (proudly) claim pure Arab descent are Arabia’s tribes, almost all of which have Bedouin roots. Arabs of Bedouin descent, albeit long settled, constitute the ethnic majority in Arabia (and a considerable portion of the population in Iraq, Jordan, and even Syria). It is a linguistic fact that Classical Arabic emerged in the desert among the nomads, and exploded out of Arabia to replace the ancient (indigenous) languages of the fertile crescent and North Africa. Traces of Bedouin culture are present in different degrees in pan-Arab culture, and it was the culture of the Arab nomad that overtook and subdued that of long-settled agricultural societies even within Arabia itself (e.g., the Yemen). As for lifestyle, being a nomadic people versus a sedentary people, I doubt that alone would make the few remaining Arab Bedouins stand out as an “indigenous” people, except where they are socially marginalized (e.g., Egypt, Lebanon) or constitute an actual ethnic minority (e.g.,Israeli desert, Persian Iran).
Web Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin
http://www.geographia.com/egypt/sinai/bedouin.htm
http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/people1.html