Tag Archives: etec521

Module 2.1. UNDRIP: UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples related to Knowledge Societies and ICTs

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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:

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf

Module 1.5. Scholarly Journals and Publications

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 1.4. A book: Guns, Germs and Steel

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Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies 
By Jared Diamond
 
In his book, Guns, Germs, and Steal, Jared Diamond gives a thorough and convincing explanation as to why the world’s great surviving civilisations have managed to do so, and how they’ve come to conquer others. Diamond stands against the idea that such civilisational success is the result of any kind of intellectual, moral or genetic superiority.
Diamond notes that many indigenous people around the world (e.g., Native Americans, Aboriginal Australians, Sub-Saharan Africans, and New Guineans) have to a great extent been colonised, displaced from their places of habitation, and (at least in some cases) even exterminated and killed. Primarily, Diamond explains, this happened because of certain societies’s combative and political power, which is a consequence of the emergence of agriculture thousands of years ago. Agriculture, howerver, only emerged in geographic locations where there was one or a few species of plants and animals, which were suitable for domestication and herding. This, Diamond asserts, is a relative rarity in the world of flora and fauna, and was naturally limited to a very few geographic locations in the world (the Middle East, Ganges River Valley, China, and Central America). And consequently, everything else emerged from the advantage of the early rise of agriculture.
Therefore, the variance in wealth, power and technology in various human societies, Diamond writes, is the result of environmental differences. In other words, any advantage a human society has managed to achieve over others is due to the influence of geography on cultures and societies, and was never inherent in anybody’s genome.
Web links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel
http://www.mcgoodwin.net/pages/gungermsteel.html

Module 1.3. Indigenous Language iPhone Apps

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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.

More than 3,000 languages around the world are facing extinction today. Aramaic, for example, the language that Jesus spoke, has been lost in the Middle East for long centuries. However, in two small villages in Israel/Palestine and in one in Syria Aramaic is still being taught to young children at schools. In desperate hope of saving, preserving and reviving Aramaic as a part of humanity’s cultural heritage, an Aramaic application has been launched. The app teaches the alphabets and their pronunciation, as well as, a few phrases.
Another example is the vulnerable Tamazight, the indigenous language of the Berbers of North Africa. The surviving Berber languages receive some official support from North African countries, and some of them have been made available through applications for smartphone and tablet users.
First People’s Cultural Council published a list of indigenous language learning apps; hundreds of these apps teach endangered languages through word games, interactive lessons, word lists, writing tools, flashcards, etc.
Web Links

Module 1.2. Indigenous Arab People

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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

Module 1.1 Traditional Aboriginal Children’s Games

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Play represents a natural process through which young children are able to learn and explore their environment. As an early childhood educator, I, therefore, decided to begin by researching games in aboriginal cultures in an attempt to discern their unique characteristics and better understand their educational benefits.

Around the world, people pass on their games across generations as a part of their heritage. Aboriginal people played games to develop hunting skills. A form socio-cultural interaction, a number of games also served as educational tools, entertainment tools or as a form of religious practice.

Many of the sports games we see today, namely games that use a ball, have evolved from or were inspired by the traditional games of the past (e.g., baseball, football, cricket, shinny or bandy, lacrosse and tennis, bowling, golf, etc.).

For example, according to Wikipedia, Marn Grook or marngrook, from the Gunditjmara language for “game ball”, is a collective name given to a number of traditional Indigenous Australian recreational pastimes believed to have been played at gatherings and celebrations of up to fifty players.

Moreover, other games served as problem-solving tools, embedding mathematical concepts and logical patterns.

I have gathered that there are three prevailing types of games;

1) Chance games;

2) Strategy games; and

3) Mathematical games.

Web Links

http://www.nativetech.org/games/index.php

http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/sport/traditional-aboriginal-games-activities

http://www.manataka.org/page184.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marn_Grook

 

Module 1 – Post 5: Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples

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Each year my school hosts International Week, during which the school’s international nature is celebrated. Flags from each country represented at the school are hung along the school walkway, special guests come to classes to share their culture, the PTA hosts a whole range of activities (games from around the world, story telling from around the world, dancing from around the world), and the highlight is always the international lunch we share together! Without a doubt, International Week is the highlight of the year for most students, parents and teachers.

It was during International Week in my first year here that I first became aware of Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples. I was quite surprised on national dress day to see so many Taiwanese students wearing Indigenous dress. It was really interesting to see the Taiwan exhibit put on by parents where the majority of the posters/images were of modern, Chinese Taiwan while the dress worn by the parents and the games offered for students to play were all Indigenous.

As I read more about Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples I am disheartened to learn that they are often viewed as ‘second-class citizens.’ It made me feel that this is a rather archaic/colonialist perspective and one that I had hoped was no longer present in the world. Seeing the ways in which Western countries are working towards improved relationships with and respect for Indigenous cultures, it saddens and concerns me to know that there are countries that are not moving forward and working to improve the rights of Indigenous peoples.

I am curious now as to different countries and the rights of Indigenous peoples and how Indigenous peoples are viewed, but am also a little reluctant to find out more as I fear things may not be moving in a forward, positive direction. Regardless, it is very interesting to consider Indigenous cultures outside of North America as I know so little about these peoples.

Module 1 – Post 4: Teaching Students about Aboriginal Cultures

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Today I find myself exploring how aboriginal culture and topics are taught in school. I began by looking at beginning topics, such as aboriginal art and cultures. For each of these there are a fair number of webquests available for various grade levels. I like the idea of a webquest as students work in small groups to discover information about a given topic. A webquest is a great way for students to work co-operatively. Webquests also facilitate inquiry based learning.

I then found myself exploring Australia’s Department of Education website. In particular I scoured the lesson plans available on aboriginal education. Here I was happier to see lessons plans with greater levels of analysis, critical thinking, empathy and understanding.

Ultimately my question, as I sifted through the various websites, was: can a non-Aboriginal person teach Aboriginal Culture? My initial thoughts are, of course. One does not need to be a part of a culture to teach it to students. But then I got to thinking about myself and Vietnamese culture. I don’t think I would be comfortable teaching students about Vietnamese culture, even though I have lived here for six years and my husband is Vietnamese, as I don’t feel that I appreciate the subtleties of the culture. Nor do I have a deep enough understanding of the language, cultural practices or history. But simply because I do not have the confidence does that mean that there should not be non-Vietnamese individuals teaching Vietnamese culture?

My question remains: Can/should non-Aboriginals teach Aboriginal culture?

Module 1: Post 3 – Australian Aboriginal Children – The Stolen Generations

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Each year in the Middle School where I work, students read the novel Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington and learn about the tragic practice by the Australian Government of removing aboriginal children from their home without evidence of abuse or neglect and forcing them to live in state run facilities.  The novel recounts the story of three young girls who were taken from their home and moved to a facility 1, 600 km away. The girls escape and walk home simply by following the rabbit proof fence that ran north to south in Western Australia. The novel, and film, captivates students’. They are as astonished that a government could have such a policy as they are that children their age and younger could walk that far.

This practice by the Australian government is all too similar to Canada’s residential schools. It is not surprising that more than one country had a similar practice of removing children they deemed to be raised in an unsatisfactory setting and putting them in state run schools/facilities. Not surprising, and not right. It is tragic that these children are then subjected to abuse at the hands of those who are meant to be caring for them.  As the article “For residential school kids, a legacy of sex abuse” suggests, the abuse suffered by children at the residential schools impacts future generations. Many of my Indigenous friends are affected by the suffering their parents and grandparents endured at residential schools.

The belief that a government can single out the children of one group of people and forcibly remove them from their home and subject them to live their childhood in a state run facility is barbaric. That this practice happened for so long in so many countries is sad. I am hopeful that we are now learning from the mistakes of the past and realizing the long lasting impacts decisions can have on individuals and their families. I am hopeful that in learning from these mistakes future groups of people are respected and their traditions are valued and honored, not systematically destroyed.

Module 1 – Post 1: Reconciliation

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As I no longer live in Canada, I am often unaware of events/national news. In this era of intense social networking, Facebook is usually my initial place for learning of things that are happening or being discussed ‘back home.’ Such is the case for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Friends, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, have been posting about the TRC throughout this week on Facebook. Through my classmates in MET 521 and this weblog I have learned that this week is Reconciliation Week in Canada. The notion of a national week for reconciliation intrigued me and I began to read further.

I discovered Reconciliation Canada, a charitable project that was created as a ‘collaboration between The Indian Residential Schools Survivor’s Society (IRSSS) and Tides Canada Initiative Society (TCI).’ I am impressed to see an organization that is devoting itself and its work to the task of reconciliation. I am also incredibly interested in the importance that is being given to reconciliation. As a historian, I have studied many groups throughout the world seeking justice for wrong doings, recognition for mistreatment or simply an apology for what has been done in the past. To have created a group that endeavors to ‘engage people from every part of Canadian society in an open and honest conversation about our diverse histories and experiences in order to build vibrant, resilient, sustainable communities‘, is an inspiring step forward.

As my search continued I came across an article titled, “Reconciliation Week a chance for ‘critical conversations’ on colonialism” by David P. Ball. Initially I was interested in the reference to colonialism, but the article seemed to touch on much more.

The article begins by introducing Reconciliation Week and refers to testimony from residential school students. Ball notes that the final residential school closed in 1996. This astonished me. Historically speaking, 1996 is not that long ago. That a residential school still existed less than two decades ago challenges my own beliefs that residential schools were an archaic way of thinking and existed in a different time and a different mindset. To have one exist so recently, unnerves me.

Another key point of the article is the relationship between the TRC and prominent oil and gas companies. Ball points out that the TRC is sponsored by Kinder Morgan – a large oil and gas company. To some this questions the validity of the entire process of the TRC, to others it gives prominence and attention to an important step that has thus far not received the attention it requires. To me this echoes our discussions from last week on the cultural neutrality of technology and the idea of bias. The fact that someone, or a group, choose which information to include on a website, in an article etc. leads to biased information being accepted as truth.  The presence of oil and gas companies in the midst of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can make on question their intentions and possibly benefits from being involved. Ultimately, this discussion on the involvement of these companies distracts from the main purpose of the TRC. It is not helpful to have the focus shift from truth and reconciliation to the intentions of oil and gas companies.

Although not easy to seek or achieve, a national movement for reconciliation is an inspired and important step forward. I hope that Canadians see the importance of having an open dialogue and are able to focus on moving forward.