Defining the principle of ethical and legal considerations

Defining the principle of data sovereignty

"Indigenous data is any information that is from or about any Indigenous person or their community, territory or nation, including but not limited to their languages, Knowledges, customs or traditions, intellectual property and ideas. Indigenous data are also relational and reciprocal, and need to reflect and be held by the community as a collective, and are equally as important to pass down through generations as a part of lifelong journeys of coming to be." — Cited from Indigenous Data Sovereignty (Indigenous Studies Research Guide at the University of Toronto)

Defining the principle of Indigenous data governance

"Indigenous data governance is the system of decision making rights and accountabilities by an Indigenous government or institution for information-related processes, executed according to agreed-upon models which describe who can take what actions with what information, and when, under what circumstances, using what methods. It is the enactment of Indigenous data sovereignty principles." — Cited from Indigenous Knowledge and Data Sovereignty (FutureCitiesCanada) [PDF]

Fundamental knowledge

• Upholding and acting upon the Calls to Action listed in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the articles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• Respecting and following data sovereignty principles, especially for research pertaining to First Nations, Urban Indigenous, Inuit, and Métis Peoples by committing to a distinctions-based approach in relationships with each.
• Practicing, role modelling, and teaching these fundamentals.

Attributions

• "Terms for Indigenous Traditional Knowledges word cloud" photo by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

How do we do this?

"Research involving Indigenous peoples in Canada has been defined and carried out primarily by non-Indigenous researchers. The approaches used have not generally reflected Indigenous worldviews, and the research has not necessarily benefited Indigenous Peoples or communities. As a result, Indigenous Peoples continue to regard research, particularly research originating outside their communities, with a certain apprehension or mistrust."

"The landscape of research involving Indigenous Peoples is rapidly changing. Growing numbers of First Nations, Inuit and Métis scholars are contributing to research as academics and community researchers. Communities are becoming better informed about the risks and benefits of research. Technological developments allowing rapid distribution of information are presenting both opportunities and challenges regarding the governance of information."

"Building reciprocal, trusting relationships will take time... ...respectful relationships, collaboration and engagement between researchers and participants may also be an important source of guidance for research involving other distinct communities. The need to respect a community’s cultural traditions, customs and codes of practice may extend beyond First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities."

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

The why

The goal

The 94 Calls to Action

• Acknowledging the full, horrifying history of the Residential Schools System
• Creating systems to prevent these abuses from ever happening again

1. Legacy - Calls to Action 1 to 42.
2. Reconciliation - Calls to Action 43 to 94.

Legacy Calls to Action

1. Child Welfare
2. Education
3. Language and Culture
4. Health
5. Justice

Reconciliation Calls to Action

• Meaningfully and permanently dismantle the systemic racism that leads to poor health outcomes, premature death, and limited economic opportunities
• Vastly improve life for Indigenous Peoples in Canada
• Ensure, through honest education, that this never happens again

Indigenous Traditional Knowledges and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

TRC Call to Action #45, iv

"We call upon the Government of Canada… To reconcile Aboriginal and Crown constitutional and legal orders to ensure that Aboriginal peoples are full partners in Confederation, including the recognition and integration of Indigenous laws and legal traditions in negotiation and implementation processes involving Treaties, land claims, and other constructive agreements."

TRC Call to Action #63

"We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:

1. Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.

2. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.

3. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.

4. Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above."

What are the TRC's goals?

1. Acknowledge Residential School experiences, impacts, and consequences.
2. Provide a holistic, culturally appropriate, and safe setting for former students, their families, and communities as they come forward to the Commission.
3. Witness, support, promote, and facilitate Truth and Reconciliation events at both national and community levels.
4. Promote awareness and public education of Canadians about the Indian Residential School System and its impacts.
5. Identify sources and create a historical record of the Indian Residential School System and its legacy.
6. Produce and submit a report including recommendations to the Government of Canada concerning the Indian Residential School System and experience, including its history, purpose, operation and supervision, effect and consequences (including systemic harms, intergenerational consequences, and impact on human dignity), and ongoing legacy.
7. Support commemoration of former Indian Residential School students and their families.

Additional TRC resources

• Calls to Action [PDF]
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action for Education - People for Education
• Post-Secondary Education in Canada: A Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada - Graduate School of Public Policy

• Take all measures necessary to ensure the laws of Canada are consistent with UNDRIP.
• Prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of UNDRIP.
• Develop annual reports on progress and submit them to Parliament.

How does UNDRIP impact Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (commonly known as North America) today?

Article 1

"Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law." —Cited from UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (ubc.ca)

Article 3

Article 3 of UNDRIP recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination, which includes the right “to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.” —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ (nctr.ca)

Article 4

Article 4 affirms Indigenous Peoples’ right “to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs.” —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

Article 5

Article 5 protects their right “to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions.” —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

Article 11

"Indigenous peoples have the right to practice and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature." —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

Article 26

Article 26 states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to the lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired,” and it directs states to give legal recognition to these territories. —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

Article 31

"Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the  right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions." —Cited from UNDRIP FAQ - NCTR

UNDRIP themes

Attributions

• "UNDRIP Themes" diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

• Consent
• Consultation and collaboration
• Localization
• Giving decision-making power

What is meant by Indigenous data sovereignty?

"Indigenous Data Sovereignty is the ability for Indigenous peoples, communities and Nations to participate, steward and control data that is created with or about themselves… It recognizes that Indigenous People are the ultimate authority in their data and Knowledges and aims to redefine Indigenous Peoples' relationship to research from being participants or subjects to being meaningful partners and co-researchers." —Cited from Indigenous Data Sovereignty (Indigenous Studies Research Guide at the University of Toronto (utoronto.ca)

"Data sovereignty is also about empowering First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities to choose when and how to allow others to reciprocally apply their Knowledges and data in ways that benefit non-Indigenous people — for example, applying Indigenous environmental stewardship practices more broadly." —Cited from Nindokiikayencikewin: to seek learning or Knowledges. Indigenous Knowledges and Data Governance Protocol [PDF]

Indigenous data governance

Dominant governance guidelines

• First Nations principles of OCAP®
• Manitoba Métis principles of OCAS/Principles of Ethical Métis Research
• Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit/National Inuit Strategy on Research
• USAI (Utility, Self-voicing, Access, and Inter-relationality) Research Framework
• CARE Principles

Attributions

• “Indigenous data sovereignty” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Why the First Nations Principles of OCAP®?

• Physical
• Psychological
• Social
• Economic
• Legal
• Relational

Four principles of OCAP®

O is for Ownership

"Ownership refers to the relationship of First Nations to their cultural knowledge, data, and information. This principle states that a community or group owns information collectively in the same way that an individual owns his or her personal information."

C is for Control

"Control affirms that First Nations, their communities, and representative bodies are within their rights to seek control over all aspects of research and information management processes that impact them. First Nations control of research can include all stages of a particular research project-from start to finish. The principle extends to the control of resources and review processes, the planning process, management of the information and so on."

A is for Access

"Access refers to the fact that First Nations must have access to information and data about themselves and their communities regardless of where it is held. The principle of access also refers to the right of First Nations’ communities and organizations to manage and make decisions regarding access to their collective information. This may be achieved, in practice, through standardized, formal protocols."

P is for Permission

"While ownership identifies the relationship between a people and their information in principle, possession or stewardship is more concrete: it refers to the physical control of data. Possession is the mechanism by which ownership can be asserted and protected."

Localization

A note of understanding

Attributions

• "Visual of OCAP®" diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Principle I: Utility

Research needs are based on community priorities.

• Research inquiry is practical, relevant, and directly benefits communities.
• Research findings are immediate resources that benefit communities and build local capacity.
• Generated knowledge must be useful and relevant to communities and people involved in research activities.
• Communities decide on nature of actions that follow research activities.

Principle II: Self-voicing

Research, knowledge, and practice are authored by communities that are fully recognized as knowledge creators and Knowledge Keepers.

• Knowledge production, authorship, and dissemination constitute a political process to decolonize Indigenous Knowledges and practices.
• All community voices frame research reality; all research activities are self-determined; all research findings are authored by communities.
• Research goes beyond "inclusion" and "engagement"; communities construct and author their Knowledge and define their own actions.

Principle III: Access

Research fully recognizes all local Knowledge, practice, and experience in all their cultural manifestations as accessible by all research authors and Knowledge Keepers.

• Local knowledge, lived experience, community narratives, personal stories, and spiritual expressions are reliable and valid forms of authored research, both as researched reality and methods to understand and relate to it.
• Research is part of everyday life; it is never static or finished; it speaks everybody’s language; it is situated in the present, supported by the past, and contemplates the future.
• No mediators or cultural translators are needed to interpret or validate local knowledge, actions, and reflections.

Principle IV: Inter-relationality

Research is historically situated, geopolitically positioned, relational, and explicit about the perspective from which knowledge is generated.

• Research takes place within the complex web of interconnected relationships and encompasses all stages of life.
• All knowledge and all practice are situated within all relations; there is no objective knowledge or neutral praxis.
• There is always an historical context to Indigenous knowledge and praxis, which are inseparably linked to Indigenous identity and all its interrelated socio-political expressions.

CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance

• Collective benefit: How and what data is being collected is designed to directly benefit Indigenous Peoples.
• Authority to control: Indigenous Peoples must have the authority and ability to control and govern their data.
• Responsibility: People working with Indigenous data have a responsibility to be transparent in how their use of the data will support Indigenous self-determination and collective benefit.
• Ethics: Throughout the whole process, Indigenous rights and well-being are centred, and people work to minimize harm and maximize the benefits.

Collective Benefit

Data ecosystems shall be designed and function in ways that enable Indigenous Peoples to derive benefit from the data.

Authority to Control

Indigenous Peoples have the right and authority to control their data.

Responsibility

Researchers working with Indigenous Peoples have a responsibility to support Indigenous Peoples rights.

Ethics

Indigenous Peoples’ rights and well-being should be the primary concern at all stages of the data life cycle and across the data ecosystem.

Attributions

• “USAI framework” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.
• “CARE principles” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

• Data sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples must reflect the interests and priorities of Indigenous Peoples.
• Communities must not only dictate what data is collected about them but also have the power to determine who has access to the data.
• There will be different approaches to data sovereignty across Nations. Nations themselves need to define their data parameters, how data gets protected, and how they wish to tell their story historically, today, and into the future.

Additional governance models

• Assembly of First Nations. (n.d.) First Nations Ethics Guide on Research and Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge [PDF].
• Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies. (2003). Ethical Principles for the Conduct of Research in the North [PDF]
• Government of Canada. (2022). Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans, 2nd edition (TCPS 2). “Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada.”
• SAMHSA. (2009). “Etiquette - Do’s and Don’ts [PDF].” CultureCard. (A resource on enacting culturally relevant manners and protocols)

Moving forward—applying what you know

Data sovereignty principles themes

• Balancing individual and collective rights.
• Upholding culturally grounded ethical principles.
• Ensuring community-driven/self-determined research.

Governance models

• First Nations principles of OCAP®
• OCAS /Principles of Ethical Métis Research
• Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit/National Inuit Strategy on Research
• USAI (Utility, Self Voicing, Access and Inter-Relationality Research Framework)
• CARE Principles

TRC & UNDRIP

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
• Canadian government

Summary

• Following the research/communications governance of the  community you are wanting to connect with
• Collaborating with the Nation you are working with early and often
• Upholding the Calls to Action in the TRC
• Being guided by the Articles of UNDRIP

Fundamental knowledge of communication and collaboration

• Invest in the time required to establish trusting and meaningful relationships with your students and your host Nation.
• Know that each student and community member may communicate and collaborate differently based on history, cultural values, and lived experiences.
• Be patient. Your investment of time can lead to effective communication and collaboration in Indigenous digital literacy work.

Why words matter

Communications with Indigenous Peoples

Pre- and post-contact

Use: "pre-contact" and "post-contact" Don't use: “prehistory” or “discovered by Columbus”

Indigenous Peoples of Canada

Use: "Indigenous Peoples of Canada" Don’t use: "Canada’s Indigenous Peoples"

Rights and Title Holders

Use: "Rights and Title Holders" Don’t use: "Stakeholders"

Traditional territory or unceded territory

Use: "traditional territory" or "unceded territory" Don't use: "Crown lands"

Do not use “equality”

• Indigenous Peoples were denied the right to vote until 1960. They could only vote if they gave up their Indian status and Treaty Rights.
• As long as there are two sets of laws, there will never be equality.
• When Indigenous Peoples hear the terms “equality” or “equal,” they know they would have to give up their constitutionally protected rights, or they hear they can be equal only if they give up their human rights to be who they are as a people.
• If the subject of equality comes up, it is wise to tread carefully.

Use: careful consideration when speaking of equality Don’t use: "equality"

Indigenous Rights

"The doctrine of Aboriginal rights exists because of one simple fact: when Europeans arrived in North America, Aboriginal peoples were already here, living in communities on the land, and participating in distinctive cultures, as they had done for centuries. It is this fact, and this fact above all others, which separates Indigenous peoples from all other minority groups in Canadian society and which mandates their special legal status. "The rights of Indigenous peoples were originally established in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, but it wasn’t until over two hundred years later, in 1996, that they were recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. In R. v. Van der Peet, they were confirmed and a test by which to prove Indigenous Rights was established. "The Royal Proclamation also recognized Indigenous Rights for Indigenous Peoples to harvest resources from their traditional territories. The principle is acknowledged in that the Indigenous lands are '… reserved to them, or any of them, as their Hunting Grounds'. "Indigenous Rights should never be referred to as special rights. There is no alternative phrase for Indigenous Rights." —Cited from 9 Terms to Avoid in Communications with Indigenous Peoples (ictinc.ca)

Use: "Indigenous Rights" Don't use: "special rights"

Summary

Use:  

• "pre-contact" and "post-contact"
• "Indigenous Peoples of Canada"
• "Rights and Title Holders"
• "traditional territory" or "unceded territory"
• careful consideration when speaking of equality
• "Indigenous Rights"

Attributions

• "Eo circle blue-grey checkmark" by Emoji One is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Verbal communication

Indirect communication

• The communication style of Indigenous Peoples is polite and seems indirect.
• Communication may seem passive, especially with people not familiar to them. This is done to avoid conflict.
• Indigenous Peoples will give their opinion or point of view in negotiations, but they will avoid argument or trying to appear that their opinion is right.
• Direct communication is reserved for relationships with a high level of trust or crucial situations.
• These communication attributes should not be mistaken for the person being ambiguous.
• A refusal, such as saying no, is believed to be aggressive in Indigenous cultures. This means that disagreement is expressed indirectly.
• Indigenous Peoples may use phrases such as “maybe” or “I’ll do my best” as a way to express “no.”
• “Yes” has various connotations that differ from Western cultures. An Indigenous person may say yes to indicate they are listening, but their body language may be communicating their disagreement.

Politeness

• Communication in Indigenous cultures leans into politeness. This means avoiding saying “no” directly.
• One way to navigate what might seems like ambiguity is to seek clarification often during communications and sticking to open-ended questions.

Hierarchy

• The social hierarchy of Indigenous community can influence communication.
• Being respectful of and deferring to authority takes place in the home and in community.
• Refusing or disagreeing with a senior person is done with sensitivity and indirect communication.

Non-verbal communication

Body language

• Indigenous Peoples may remain silent and not provide a direct no. It is advisable to pay attention to what is not being said.

Physical contact

• Indigenous Peoples may prefer not not to touch people. They may touch an arm or hand lightly when speaking directly to someone.
• Personal space needs to be respected. Keeping someone at arm's length is a good measure.
• Physical touch and personal space will change when communicating with someone of a different gender.

Eye contact

• Eye contact can be minimal. Eyes may be averted.
• If your student is keeping direct eye contact, then show respect by averting your eyes periodically.
• Direct eye contact is considered a form of aggression and may be seen as disrespectful.
• In many Indigenous cultures, the eyes are believed to be the window to the soul. If you look someone directly in the eye, you could steal their soul, or they could steal yours.

Pointing and standing

• Pointing the index finger toward someone is considered to be accusatory. A more polite way to beckon or refer to someone is to use your whole palm facing down.
• Standing with your hands on your hips suggests that you are angry or ready to argue.

Head and feet

• Touching someone on the top of the head is deemed to be offensive.
• Touching someone on the feet is considered rude.

Silence

Direct questions

Autonomy

Place-based learning

Two-way learning

• Instructor to student
• Student to instructor
• Student to student
• Culture to culture

Holistic approach to learning

Use of story

Be or become

• Be patient and provide the time needed.
• Be respectful.
• Be comfortable with quiet communications.
• Be less direct.
• Be ready to allow autonomy in learning.
• Be creative with group work.
• Be an advocate of two way-learning.
• Be holistic in your teaching approach.
• Be a storyteller.

Collaboration from start to finish

Robyn Grebliunas

Known Accessibility Issues and Areas for Improvement

Let Us Know if You are Having Problems Accessing This Book

• The name of the resource
• The location of the problem by providing a web address or page description.
• A description of the problem
• The computer, software, browser, and any assistive technology you are using that can help us diagnose and solve your issue (e.g., Windows 10, Google Chrome (Version 65.0.3325.181), NVDA screen reader)

• Web form: Report an Error

Try online discussion learning boards

Cultivate togetherness in your online classroom

Attempt a learning log assessment

Design an introductory email in line with Indigenous introduction protocols

Self-location identity web

Encourage participatory learning

Self-Assessment #3

What structures could you put in place in a school library to support participatory culture? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

These are good questions to be asking in your Indigenous digital literacy work. Let’s explore.

Classroom suggestions

• Share a land acknowledgement, self-location, and instructor positionality.
• Build rapport and introduce questions with a more conversational approach.
• Show interest in hearing stories and understand their value in their underlying messages.
• Build a safe and trusting community.
• Incorporate a kinesthetic and visual learning approach with a greater variety of practical experiences.
• Relate examples to your students’ environment and community.
• Create classroom traditions just as you would with in-person teaching.
• Introduce collaborative projects involving student voice and choice.
• Put classroom culture into practice.

• Build trust. Get to know your students. There needs to be mutual trust to establish your legitimacy.
• Acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land where you teach.
• Honour students’ diversity within Indigenous cultures by letting them mark their Nation and language group.
• Run your curriculum ideas by community Elders first. Elders are a valuable resource with timeless knowledge. They can also introduce you to contacts in the community and people who can speak to the class.
• Invite community members into the classroom to share their stories and have a talking  circle.
• Make two-way learning a habit. Let students share their knowledge. Have students run a lesson, which is often something they’ve never experienced before.
• To support community context, use local resources that align with the curriculum.
• Promote calmness and balance. It is helpful to introduce routines.

Questions to explore regarding communication and collaboration with Indigenous communities

• Has the Indigenous community named its own spokesperson?
• Does the Indigenous community have a representative group or team?
• Have the powers and tasks of the team been decided?
• What other people can step in if some members of the  team must do other things in the Indigenous community?
• How will you be sure everyone in the Indigenous community knows what is going on?

Attributions

• "Indigenous students studying on campus. Students from the Stat’imc/Nlakapamux and Fort McKay First Nations." by Simone Paul is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
• "Diversity Identity Web" appears in "Seen, Valued, Heard: Honoring Identity to Establish Community" by Melanie Meehan on Two Writing Teachers, which is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.

Moving forward—applying what you know

Self-Assessment #4

Combining your knowledge from Module 1 and Module 2, how will you approach communication and community collaboration in your Indigenous digital literacy work? Once you have answered this question, complete the following checklist as a post-assessment:

• I understand that the impact of Residential Schools is ongoing.
• I recognize that all Indigenous Peoples do not share a common culture.
• I create a culturally inclusive environment for Indigenous students in my classroom.
• I understand and implement the concept of strength-based language.
• I recognize trauma responses in my students and understand a trauma-informed approach. I understand and carry out Indigenous communication protocols.
• I avoid triggering language.

Record your responses in your Toolkit.

How, then, can we honour Indigenous cultures without misappropriation? Brainstorm examples of misappropriation. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Cultural misappropriation examples

Storytelling conference

"Some years ago, Elders told stories at a conference; they had a storytelling conference. The people who brought this gathering together took those stories which were told…and the editor, a non-Indigenous person, then put this collection together, for which a copyright was made to her. So Indigenous peoples are asking, ‘If I give you this [story], you take it and say: this is my property, when it’s my story. And my story belongs not to me but it is created by a collective effort of my community. The story doesn’t come because I’m an individual. It comes because I’m in a particular culture, in a particular language, in a particular situation that has been collectively acquired and developed through the collectivity’. So it’s a collective effort, it’s a collective issue." —Dr. M. Battiste, as quoted in University Library Report of the Ithaka S&R Study on Improving Library Resources and Services for Indigenous Studies Scholars [PDF]

Cowichan sweater

Inuksuk cairns

The Maliseet First Nation

Dream catchers

Orange shirts and where to buy them matters

Halloween costumes

Totem poles

Even though totem poles are defined by the First Nations peoples who create them as communicators of Indigenous knowledge, events, history, place, rights, laws and identity, non-Indigenous peoples have long superimposed their own ways of knowing, being and doing onto totem poles, thereby redefining totem poles on non-Indigenous terms. This redefinition has essentially robbed First Nations totem poles of their meaning by taking them, using their image, and talking about them out of their cultural contexts. —Cited from Appropriation (?) of the Month: First Nation Totem Poles

Art

Sports

Open access

Fundamentals of creation and curation

• Understanding how to avoid cultural misappropriation
• Appreciating the effects of cultural appropriation
• Knowing and following protocols for respectfully and appropriately using Indigenous Traditional Knowledges
• Practicing, role modelling, and teaching these fundamentals

Self-Assessment #2

How can Indigenous Peoples protect their cultural expressions from exploitation and ensure that their Traditional Indigenous Knowledges are created and curated to avoid misappropriation? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Attributions

• The image of a replica Cowichan sweater is a product image from Hudson's Bay. It is being used under fair dealing to illustrate how the Hudson's Bay design appropriated the traditional sweater designs of the Cowichan Tribe.
• The Vancouver 2010 Olympics logo is being used under fair dealing to illustrate how the logo design appropriated the inunnguaq.
• "Dream Catcher Culture Indian" image by Orangefox is free for use under the Pixabay Content License.
• "Orange Shirt Day 2018" by the Province of British Columbia is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 licence.
• "let the cultural appropriation season begin!" by lance robotson is licensed under a CC BY-NC 2.0 licence.
• "Totem RMBC 1" by HighInBC is in the public domain.
• "Indigenous art souvenir magnets" by Francesca Fionda is being used under fair dealing to illustrate how Indigenous art is being copied by non-Indigenous people for profit.
• "Cleveland Indians vs. Los Angeles Angels" by Erik Drost is licensed under a CC BY 2.0 licence.

Understand customary laws

"Customary laws that are in effect in Indigenous communities dictate specific rights, responsibilities, and cultural obligations. These regulate what can and cannot be used, by whom, and under what circumstances. In other words, it is not that Indigenous cultural heritage isn’t protected at all; rather, the problem is that many people are unaware of, or choose to ignore, these rules."

Foundational Canadian legal rights

• Section 35 of the Constitution Act of Canada
• The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted by UNESCO
• UNDRIP [PDF], Article 31(1)

Constitution Act, section 35

Section 35 of the Constitution Act states:

(1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed. (3) For greater certainty, in subsection (1) treaty rights includes rights that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the aboriginal and treaty rights referred to in subsection (1) are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.

What section 35 doesn’t do

• Indigenous title (ownership rights to land)
• Rights to occupy and use lands and resources, such as hunting and fishing rights
• Self-government rights
• Cultural and social rights

UNESCO

• Work in collaborate to advance the knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Peoples
• Recommend international agreements to promote reconciliation
• Give Indigenous  ways of knowing and being an equal space in mainstream education
• Maintain and advance Indigenous Knowledges

UNDRIP Article 31(1)

Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions.

Recap other key documents

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
• First Nations principles of OCAP®
• Manitoba Métis principles of OCAS /Principles of Ethical Métis Research
• Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit/National Inuit Strategy on Research
• CARE Principles

Understand and follow protocols for appropriate use of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges

"Although protocols have a strictly procedural and guidance function in many mainstream contexts, in Indigenous cultures they are considered sacred. Protocols are intentional agreements between Elders and knowledge-keepers, community members, the land and the Creator within a ceremony, practice or process." —Cited from Guiding Protocols for Civic-Indigenous Engagement [PDF] (futurecitiescanada.ca)

Learn how to follow the protocols of those whose land you are working on for responsible creation and curation.

Indigenous communication protocols

Respecting Indigenous protocols, laws, and governance structures

How to move forward in a good way

Research the culture

Obtain free, prior, and informed consent

Share control over process and product

Engage, promote, and share benefits

Acknowledgement and attribution

Reciprocity and benefit-sharing

How to build connections at the Indigenous community level

Band offices

Elders

Knowledge Keepers/Holders

The term “Knowledge Keeper” or "Traditional Knowledge Keeper" refers to someone who has been taught by an Elder or a senior Knowledge Keeper within their community. This person holds Traditional Knowledges and teachings. They have been taught how to care for these teachings and when it is and is not appropriate to share this knowledge with others.

Elder and Knowledge Holder protocols

Sharing a meal

Giving thanks

Offering tobacco and/or a gift

Attributions

• "Best Practices" diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

• Support the use of Indigenous Knowledges and language
• Support all learners by offering Traditional Knowledge and spiritual guidance
• Assist faculty, staff, and administration to build capacity in areas of Cultural Knowledge and understanding

Indigenous support staff

• 26 public institutions employ at least one Indigenous education coordinator who provides support services to Indigenous learners.
• 25 institutions have Indigenous advisory councils, which provide a link to Indigenous communities.

Indigenous Houses of Learning/Gathering Places

Post-secondary websites on Indigenous topics

Example from UNBC’s homepage

Indigenous Speaker Series

Indigenous guest speakers

• Students presenting on their cultures
• Other faculty
• Chiefs and Council members
• Clan Mothers
• Alumni
• Elders
• Indigenous scholars

Things you can do

• Identify and access academic and community educational resources that would enable knowledge building around Indigenous Peoples and their perspectives and culture.
• Develop an academic and community contact list of individuals who you can begin relationships with.
• Take an active role (and encourage others to do so as well) to independently locate educational resources that are accessed through reputable and authentic Indigenous community sources.
• Identify on-campus supports to assist you in assessing the quality of resources.
• Evaluate information gathered and reach out to appropriate contacts who may offer guidance and support.

Attributions

• "UNBC home page" image is a screenshot from UNBC's website that is used under fair dealing to illustrate a university website that is directing users to initiatives and resources related to truth and reconciliation.

Creation and curation life cycle

1. Locate and identify Indigenous Peoples in the area of your project that ensure they have community permission to engage with you.
2. Respect the traditional rights of Indigenous Peoples as Rights and Title holder and not just stakeholders; they have rights to resources and a right to protect their Knowledges.
3. Share the final product. The Indigenous Peoples you are working with will want to see the final project, know what happens after the project is completed.
4. Understand Indigenous Traditional Knowledges before endeavouring to collect or use them. Indigenous Traditional Knowledges have many characteristics that our unique to their cultures that are vastly different from mainstream Canadian culture. These characteristics will affect how you can acquire and use the Knowledges. The most respectful approach is to build Indigenous Knowledge Holders into the project at all stages.
5. Build on the strengths of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges; Indigenous Traditional Knowledges are intensely local and have endured since time immemorial.
6. Include Indigenous Traditional Knowledges and Peoples from the very beginning.
7. Obtain Indigenous Traditional Knowledges on the basis of trust, respect, equity, and sovereignty.

Creating materials specific to different audiences and platforms

Assessing Indigenous Traditional Knowledges curated from web-based and print sources

• Engage with Indigenous communities by consulting with them and Knowledge Holders directly to ensure that Indigenous perspectives are accurately represented and validated.
• Evaluate the quality of web-based sources by considering factors such as the credibility of the website, authorship, and if it is peer reviewed.
• Check back with the community after gathering Indigenous Traditional Knowledges to get feedback and ensure the accuracy of content.
• Ensure respectful representation of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges by making sure it is accurate and respectful to avoid misappropriation.

Moving forward—applying what you know

• Did I incorporate authentic Indigenous resources?
• Does my project truly require the use of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges?
• Is my work based on accurate knowledge and representations of Indigenous Peoples and their culture? Am I sure my work does not reinforce stereotypes about Indigenous Peoples?
• Am I sure that my work does not show disrespect for the beliefs and worldviews of the Indigenous Peoples whose cultural Traditional Knowledges were shared?
• Did I engage with Indigenous Peoples or the Nation from the beginning of the project?

Path of creation and curation summary

1. The work before the work.
2. Forming the partnership.
3. Maintaining the partnership.
4. Closing the partnership.
5. The relationship after the work.

Self-Assessment #1

 

To avoid misappropriation, it is important to critically reflect on why you are turning to Indigenous cultural heritage for your inspiration. Examining your process for creating and curating content allows you to look at how we can be mindful of other ways of knowing and being in the world. How can you contribute to the ethical treatment of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges so as not to misappropriate? How can you support Indigenous Traditional Knowledges on your reconciliation journey and prevent further misappropriation? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Moving forward

• Assess your current knowledge and the role of your own culture in shaping your knowledge.
• Evaluate information and conduct a self-analysis to assist in identifying gaps in knowledge and understanding your biases and assumptions.
• Begin to brainstorm resources and pathways to assist in addressing knowledge gaps, reframing current knowledge, and developing opportunities for connecting with Indigenous cultures and transforming your perspective.

Summary

Attributions

• "Creation and Curation" image by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

"Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning." —Cited from Information Literacy: Concepts and Teaching Strategies | Teaching and Learning Resource Center (osu.edu)

Fundamental knowledge of information literacy

• Using critical thinking to navigate online information
• Recognizing Indigenous communities as the maintainers and controllers of digitized cultural heritage resources, intellectual property, art, and knowledge systems
• Being familiar with Indigenous copyright

Important aspects to understanding online information production, prioritization, and presentation

Information evaluation

• Critical thinking: Developing critical-thinking skills is crucial for assessing the credibility of online information. It involves questioning sources, considering biases, and evaluating evidence.
• Source reliability: Understanding that not all online sources are equal. Reliable sources come from reputable institutions, experts, or peer-reviewed publications.
• Fact-checking: Verifying information through fact-checking websites or cross-referencing multiple sources.

Online information production

• Content creation: Recognizing that anyone can publish content online, which means varying levels of accuracy and quality.
• User-generated content: Acknowledging that social media, blogs, and forums often contain user-generated content, which may lack rigorous fact-checking.
• Media literacy: Understanding how media (text, images, videos) can shape narratives and influence opinions.

Prioritization and presentation

• Algorithmic influence: Realizing that algorithms (used by search engines and social media platforms) determine what content users see. These algorithms prioritize based on relevance, popularity, and user behaviour.
• Filter bubbles: Being aware that personalized algorithms can create filter bubbles, limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints.
• Confirmation bias: Recognizing that algorithms may reinforce existing beliefs by showing content aligned with users’ preferences.
• Clickbait and sensationalism: Identifying sensational headlines or clickbait designed to attract attention but may not provide accurate information.

Media literacy

• Understanding biases: Acknowledging that developers’ worldviews influence the technologies they create, which can introduce biases.
• Awareness of perspectives: Recognizing that online information can present different viewpoints and ways of knowing.
• Awareness of online content bias: Being mindful of biases within online content and technology.

Ways to make informed decisions

• Mindfully choose search engines and what online content you consume
• Understand that search results are modified by search engines, search history, geographic location, algorithms, content moderation, search engine optimization, targeted advertisements, and marketing
• Recognize that people provide their own perspective in their work, using digital technology to seek out and understand different valid perspectives
• Be able to differentiate between truth and misinformation
• Know that false information can easily spread online, including through social media, websites, images, and videos
• Know that anybody can publish online, and that widespread information is not always accurate
• Know that image- and video-altering software is widespread and frequently used, especially on social media
• Know that information online can be presented through different worldviews and may not reflect other interpretations
• Have strategies to determine if online content is authentic and/or accurate

Indigenous Traditional Knowledges

Indigenous Rights

"Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions." —Cited from Indigenous Knowledge and the Question of Copyright (ictinc.ca)

Nothing about us, without us.

Follow protocols

Build trust and relationships

Understand the culture, heritage, and belonging

"We belong to the 'property'; it doesn’t belong to us. We (my people—Onkwehonwe) belong to our land, our medicines, our communities, our philosophies, and our way of life. All these elements endure over time; we come and go." —Sheree Bonaparte (Mohawk/Akwesasne)

The community decides

"It has to come from the community themselves—what do they want to be published or come out and be considered in the public domain and what should be kept secret or within the community. Usually the communities have protocol already.… But the community said that those are sacred knowledge that should not come out. So we did not publish it. Yes the community has a system for determining what is good and not good for them. This is sacred. There is ritual involved here. Outsiders should not know. We all know it is possible to steal so those knowledge stays in the community." —Cited from The Arts of Indigenous online dissent [PDF]

Guiding questions to ask yourself

• Is there a collective benefit?
• Who has authority and control?
• Did you follow the ethics?
• Did you act responsibly?
• What kinds of Knowledges are being shared?
• Is there any protocol that needs to be adhered to?
• Is there consent from the community to share information?
• Is this primary or secondary information?

Principles when collecting Indigenous Traditional Knowledges

Relationships

Consent

Collection

Knowledge Keepers

Communication

Honoraria

Flexibility

Engagement

Awareness

• Ownership and Inheritance—community, clan, families
• The earned right to share the knowledge
• Age
• Gender identity
• Geography
• Season
• Techniques—art, harvesting

"In some Indigenous communities, certain families or clans hold the exclusive right to sing certain songs or dance certain dances, and those rights have been handed down through generations, sometimes for thousands of years. If someone were to take out a copyright on a song, with the thought that they were protecting their rights, they would, in reality, be making the song vulnerable to commercial exploitation." —Cited from Indigenous Knowledge and the Question of Copyright (ictinc.ca)

Indigenous law examples

"On the North American Northwest Coast, Indigenous customary laws limit the representation of crest designs by certain groups of individuals, families, or clans. As a result, only specific people in the community are allowed to depict certain beings and tell certain stories. Being a steward of tangible and intangible heritage is a key component of a person’s identity, and these responsibilities are passed on between generations. "Yet it is very common for Northwest Coast images to be reproduced by companies in disregard of these rules. For instance, a company may have relied on Canadian law to determine that an image had fallen into the public domain 50 years after the passing of the person who created it. According to Northwest Coast customary laws, however, this kind of practice can be likened to both property and identity theft." —Cited from Think Before You Appropriate (sfu.ca) [PDF]

Governance models

How to deal with different stakeholders in a project that includes Indigenous Peoples

"… bear in mind is that Indigenous Peoples are rightsholders, not stakeholders, in many aspects of research. Some of these rights are articulated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), among other places. UNDRIP is one of the broadest documents that covers Indigenous groups around the world, but local groups will also have Treaties, laws, land claims, charters, and other ways of articulating rights that distinguish them from other types of stakeholders."

Existing intellectual property laws are not enough

"Many individuals and businesses rely on copyright, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, or other aspects of intellectual property law to protect their creations against misappropriation… When it comes to [Indigenous Traditional Knowledges], however, ensuring protection tends to be more complicated. [Intellectual property] laws are designed to protect an individual’s creations for a limited time span, whereas cultural practices and expressions are developed collectively over many generations. Furthermore, intellectual property laws reflect the worldview that is dominant in society, which is rarely an Indigenous viewpoint."

"Existing copyright law, steeped in Western concepts and values, does not adequately protect Indigenous traditional cultural expressions, nor does it sufficiently reflect or account for Indigenous cultural values." —Cited from Sharing Indigenous Cultural Heritage Online: An Overview of GLAM Policies - Creative Commons

"To a culture that has struggled to maintain its customs, traditions, languages, and knowledge from the force of colonization and assimilation there is sometimes an urgency to record or create a tangible record of oral histories, songs, dances, and traditional knowledge before the knowledge keepers have passed away. However, the very act of recording as a way of maintaining their culture for future generations introduces an element of vulnerability because they are now tangible and could be lost, or worse, stolen and sold for commercial gain." —Cited from Indigenous Knowledge and the Question of Copyright (ictinc.ca)

Why Canadian copyright laws are not enough

1. Canadian copyright laws are designed from an individualistic ownership perspective. Many Indigenous cultures are communal in social structure and, thus, Indigenous Traditional Knowledges is owned “collectively”; therefore, Indigenous Traditional Knowledges under the Canadian Copyright Act are  not sufficient protected. Because the knowledge is often communally held rather than individually held, it can be considered part of the public domain.
2. In Canada, copyright expires 70 years after the death of the author. Then the work enters public domain, meaning anyone can do anything with the object without public permission. This time frame is not culturally appropriate, for Indigenous Peoples whose histories, cultures, and knowledges extend back to time immemorial. While it is difficult for expressions of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges to qualify for copyright protection, we recommend that you respect Indigenous Traditional Knowledges beyond Canadian copyright law.
3. The copyright eligibility criteria, such as originality and authorship, are often at odds with Indigenous notions of creativity and custodianship over a community’s Indigenous Traditional Knowledges. The “author” of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges is often not identifiable, and there is thus no “rights holder” in the usual sense of the term.
4. Most Indigenous Traditional Knowledges are handed down from generation to generation in an oral tradition, are owned communally, and not dated and or in a written format.

Self-Assessment #2

We have discussed the possibility of cultural appropriation being an outcome of the lack of legal protection for Indigenous Traditional Knowledges. What other potential concerns are there regarding the lack of legal protection for Indigenous Traditional Knowledges? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Intellectual property rights misuse in research

• Control Indigenous communities
• Gain access to Indigenous lands
• Steal natural resources
• Control the narrative of bodies and knowledges
• Conduct research to advance careers of non-Indigenous people

Successful respect

"One recent successful case of respect for [Indigenous Traditional Knowledges] is the case of the Khoi and San Peoples in South Africa. For thousands of years, the Khoi and San Peoples have maintained the use of the popular rooibos (red grass) tea as a medicine and drink. Rooibos is a tea that is now drunk by the general population in South Africa and is commercially exported all over the world. In 2019, the National Khoi and San Council won a successful royalty negotiation for being the first peoples to explore and preserve the ancient knowledge of the uses of the rooibos plant."

Legal protection for Indigenous intellectual property

1. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) includes several clauses relating specifically to the protection of intellectual property of Indigenous peoples.
2. Canada’s Constitution Act, 1982, section 35.

UNDRIP

"Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions."

1. Indigenous Peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature.
2. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with Indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs.

Constitution Act, section 35

• Aboriginal rights (commonly referred to as Indigenous rights) are collective rights of distinctive Indigenous societies flowing from their status as the original peoples of Canada. These rights are recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
• The Constitution Act, 1982, does not define Indigenous rights under section 35, but they vary from group to group depending on the customs, practices, and traditions that have formed part of their distinctive cultures, and can include:
  • Aboriginal title (ownership rights to land)
  • Rights to occupy and use lands and resources, such as hunting and fishing rights
  • Self-government rights
  • Cultural and social rights

Summary

• Canadian Constitution Act, section 35
• UNDRIP
• OCAP®
• USAI
• Métis research
• Inuit research
• CARE principles

Guiding protocol documents

Connect early and often

• Community ownership of materials
• Family ownership of materials
• Published academic purposes (credits)
• Any royalties to be given to the community

How do we avoid inadvertently sharing knowledge that should be protected when dispersing  Indigenous Traditional Knowledges digitally?

Answer: Cultural awareness is key.

Elements of cultural awareness

• Acknowledgement—Recognize and affirm the interests Indigenous Peoples have in their cultural and intellectual property, existing both inside and outside conventional copyright law.
• Consultation—Form authentic and meaningful relationships with source communities, understanding customary laws and protocols, and determining community needs and wishes with regard to their Indigenous Traditional Knowledges.
• Guardianship—Actively respect community decisions regarding digitization, access, and use, giving Indigenous communities full agency over how their cultural material is treated.
• Localized—Consulting with local Nations will ensure information being shared online is correct and appropriate for a general audience. Local consultation is critical to decolonizing digital spaces and ensuring they are used appropriately.

Self-Assessment #3

Indigenous Traditional Knowledges have been copied, claimed, misused, and misappropriated countless times. Provide examples of how you may have seen Indigenous Traditional Knowledges be misappropriated. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

• The sale of fake art
• Halloween costumes
• Media portrayal of Indigenous peoples
• Fashion
• Jewellery
• Stories
• Medicinal knowledge

What are the costs and risks of misappropriation?

• Reinforcement of stereotypes that are the source of discrimination
• Misrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples and their cultural expressions, undermining efforts to educate the public about their histories and cultures
• Heightened competition for artists and artisans who have been developing these cultural expressions, generation after generation
• Diminished economic resources, impacting not only individual livelihoods but also community efforts to ensure cultural perpetuation
• Diminished value, as what is considered culturally important or even sacred becomes commonplace, commercialized, or cheapened as “pop culture”

How can we bring Indigeneity into online spaces in a respectful and appropriate way?

Questions to ask yourself

• What kinds of Knowledges are being shared?
• Is there any protocol that needs to be followed?
• Is there consent from the Nation to share information?
• Is the work and/or other similar works communally owned?
• Is the work clearly based on traditions from a specific culture?
• Does the work involve cultural considerations that determine ownership and/or stewardship across the Nation?
• Can the community experts identify the person who created the work?
• Are there teachings intended only for content creator from the Nation or community?
• Is the work based on traditions from your own Nation, community, family, or another? Are those connections and relationships clear?
• Does your work involve any sacred or secret content?
• Is the work based on a form of shared ownership or stewardship practiced by the Nation or community?
• Is the work created with materials or histories from the land and current geographical locations?
• If you intend to break or bend a protocol, have you consulted with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper about the consequences?

Best practices

1. Relationships must come first.
2. Nothing about us, without us.
3. Integrate OCAP® Principles or the governance structures used by the Nation.
4. Not all Indigenous Traditional Knowledges want to or should be open to everyone.
5. How information is shared matters.

Indigenous Peoples own their Knowledges and cultures, and everyone else must seek permission to use them. 

How do we avoid inadvertently sharing protected knowledge when dispersing Indigenous Traditional Knowledges digitally?

Guidelines

"First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nations and communities have the right to define, elaborate upon, and affirm the nature of intellectual property amongst their respective communities based on their laws, traditions, and customs. This includes collective or shared rights, and the historic structures and systems that continue to be practiced (or need to be revitalized). These structures and systems inform and shape the way families and communities exercise and affirm their rights, in support of their arts, culture, and heritage."

Protocols

Conclusion and Calls to Action

Fundamental knowledge of technology supports

• Indigenous learners are negatively impacted by the digital divide.
• Technology can increase access to Indigenous languages.
• Technology can increase access to Indigenous Elders, role models, and learning.
• Technology utilized must include Indigenous-owned, -designed, and -supported digital tools.

"Indigenous Peoples have experienced negative inter-generational impacts of colonization and socioeconomic stress, which has led to persistent subpar academic performance compared to non-Indigenous populations. This has prevented Indigenous Peoples from graduating high school and pursuing post-secondary education and professional opportunities. One of their most critical challenges is obtaining adequate language and literacy skills required for success in school and at work."

The digital divide

"While Canada’s Indigenous population grows at four times the national average, over 60% of BC’s rural and remote Indigenous communities lack adequate internet connectivity." —Lisa Mueller, Founder of Nation2Nation Forum, February 22, 2024

"Technology can be a tool to assist with language revitalization, helping Indigenous language teachers reach a broader audience. "Due to colonization and imperialism, Indigenous languages continue to be threatened and endangered." —Meighan-Chiblow, 2021

Increasing access to Indigenous Elders, role models, and learning

"To truly understand, learn about, and work towards truth and reconciliation, it’s essential to introduce Indigenous education in a way that is accessible; technology provides that ability. The implementation of Indigenous-focused coursework provides a critical opportunity for educators." —Robert Lewis, 2023

"Efforts are being made around the world to give Indigenous Peoples a voice, to empower them to share their wisdom and stories and to ensure First Nations are involved in building our digital futures. The marginalization from dominant economic, political and legal systems many Indigenous peoples face mean our world views are routinely overlooked by modern society, but it doesn’t have to be this way." —Cited from Indigenous peoples teach the world First Nations wisdom through technology

FirstVoices is a collaborative platform designed to help Indigenous Peoples archive language information for teaching and preservation. It is an internationally recognized online platform for Indigenous communities to share and promote their languages, oral cultures, and linguistic histories. FirstVoices provides technologies, training, and technical support to community language champions.

Digital maps

Indigenous data sovereignty

Apps

Music, movies, and video games

Social media

Digital archives

VR, AR, and AI

Digital radio and television

Education

Animikii offers website and software development.

Storytelling

Attributions

• "FirstVoices logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Native-Land.ca logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "First Nation Profiles Interactive map" is used under fair dealing.
• "First Peoples' Map of B.C. logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "OneFeather logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "DigitalNWT logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "A view of the KOBE Learn Oji-Cree main menu on the app" by Jesse Bonello is used under fair dealing.
• "Whose Land logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Reconciliation: A Starting Point logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Coeur d'Alene Banner" from the Plateau Peoples' Web Portal is used under fair dealing.
• "Indigenous AI image" is used under fair dealing.
• "Te Hiku Media logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Digital Literacy Hub banner" is used under fair dealing.
• "Indigenous Innovation Initiative logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "First Nations Technology Council logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Jelly Academy logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Animikii logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Terrastories logo" is used under fair dealing.
• "Indigenous Storytime banner" is used under fair dealing.

• Indigenous students
• Indigenous communities
• Educators
• Anyone on their reconciliation journey

Summary

Self-Assessment #2

How can technology offer access to learning Indigenous languages? Record the websites and applications that you are now aware of to assist with learning the many Indigenous languages of the 204 Nations in B.C. Write down an innovative idea for helping your students learn more about Indigenous languages through technology. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Moving forward—applying what you know

• Expanding sources of evidence
• Changing the approach to research through inclusivity.
• Altering and challenging the way researchers do research.

Fundamental knowledge of digital scholarship

• Understand the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in accessing technology.
• Practice finding, choosing, and sharing Indigenous technologies that are relevant and relatable for First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Urban Indigenous People.
• Use technologies that are relevant and responsive to Indigenous self-determination and share those resources with others.

Challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in the technology industry

"According to a 2019 study by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, only 2.2% of the people working in the Canadian tech industry are Indigenous. "Barriers are built up as a result of digital connectivity being poor or absent in remote Indigenous Nations, thus limiting Indigenous Peoples’ career pathways in tech." —Cited from Supporting Indigenous People in Tech: Empowering Canada’s Indigenous Communities | Jarvis (jrvs.ca)

"Digital environments are not neutral spaces, nor should they be considered landless."

Find, choose, and share relevant technologies

• Whose knowledge system is being enacted?
• Is it Indigenous created and managed?
• What is its purpose?
• Is it viewed through a decolonized lens?
• Does it represent Indigenous education?
• Is it considered Indigenous technology?
• Is the technology an appropriate way of using technology that is culturally relevant?

Share technologies relevant to Indigenous Peoples

Professional development

Department meetings

Modelling usage

Share in circle

Social media

Self-Assessment #2

How can you become an advocate for Indigenous digital literacy by informing others of technologies that are relevant and responsive to Indigenous Peoples? What have you learned so far in this course that you are excited to research further and share with others? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Why incorporate Indigenous technology into your teaching?

This is important work.

Technology and projects with Indigenous communities

• Search the Nation’s website
• Review this resource: Building Indigenous-led Engagement Frameworks: Report on the Dialogue on Indigenous Data, Information and Records | University of British Columbia [PDF]

Self-Assessment #3

Examining your digital scholarship practices allows you to look at how technology can impact your classroom and research. Write a reflection on your digital scholarship practices and include how you will implement positive change to honour reconciliation. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Summary

Attributions

• "Digital Scholarship" image by Connie Strayer is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

Attributions

• "Welcome Figures with Arms" photo by Connie Strayer is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

1. Reciprocal Relationships
2. “Respect for”
3. Safe and Inclusive Environments
4. Recognize Diversity
5. “Research Should”
6. Métis Context

Reciprocal Relationships

"Building these relationships involves three parts: engaging the community by going among the people and becoming known, earning acceptance through this process, and then getting community involvement once the trusting relationship is established." —Cited from Principles of Ethical Métis Research [PDF] | Métis Centre at NAHO (achh.ca)

"Respect for"

"[R]espect is for ‘both’ the individual and the collective. This is one thing that makes doing research in Métis communities unique and is consistent with the view that Métis live with a foot in two worlds, an Aboriginal one and a Western one. For example, given a particular situation, a Métis community may choose to want individual consent, collective consent, or both."

Safe and Inclusive Environments

"By this it is meant that research should, when appropriate, be inclusive to youth and elders, all genders and sexual identities, find the correct balance of individual and collective influence, and be inclusive of a variety of concepts of [Indigeneity]."

Diversity

"There can be a great diversity even within a single Métis community. Individuals within this community may, for example, have beliefs that are anywhere along a belief system continuum from very contemporary to very traditional and they may live their lives according to this system of belief."

"Research Should"

"Research should protect Métis cultural knowledge."

Métis Context

"Knowing history and the Métis context can also help researchers navigate the political and geographic complexities that may arise."

Additional Métis governance practices in Canada: OCAS

O is for Ownership

C is for Control

A is for Access

S is for Stewardship

Attributions

• “Visual of OCAS” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

"It values evidence, experimentation, curiosity, objectivity, repeatability, knowledge mobilization, and peer-review. It is built on respect and care for others and the environment, fostering good spirit by being inclusive and welcoming, being innovative and resourceful, and working together. It is respected by Inuit as Western science is by scientists." —Cited from A new approach to ethical research in the North

Qaujimajatuqangit concepts for research and engagement

• Pijitsirniq: the concept of serving
• Aajiiqatigiingniq/Aajiiqatigiinniq: the concept of consensus decision-making
• Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq: the concept of skills and knowledge acquisition
• Ikajuqtigiinniq/Piliriqatigiinniq: the concept of collaborative relationships or working together for a common purpose
• Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq: the concept of environmental stewardship
• Qanuqtuurnniq: the concept of being resourceful to solve problems
• Inuuqatigitsiarniq: the concept of respecting others, relationships, and caring for people
• Tunnganarniq: the concept of fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming and inclusive

ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᖅ, Pijitsirniq

Serving and providing for family and/or community.

"The concept of serving is central to the Inuit style of leadership as is the measure of the maturity and wisdom of an Inuk. Key here is the understanding that each person has a contribution to make and is a valued contributor to their community. Staff will be expected to demonstrate this kind of leadership and commitment to serving the common good."

ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ, Aajiiqatigiinniq

Decision-making through discussion and consensus.

"The concept of consensus decision-making relies on strong communication skills and a strong belief in shared goals. All staff are expected to become contributing members of their community and to participate actively in building the strength of Inuit in Manitoba. Being able to think and act collaboratively, to assist with the development of shared understandings, to resolve conflict in consensus-building ways, and to consult respecting various perspectives and worldviews, are expectations that cross all working areas."

ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ, Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq

Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort (knowledge acquisition).

"Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort — the concept of skills and knowledge acquisition and capacity building is central to the success of Inuit in a harsh environment. Building personal capacity in Inuit ways of knowing and doing are key expectations for staff. Demonstrating empowerment to lead a successful and productive life, that is respectful of all, is a powerful end goal of our working environment."

ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ, Ikajuqtigiinniq/Piliriqatigiinniq

Nurturing collaborative relationships or working together for a common purpose.

"The essential Inuit belief that stresses the importance of the group over the individual should pervade all our work. Expectations for staff will reflect working for the common good, collaboration, shared leadership and volunteerism. Piliriqatigiinniq also sets expectations for supportive behaviour development, strong relationship-building and consensus-building."

ᐊᕙᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ, Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq

Stewarding the environment—respecting and caring for the land, animals, and the environment.

"Respect and care for the land, animals and the environment — the concept of environmental stewardship stresses the key relationship Inuit have with their environment and with the world in which they live. Staff will be expected to articulate respect for this mutually interdependent relationship and to demonstrate responsible behaviours that seek to improve and protect the relationship in ways that meet global challenges to environmental wellness."

ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕐᓂᖅ, Qanuqtuurniq

Being innovative and resourceful.

"Being innovative and resourceful — the concept of being resourceful to solve problems, through innovative and creative use of resources and demonstrating adaptability and flexibility in response to a rapidly changing world, are strengths all our staff should develop. Resourcefulness should be demonstrated in all work areas and also thinking that seeks to improve the context in which Inuit live."

ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ, Inuuqatigiitsiarniq

Respecting others, relationships. and caring for people.

"The concept of respect and treating others equally are characteristics the Elders have always stressed in their words of advice (uqaujjuusiat)."

Inuit research guides

National Inuit Strategy on Research

1. Advance Inuit governance in research
2. Enhance the ethical conduct of research
3. Align funding with Inuit research priorities
4. Ensure Inuit access, ownership, and control over data and information
5. Build capacity in Inuit Nunangat Research

Advance Inuit governance in research

Enhance the ethical conduct of research

Align funding with Inuit research priorities

Ensure Inuit access, ownership, and control over data and information

Build capacity in Inuit Nunangat Research

Inuit Tuttarvingat principles

1. Respect for language and knowledges
2. Empowerment of the community
3. Mutually beneficial research that increases positive outcomes in the community
4. Knowledges sharing between researchers and community
5. Respect for animals

Attributions

• “Inuit Tuttarvingat Research Principles” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Fundamental knowledge of digital well-being

• Understand how to manage digital technology effects through an Indigenous lens.
• Appreciate the effects of screen time.
• Know how to have a healthy relationship with digital technology through healthy boundaries and balance.
• Practice, role model, and teach these fundamentals to your students.

An Indigenous perspective

"The diversity of Indigenous ways of knowing that span across Turtle Island is reflected within each community. These ways of knowing embody Indigenous communities: cultural and traditional practices that may be integrated to support the best practices of digital wellness. Indigenous concepts for the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical components of digital wellness are based on shared intergenerational knowledge and values within families and communities. This information is typically passed down by Elders or Knowledge Keepers to community and family members."

Attributions

• "Medicine Wheel" by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is used under fair dealing.

The Medicine Wheel is an ancient symbol used by some of the Indigenous Peoples of land now known as Turtle Island or North America. It is important to note that not all Nations use the Medicine Wheel because it can be perceived as a colonialist structure. Nations who choose to follow the teachings of the Medicine Wheel do so according to their own teachings that have been passed down to them through their Elders. The core philosophy endures from these Nations—the Medicine Wheel is a sacred circle representing the interconnectedness of all life.

Learner notes

For more information on the history of why some Indigenous Peoples view the Medicine Wheel as a colonial structure, please visit What Is the Medicine Wheel – History and Meaning - Symbol Sage.

The circular shape of the Medicine Wheel represents the interconnectivity of all elements represented by the Medicine Wheel and helps to remind us of the importance of balance in all aspects of life.

"The circle is part of life. It's a part of natural law. If you take a pebble and throw it in water, it will create a circle. Birds build their nests in a circle. Powwows themselves take the form of a circle." —Chief Tony Alexis

Learner notes

Quote source and recommended reading: Indigenous Circle: Significance of the circle and powwow | CTV News

Now let’s look at how the Medicine Wheel can be used as a tool for living, role modelling, and teaching digital well-being. Among the many meanings attributed to the Medicine Wheel are the four states of being, each represented by a quadrant on the Medicine Wheel. These are the spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental states. In most Indigenous cultures, balance is emphasized with all things. Each state of being must be in balance and equally developed for us to remain healthy, happy, and balanced individuals who are of good mind. The Medicine Wheel helps teach us this lesson.

Understanding the quadrants of the Medicine Wheel

Spiritual

Spiritual strength, calmness, and resilience can be reinforced by cultivating healthy relationships and through mindfulness. Spirituality has a different meaning to many and does not have to be attached to religion.

• Deepen your connection to nature.
• Dance, create, or connect to music.
• Give thanks to your Creator.

Emotional

Emotional strength is linked to emotions and our relationships. Indigenous Peoples nurture emotional health and recognize interconnectedness in healthy relationships to all things.

• Nurture relationships and being aware of not harming others.
• Explore your relationship with yourself; seek positiveness.
• Get involved in community.

Physical

Physical strength is believed to be connected to the land and land resources.

• Create healthy routines including physical fitness and relaxation.
• Allow for restorative sleep by night and discover nature by day.
• Prioritize nutrition.

Mental

Mental strength is well-being and wisdom.

• Seek out an Elder and hear their teachings.
• Join community and thought-provoking discussions.
• Learn a new language or musical instrument.

Exploring healthy choices to balance digital well-being

Spiritual

• Practice deep breathing.
• Use medicines to smudge.
• Pray or give thanks.
• Connect with an Elder for spiritual support.
• Connect with nature.

Emotional

• Focus on the task that you went to the technology to complete by limiting scrolling, gaming, and social media.
• Talk with family and friends.
• Being aware of not using digital technology in ways that harms others.
• Find reasons to laugh, or give yourself permission to cry to feel better emotionally.
• Set digital guidelines and discuss your expectations with others for accountability.

Physical

• Practice healthy ergonomics.
• Avoid eye strain—try listening to some content.
• Get outside—ride a bike or walk around the block.
• Stand up and stretch.
• Take regular breaks and respect others boundaries.

Mental

• Set a time limit and schedule for checking social media.
• Limit the number of times a day you check your emails.
• Turn off unnecessary notifications.
• Use do not disturb functions on your devices.
• Try to reduce screen time before bedtime.

Summarizing the Medicine Wheel

In summary, the Medicine Wheel  offers a holistic framework to address and mitigate the negative impacts of our increasingly digitized existence. You can use the Medicine Wheel to find balance, role model balance, and teach balance for digital well-being.

Self-Assessment #3

In your Toolkit, you will complete your own Medicine Wheel for digital well-being. Ideas or actions can be in different quadrants for different people. There is no one correct way. You can use any colours or no colours. Be sure to use the four quadrants we just discussed: spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Learner notes

Source and recommended reading: Being Mindful through the Medicine Wheel [PDF] (utoronto.ca)

Expanding your knowledge: Seeking out teachings on the Medicine Wheel

A good place to start is your local Indigenous Friendship Centre, Indigenous Access Centre, or a local First Nations community to find out if there are any Medicine Wheel teachings or customs in your area. Ask if any of these organizations can refer you to an Elder or Knowledge Keeper to deepen your knowledge of seeking balance through the Medicine Wheel or other tools.

Attributions

• “Medicine Wheel” by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is used under fair dealing.
• "Scales Weights Measures royalty-free vector graphic" by Clker-Free-Vector-Images is free for use under the Pixabay Content License.

Technology supporting digital well-being

Digital well-being apps

1. Unlock Clock: shows the number of times you’ve unlocked your device each day. Designed to help you disconnect through awareness.
2. Post Box: allows you to schedule times for notifications on your device to help you minimize digital distractions.
3. My Possible Self: offers a holistic approach to mental health.

Moving forward—applying what you know

8 tips to improve your digital well-being

1. Establish screen time boundaries.
2. Be present in your digital usage.
3. Create tech-free zones and times.
4. Prioritize sleep hygiene.
5. Wear blue-light glasses.
6. Utilize "do not disturb" and airplane mode.
7. Supplement essential nutrients.
8. Cultivate digital literacy.

Attributions

• "Haida Gwaii" © 2008 Pamela Speight is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 licence.
• “Scales Weights Measures royalty-free vector graphic” by Clker-Free-Vector-Images is free for use under the Pixabay Content License.
• "Digital Usage versus Digital Wellness" image by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.
• "Digital wellness activities" image by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

Summary

Fundamental knowledge of community-based learning

• Acknowledge the effects of the past.
• Appreciate that community-based learning is an essential aspect of Indigenous culture.
• Practice land-based learning.
• Know your Indigenous community.

Priorities

Seven Generations Principle

Effects of the past

Importance of community

Land-based learning

"Regionality [i.e., land] ties into language and the geography of stories."

Indigenous community

Attributions

• The section under the heading "Indigenous community" is adapted from the article "Digital Pedagogy Toolbox: Generative AI in Teaching and Learning – The Least You Need to Know" by Gwen Nguyen, BCcampus, which is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence. The section of the article with the heading "8. Community-based Learning" contains the content that was adapted for this resource.

Relationship building: Four Rs

1. Respect
2. Relevance
3. Reciprocity
4. Responsibility

To cherish knowledge is to know Wisdom; To know Love is to know peace; To honor all of the Creation is to have Respect; Bravery is to face the foe with integrity; Honesty also means “righteousness”, be honest first with yourself — in word and action; Humility is to know yourself as a sacred part of the Creation, Truth is to know all of these things. —Seven Sacred Teachings (empoweringthespirit.ca)

Love must be unconditional

To feel true love is to know the Creator. Therefore, it is expected that one's first love is to be the Great Spirit. He is considered the father of all children, and the giver of human life. Love given to the Great Spirit is expressed through love of oneself, and it is understood that if one cannot love oneself, it is impossible to love anyone else.

Respect is the condition of being honoured

Courage is the ability to face danger, fear, or changes with confidence and bravery

Honesty is speaking and acting truthfully, and thereby remaining morally upright

Wisdom is the ability to make decisions based on personal knowledge and experience

Humility is being humble and not arrogant

Truth is to know and understand all the Seven Teachings given to us by the Creator and to remain faithful to them

Self-Assessment #2

You have now learned about the Seven Sacred Teachings. Now choose which of the Seven Sacred Teachings you want to learn more about and watch one of the videos available here: The Seven Sacred Laws Animated Web Series. If you have time, you can watch all of them. When you are done watching, record how your knowledge of the Seven Sacred Teachings will help you with community-based learning. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Attributions

• The headings and text of each of the Seven Sacred Teachings is taken from the Seven Sacred Teachings on the Empowering the Spirit website, which is under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence.
• "Black And White Eagle Flying" by Frank Cone is free to use under a free stock photo & video license from Pexels.
• "Bison on Grass Field" by Chait Goli is free to use under a free stock photo & video license from Pexels. The image here has been cropped.
• "American brown bear" by Janko Ferlič is free to use under the Unsplash License. The image here has been cropped.
• "A Black Bird on Tree Branch" by Ellie Burgin is free to use under a free stock photo & video license from Pexels. The image here has been cropped.
• "Photo of a Beaver" by Andrew Patrick is free to use under a free stock photo & video license from Pexels. The image here has been cropped.
• "Wolf Predator Hunter Canis" by raincarnation40 is free for use under the Pixabay Content License. The image here has been cropped.
• "Turtle underwater photo" by Francesco Ungaro is free to use under the Unsplash License. The image here has been rotated.

First Peoples Principles of Learning

• Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
• Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
• Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one‘s actions.
• Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
• Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges.
• Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
• Learning involves patience and time.
• Learning requires exploration of one‘s identity.
• Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.

Attributions

• “The First Peoples Principles of Learning” poster by the First Nations Education Steering Committee is being used under fair dealing.

Guiding principles for community collaboration

• Recognition of relationships with the land
• Respect for land claims, Treaties, and recognition of the self-determination of Indigenous nations
• Relationships built on trust
• Collaboration and shared decision-making
• Open communication
• Transparency and accountability
• Reciprocity and shared benefits and interests
• Respect for and openness to Indigenous Traditional Knowledges, culture and perspectives
• Adherence to Indigenous Governance models for data

Fundamental concepts

• Free, prior, informed consent
• Openness
• Follow Communication Protocols
• Engage early and often
• Trust
• Honesty
• Be respectful and mindful of Indigenous Peoples, protocols, and priorities
• Partnership
• Build a trusting relationship first, and business will follow

• Involve Indigenous community members, Elders, faculty, and leaders.
• Determine the level of consultation required from Indigenous community.
• Work together to determine the consultation process.
• Develop knowledge of local and regional First Nations and other Indigenous groups whose language, traditions, and cultural practices emerge from the land.
• Understand that Indigenous Traditional Knowledges come from the collective and are passed down in the oral tradition. Therefore, we must acknowledge the Nation whose knowledge it comes from.

• What do I realize that I don’t know?
• How can I contribute to change in my community or workplace?
• How can I teach or learn about Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples?
• How can I build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities?
• What world do I want our children to inherit? How can I make this happen?
• How do I engage with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper?

Now that you have completed Module 8, how will you set the stage in the development of your own thinking about how to approach your work in Indigenous digital literacy? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Putting it all together

• Indigenous students
• Indigenous communities
• Educators
• Anyone on their reconciliation journey

Summary

Self-Assessment #4

How will you place Indigenous Traditional Knowledges at the centre of projects? Describe your commitment to community-based learning, including your approach going forward. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Moving forward—applying what you know

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Upholding and acting upon the Calls to Action listed in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the articles listed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples​
• Being aware of, respecting, and following data sovereignty principles, especially for research pertaining to First Nations, Urban Indigenous, Inuit, and Métis Peoples by recognizing that they are rights-bearing communities, and committing to a distinctions-based approach in relationships with each

Self-assessment #1

• What is your understanding of the terms "First Nations," "Urban Indigenous," "Métis," and "Inuit"?
• Are you aware of data sovereignty principles in relation to Indigenous Peoples? If so, briefly describe your understanding.
• What is your understanding of Calls to Action listed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the articles listed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?

Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Understanding that history, cultural values, and lived experiences may lead to different ways of communicating and collaborating in online spaces.

Self-Assessment #1

Take a few minutes to think about what comes to mind when you hear the words “communication” and “community collaboration in digital literacy.” What does communication and community collaboration in Indigenous digital literacy mean to you? What is the first answer that comes to mind? Be sure to write down that answer. Feel free to brainstorm words, images, and emotions that come to mind when you think of communication and community collaboration. Record your response in your Toolkit.

Self-Assessment #2

As you do this self-check, reflect on your communication and collaboration with Indigenous students and respond honestly. This is only for your eyes. We do not expect you to be an expert at the beginning of this journey. You will have a chance to do a post-assessment at the end of the module to see how you have expanded your knowledge and beliefs. Consider each of the following statements and reflect on whether they are true for you and your experience as an instructor:

• I understand that the impact of Residential Schools is ongoing.
• I recognize that all Indigenous Peoples do not share a common culture.
• I create a culturally inclusive environment for Indigenous students in my classroom.
• I understand and implement the concept of strength-based language.
• I recognize trauma responses in my students and understand a trauma-informed approach. I understand and carry out Indigenous communication protocols.
• I avoid triggering language.

Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Attributions

• "Premier John Horgan joins Tribal Canoe Journeys 2019" by the Province of British Columbia is licensed under a CC BY-ND 2.0 licence.

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Understanding accessible digital materials that are specific to different audiences and platforms
• Recognizing that a digital citizen will follow protocols for respectfully and appropriately using Indigenous Traditional Knowledges and prevent digitized cultural appropriation
• Learning, modelling, and teaching prevention of cultural misappropriation

Nothing about us, without us.

Review

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Following the appropriate intellectual property protocols and recognizing Indigenous communities as the maintainers and controllers of digitized cultural heritage resources, intellectual property, art, and knowledge systems when working with Indigenous Traditional Knowledges.
• Gaining an understanding of Indigenous copyright in Canada.

Self-Assessment #1

How do you use critical-thinking skills to understand and navigate how online information is produced, prioritized, and presented? Record your response in your Toolkit.

Review

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Considering how technology can facilitate access to reading and writing in Indigenous languages.
• Purposefully researching and intentionally seeking out technologies that are relevant and responsive to Indigenous self-determination, including acknowledging and respecting  of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges and cultural expressions that honour First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Urban Indigenous Peoples.

Self-Assessment #1

Are you currently aware of any websites or applications that can assist with learning the many Indigenous languages used by the 204 Nations in B.C.? If you are, record them for future reference. If you’re not, then we will discover them together. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Review

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Understanding how to utilize and inform others of technologies that are relevant and responsive to Indigenous self-determination, including the use of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges and cultural expressions that honour First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous Peoples.

Self-Assessment #1

Why do we need to actively seek out technologies that are relevant and responsive to Indigenous Peoples? What is the significance of sharing these resources with others? Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Review

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Managing technology to be in balance through actively implementing strategies for spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health.
• Understanding that a digitally literate person will have healthy boundaries with digital technologies, use them intentionally, and will not use digital technologies in ways that harms others.
• Learning to model and teach digital well-being.

Self-Assessment #1

Take a few minutes to think about what comes to mind when you hear the words “digital well-being.” What does digital well-being mean to you? What is the first answer that comes to mind? Be sure to write down that answer. Here are some questions to consider, but do not limit yourself with your answers. This is just the starting point.

• Do you have your cell phone on you at all times?
• How often do you check your phone? How often do you check social media?
• Does it make you anxious if you are off your phone or devices for a few hours?
• Do you have multiple digital devices or screens going at the same time?
• Do you limit your time in front of digital devices?
• Are you aware of digital burnout? Have you experienced digital burnout?
• Do you use “do not disturb” on your devices to block out work or offline time?
• Do you schedule offline time?

Feel free to brainstorm words, images, and emotions that come to mind when you think of digital well-being. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Self-Assessment #2

Does this picture look like digital well-being or digital burnout to you Go with your first reaction. There is no right or wrong answer. Record your responses in your Toolkit.

Attributions

• "Man sitting on surface" photo by Tony Tran is free to use under the Unsplash License.

Review

Module description

Learning outcomes

• Developing a safe digital space for community or learner collaborations that are respectful and mindful of Indigenous Peoples, protocols, and priorities.

Self-Assessment #1

What does community-based learning mean to you? Feel free to brainstorm words, images, and emotions that come to mind when you think of describing community-based learning. Record your responses in your Toolkit.