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Unreserved

Exploring the intersection where Indigenous tradition and technology meet

From finding algorithms in beading patterns to using virtual reality to teach Indigenous history, traditional Indigenous knowledge is rooting itself in technology more and more.
CBC Radio ·
Jon Corbett's digital beading art that transforms portraits of he and his family are a cross between traditional Indigenous culture and technology. (Submitted by Jon Corbett)

From finding algorithms in beading patterns to using virtual reality to teach Indigenous history, traditional Indigenous knowledge is rooting itself in technology more and more. 

This week on Unreserved, we explore how one helps spread tradition, and how tradition gives back.

Apps for Indigenous languages have popped up all across Canada. In northern Ontario, the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Board of Education's Ojibway, Cree and Oji-Cree app plays pronunciations of each word in its dictionary, as well as a picture of the phrase and the corresponding syllabics. 

As Indigenous people use technology to spread and document traditional culture, traditions are relating back to tech in surprising ways. CBC's Nicole Oud spoke with Noelle Pepin, who uses the First Nations practice of loom beading to teach her students coding language.

Jon Corbett's art takes the beadwork-technology relationship to a different level. His art uses digital images of beads to create portraits of his family members — which recede and advance as the patterns shift.

As educators figure out how to bring in more Indigenous outcomes into the classroom, teachers in Prince Rupert, B.C. are using traditional cedar weaving to teach algorithms. The CBC's Chantelle Bellrichard visited the school to learn more.

Not to be outdone, students at Dallas Elementary in Kamloops, B.C. are finding their own way to integrate culture into their work — by combining First Nations stories with 360 degree video. The CBC's Jenifer Norwell stopped by to see how it works.

Angela Gonzalez finds that giving away her work to friends and family is incredibly rewarding. When she started her Athabascan Woman blog, she hoped to share her beading methods with the world. Hear how she uses technology to help people learn how to bead and become more in touch with their culture.

This week's playlist: 

Digawolf. (CBC Music)

Wolf Saga — Get Back

Boogey the Beat feat. Snotty Nose Rez Kids — The Sage is on Fire

Digawolf — Digital Nomad

Ashley Simpson — Kwe (Changing into Thunderbird)

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