Social Media in Remote First Nation Communities

Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations, 2009

This article examines the potential impact of information and communication technology on social capital in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. The analysis led to the conclusion that both the "what" and the "how" of connectivity matter. Policy and research priority issues are also discussed.

Australasian Journal of Information Systems

Social media is transforming the way Indigenous peoples interact and connect with each other at a local, regional, national and global level. Facebook and other social media facilitate this interaction and allow users to maintain relationships across vast distances and time zones, thereby increasing social and political connectivity and impact (Carlson 2013). Indeed, social media users transcend time and space, yet they produce content, set up links and connect communities of practice. There is now a constantly networked world in every dimension of human experience. Social movements, like every other aspect of life, are becoming increasingly reliant on online networking and information sharing. Researchers are beginning to examine the use of social media for political communication and social movements (Carlson & Frazer 2016). Generally, however, such research has focused on movements that have received attention from mainstream media, (such as the #OccupyWallStreet movement for example) whereas Indigenous activism, does not always receive such attention.

This thesis engages in a broad discussion of technology, communications, identity, and cultural change in the Canadian Arctic. Using an ethnographic methodological strategy, it looks at how a group of Inuit college students in Iqaluit use the online social network Facebook. It was found that Inuit youth are intensive users of Facebook, basically using it to communicate with their communities of origin, to maintain friends and family ties across a vast territory, to access cultural referents on Facebook groups, discuss issues, shape their identity, ask questions, access pictures of the land and recall traditions. In these Facebook groups, there is a cultural memory and remembrance of the past collectively established through the hypertext of Facebook which further shows how technology is incorporated and adapted to a culture rather than being undermined by that technology's incorporation. In this sense, Inuit youth "travel" through Facebook using it for their own purposes such as accessing cultural referents of the land in a multimedia interface. This research also argues, from an actor-network perspective, that Inuit youth are immersed in a culture of connectivity (van Dijck, 2013) through which social life and experiences are increasingly mediated by social network sites.

The journal Northern Public Affairs has published a special issue focused on connectivity in Northern and Indigenous communities. The issue includes research and commentary about Indigenous digital innovations in communities across northern Canada, and features several articles contributed by FMCC members. These articles include: * We are all related: Using augmented reality as a learning resource for Indigenous-settler relations by Amanda Almond, Rob McMahon, Diane P. Janes, Greg Whistance-Smith, Diana Steinhauer & Stewart Steinhauer * Exploring digital literacy learning with the Gwich’in Tribal Council by Rob McMahon, Michael McNally, Crystal Gail Fraser, Hanne Pearce & Trish Fontaine

International Journal of Communication , 2014

Indigenous peoples interact with the emergent network society in diverse ways that reflect the colonialism/self-determination dialectic. One area where this process unfolds is in the bridging of digital divides. I use the concept of the First Mile to show how First Nations and Inuit peoples in Canada’s geographic periphery are asserting their self-determination in the sphere of digital ICTs. While most digital divide literature presumes that a connection to the network society is inherently beneficial, when framed in the context of historic and ongoing processes of colonialism, integration alone is not adequate. An example of a not-for-profit satellite network cooperative demonstrates how three Indigenous organizations shaped the problem of the digital divide into an opportunity to establish a platform for digital self-determination.

Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2017), 2017

The value and relevance of indigenous knowledge towards sustainability of human societies drives for its preservation. This work explored the use of Facebook groups to promote indigenous knowledge among Igorot peoples in the diaspora. The virtual communities help intensify the connection of Igorot migrants to their traditional culture despite the challenges of assimilation to a different society. A survey of posts on 20 Facebook groups identified and classified the indigenous cultural elements conveyed through social media. A subsequent survey of 56 Igorot migrants revealed that popular social media has a significant role in the exchange, revitalization, practice, and learning of indigenous culture; inciting an effective medium to leverage preservation strategies.

Knowledge Synthesis Report for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 2016

Journal of Rural and Community Development, 2014

First Nations women have a strong role guiding the success of their family and their community. In the past, women nurtured their family, ensuring their food and safety. These responsibilities are still true today with the added challenges and opportunities of modern day life. In Northern Ontario, many remote and rural First Nation communities are connected to integral services via broadband. The current study explores how First Nations women are using information and communication technology (ICT) and if the technology can address some of their challenges and open up new opportunities. Two hundred and thirty one women living in remote and rural First Nation communities in Northern Ontario completed an online survey, sharing their thoughts and experiences with regard to: ICT use in daily life, ICT for health and wellness, ICT for cultural preservation, and what is needed to support their effective use of ICT. The findings suggest that the women in these remote communities are active users of ICT, using the internet for frequent communication with people living in their own communities along with other communities and elsewhere in Canada. The women are also familiar with telemedicine, use the internet in a variety of ways to preserve their culture, and identified many strategies for supporting their effective use of ICT. Finally, we explore a case-study of how women in Slate Falls First Nation are using ICT.