Thanks Ray! I actually met with developers from RRN and a few First Nations advocacy groups (regarding cultural preservation) - RRN is really amazing, and I look forward to exploring how opportunities can open from it. We will talk more in Haifa!
(I lived in Van for a year, give my best to Commercial Drive ;-)) -Sarah Sent via iPhone - I apologize in advance for my shortness or errors! :) On Jul 29, 2011, at 6:08 AM, Ray Saintonge <sainto...@telus.net> wrote: > From the perspective of Wikimedia Canada, this sounds exciting. Many > of us believe that work with the First Nations is an important element > in Wikimedia Canada's tasks. I look forward to meeting you in Haifa. > Thanks for providing the RRN link; since I am in the Greater Vancouver > District they should be more accessible to me. > > Ray > > > On 07/27/11 6:06 AM, Sarah Stierch wrote: >> Hi all - >> >> I came across a lighter version of this conversation on another Wikimedia >> list, and felt the need to share my similar thoughts and statements that I >> made previously. >> >> For the past year, I have been examining opportunities involving Indigenous >> communities of North America and opportunities to utilize Wikipedia and >> related websites as an affordable, unique and global form of cultural >> preservation. I have my undergraduate in Native American Studies, and I am >> obtaining my masters currently. My final paper (not quite a thesis) for >> graduation will be a strong examination of the opportunities related to >> Indigenous communities and opportunities/pros/cons related to Wikipedia. I'm >> actually presenting on my preliminary observations and concerns at >> Wikimania, you can learn a bit more here: >> >> http://wikimania2011.wikimedia.org/wiki/Submissions/Wikimedia_%26_Indigenous_Peoples:_Pros,_Cons_and_Community >> >> In the United States, as far as I am aware, I am the only person thinking >> about this on a higher level. While right now I am quite busy with other >> matters, come this Fall I will be diving head first into my research. I will >> be serving as Wikipedian in Residence at the National Museum of the American >> Indian, where I will be working with staff to examine these concerns. One >> of our biggest concerns lies with *oral history*. We have had countless >> conversations about the struggles with "no original research" however, in >> oral history based societies, we will have a very hard time moving beyond >> anything else. As stated previously, the majority of content created related >> to Indigenous communities in North America was often written by (and still >> is) Anglo anthropologists - some of that data is highly out of date and is >> still being utilized on Wikipedia as a source today. >> >> This project, Oral Citations, follows closely with the type of work I am >> seeking to do. I have been planning to examine Wikipedia (English at first) >> research policies and consider proposals or changes in relation to serious >> research and Indigenous communities. Of course, it all comes down to >> funding, and Native people of North American are often the first overlooked >> group - it will take a lot of work, years of effort, and a lot of buy in >> that is needed to be gathered from inside the community itself. >> >> I'm babbling right now, but, this is a very passionate topic for me. I see >> Wikipedia as providing an affordable and unique way for Indigenous >> communities to not only learn valuable skills - many of the communities here >> in America are among the poorest in the world, you'd think you were in a >> developing country, and kids barely receive beyond an elementary school >> education - but to have a broad arena to share stories (that the community >> chooses to share of course), beliefs, cosmologies, and traditions so that >> they are accessible and *vetted* for researchers and community members >> around the world. >> >> I do hope that some of you are attending Wikimania, I'd like to be able to >> have a break out session of sorts or an unconference to discuss this topic >> further. I'm hoping in the next year to have an international conference of >> sorts that brings together Indigenous people, open source gurus, and >> Wiki-folks to examine opportunities, processes, and belief systems in >> regards to opportunities. >> >> Feel free to email me directly, again, right now I am unable to move quickly >> in any major projects due to my already big work load, but, I'm hoping that >> this will be large part of my career work as an advocate for Native rights, >> a scholar, and an open source-lover. >> >> -Sarah > > > _______________________________________________ > foundation-l mailing list > foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l