E80: Working Together — Indigenous-Led Media Literacy and Misinformation

WEBVTT
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This is Learning Innovation, the teaching and learning podcast,
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also known as LittlePod.
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We are created by Lethbridge Polytechnic's Centre for Teaching,
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Learning and Innovation and located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada,
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on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
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In the spirit of equity, diversity, inclusion and Nitsitapishimstan,
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or real thinking, we play host to a spectrum of guests from the teaching and learning community.
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As we highlight and explore innovation in education, we hope to kindle warm
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conversations, expand perspectives, and foster lasting partnerships today, tomorrow, and beyond.
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The future of learning starts now.
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Okay, and welcome. I'm your host, Chris Hodgson-Bright, and I'm a faculty member
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in digital communications and media at Lethbridge Polytechnic.
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I should mention that I'm also involved in Working Together,
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the fascinating Indigenous-led media literacy research project we'll be discussing today with my guests.
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So, what does this Working Together project involve? Today's episode takes us
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inside this applied research project led by Lethbridge Polytechnic Centre for
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Public Safety Applied Research, also known as SPSAR.
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That began in May of 2026 and will continue through March of 2027.
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Joining us today are members of the Working Together research team.
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This group of passionate researchers and educators are excited about the several
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initiatives planned throughout the next eight months.
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All right, so in any particular order, maybe we'll get Gloria to go first.
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If you can introduce yourself, that would be amazing.
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My name is Akotsik Gitsdeki and Gloria Wells. Perfect.
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Okay, my name is Jamie Albright-Tolman, and I have been gifted with a Blackfoot
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name by Elder Chester Daychief, so my Blackfoot name is Netusi Apanim Stakyaki.
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Nice. And what does that mean?
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Sun that breaks through the storm, lady. Thank you. Kirsten.
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Hi, I'm Kirsten Fantazier, and my Blackfoot name, also gifted by Chester Daychief,
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is Anitsi Piksaki, which means pretty bird lady.
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My name is Lainey Furman.
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Okinisto Anikoki Inaki. That translates to Buffalo Woman, and my English name
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is Megan Grovonboy. Thank you so much.
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So I've been fortunate to have
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been invited into this project by a Kristen Fantasier earlier this May.
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Since I've been involved, I've been amazed at the talents and focus this group
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brings to this important project.
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So throughout today's conversation, we'll be pointing you to workingtogether.info,
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where you can learn more about the project and find out how anyone can get involved.
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So again, thank you all for joining us today.
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Let's start off by giving a quick snapshot of what this research project is all about.
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So I'll start off and then I'll pass things over to Lainey. So Working Together
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is a community-led project that helps address false and misleading information,
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about Indigenous peoples' culture and language.
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This information spreads online and in communities and can cause harm,
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misunderstanding and division.
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Ninastico Cultural Centre is a First Nation organization with decades of experience
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in language and cultural education.
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It works closely with elders, artists, youth and researchers to make sure the
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work is respectful accurate, and useful. So Lainey, whenever you're ready.
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I think this work is important to me because it's aiding in appreciating and
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understanding the Indigenous culture, history, and some of the current barriers
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faced, which I feel are crucial for the type of work that I plan to do in my future.
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Additionally, I have the opportunity to build connections with Indigenous communities
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in Southern Alberta, which is connecting me with my Indigenous culture,
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including smudging ribbon skirts, Blackfoot language and other Indigenous languages and ceremony.
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Finally, this work is addressing some of the major vulgar and common misconceptions
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and misrepresentations of Indigenous people in Southern Alberta.
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Nice. And if it wasn't clear before, there's two students who are involved in
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this research project. So thank you so much for that answer, Eleni. Megan?
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Hi. So I believe that this research project is very important and my involvement
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has a lot to give in regards to my lived experiences and perspectives that are often missing.
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I know how important it is for Indigenous people to have a voice in research
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that involves our culture, language, and our communities.
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I also see this as an opportunity to learn as well as to contribute something
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from my own experiences.
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Another thing that's very important is language revitalization.
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And with this, it allows us to have access to accurate information when working
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with Indigenous communities.
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It also teaches me how to bring Indigenous ways of knowing into academic spaces,
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especially being a student within the criminal justice system to understand
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some of the barriers that Indigenous people face.
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Another thing, too, is that we can help reduce misinformation.
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We can help create an understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities
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when it comes to misinformation.
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And disinformation of communities in southern Alberta. Nice. Thank you so much.
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So, Gloria, can you tell us a little bit more about the Monastical Cultural Center, please?
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This program started in 1969, and it was through the National Indian Brotherhood,
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that saw that our language was,
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depleting, I guess I'd say, because of residential schools.
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And so at that time, they started this program, and they were supposed to have
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just one community called,
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like a polytechnic, where, you know, they would preserve and revitalize.
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Our languages. But being that we're Blackfoot in the south to the north,
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that's Cree, then our chief decided, no, we have to have our own.
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So this is where the Ninasco Cultural Center started.
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And then it started in Lower Standoff, where they had the college,
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which is now Red Crow College.
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And so, together, we were working with them, and we had the language and the elders program.
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And then later, we changed it because we went under the national umbrella of
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the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centers.
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And so, it is really a national program.
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And then a few years back our chiefs we weren't getting an increase so we were
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told to ask for supplementary and then at that time our chiefs our chief decided
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no it's a national program,
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they have that responsibility to because they're the ones that,
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did all this to our people and so So that's why we stayed as a national program
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and we're under the umbrella of the FNCCC.
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And then that's where we get our funding from. What does that acronym stand for?
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First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centers. Perfect.
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Thank you. Yeah, there's 78 across Canada. Oh, incredible.
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We hope to increase it, but again, it's money.
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But anyways, and I sit on that board, the National Board of Governors.
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I'm the VP, Vice President. Nice.
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And then so I get to know how everybody's doing, and a lot of them,
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they just have in-school programs.
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And so that's when Canadian Heritage came along.
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Then it was Secretary of State. And then that's where we started getting language
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money and money to do learning resources.
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And then, so it brings us up to today.
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And so we're still working on everything that we can to preserve our language
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and our culture. Excellent.
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Thank you so much. Okay, in our programs, we run the, as part of our retention
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or revitalizing our language, we run sewing class,
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dancing class, singing class, drumming and sewing, and then we're provided money to do that.
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And then so we've been quite fortunate.
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We've ran it for the last five years.
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And then hopefully in the next two years, which I was on a five-year contract,
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or contribution with the federal, we hope to be on a continuance.
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And then out of that, we do our learning resources.
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And at the last symposium, and I sit on the Eight Seat Weeks Committee and that's language.
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Elders and speakers. I sit on that as entity.
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And so we have language symposiums, which we had in early spring,
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and now the other one is coming up in October.
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And then at that, we put all our resources, our learning resources,
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which you can find on our website.
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And all of them, they can be download it,
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But we gave out copies. We gave out 200 copies. They went like hotcakes.
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And there's a lot more that we wanted to give the teachers more,
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the opportunity to get one. And I think we did that.
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And then parents came, you know, and so now there's more requesting,
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and so I just got money to do more printing, and, you know,
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and so that puts the printers, I need this many copies, 200 copies,
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and they're very happy because the template is already there,
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so that's what we're going to do.
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And then we have cultural language camps.
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That's where I got this kind of a frog in my throat because we were out in the smoke.
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And then we did, first week we did, we do a cultural camp where they get to learn.
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How to put up a teepee and the significance of it to our culture.
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Roots. They go out and they collect roots.
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We go with an elder that shows them what they are and what they're used for.
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And then they go and pick rocks and they have a sweat. So they get to learn
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what it is to be in the sweat.
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And we found a lot of,
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the ones that we have put through this, like the last two years,
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they're coming back, and they're praying, and they're, you know,
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it's really good to see that.
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And I wanted to say, like, and then we do calendars, and right now,
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from the eight seed weeks, they did an elder's book.
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And so they interviewed a lot of elders and then we used their pictures and
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people are so, when we make our,
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make our calendars, as soon as they know they're available, they're gone.
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And so we try and provide because they're free to everybody.
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We don't charge and we don't make more.
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We provide 300 and we have a population of over 6,000. Oh, wow.
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But we do provide whatever, at least one to a home.
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So, you know, anyways, and then the, I wanted to talk about some of our,
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some of the, I guess you can find everything else on our website, you know.
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And then we had to, like this year, we had to stop the cultural camp because
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it kept raining and raining.
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And so we didn't want the kids to be all sick.
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So we drove them back and forth, you know, and they wanted to camp.
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And sleep in the teepee. We did allow them one night.
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And so we do, and then we go on field trips.
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And then so what I promised them is I'm going to take them to Callaway Park
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next Monday we leave. That'll be fun. And then we'll be back Wednesday, yeah. Okay.
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And to the science center and the museum. Okay.
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And so these are some of the things that we do for our children because they are so important.
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A lot of them don't have that opportunity.
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And so we try and help in any way we can.
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And then we let our elders do one-on-one with their kids.
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They can ask what it is, what it's about, and get to learn some of the language.
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And so we try and we work hard. Sounds like that.
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And then I'm not always, I can't always make myself available like Kirsten knows.
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We've had one program with her, and then I come just checking to see how it's going.
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But I hire elders to work with her.
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And then now this one, I have my curriculum developer work with her.
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And so this way I'm up to date with everything. Nice.
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And it sounds like the great work that you're doing at Nanastco really connects
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to the purpose of this project. Yes, it does.
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Can you speak to that just a little bit more about that connection?
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You've talked about all your amazing programming.
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And how does it connect with this idea about misinformation and how we need
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to get the correct information out there?
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Okay. Well, maybe I'll start with the CTAP.
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You know, there we were able to teach culture and language and the arts, you know.
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And then the Working Together Project now….
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I find, you know, I did talk to a lot of people, and they said,
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well, we're kind of researched, you know.
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And I said, no, this is for, you know, the future of our kids,
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you know, because they're finding it hard being accepted, you know, in a lot of schools.
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And we don't want them to be angry, because that will definitely get them angry,
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or they won't want to go to school.
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And this is what we're pushing them to do, is you can only go somewhere if you
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have education behind you.
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And then I like it, even with our Sundance, they're starting with the little ones.
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I think it's the brave dogs, and they're teaching them our language and our
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culture and respect and how to be responsible.
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And these are some of the things that I find with this program,
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the working together will help them, you know.
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And that's what I explained.
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I'm losing my voice. I explained to people that thought, you know,
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aren't we researched enough, you know?
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And then the other thing is, you know, I know a lot of people are very,
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you know, I guess they're, I don't know how to explain it, but they're,
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you know, why, you know, that type.
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And I think it's all steps from residential, you know, school,
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you know, learning from the grandparents to the parents and this generation.
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And so we hope to, this will help them to get to be, you know, more...
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Being involved, I guess, with everybody and accepting everybody,
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because I know a lot of them will, you know, they'll shy back,
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you know, and so I think it's going to help them.
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I know it's going to help them, I should say, yeah. That's really good.
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Well, thank you so much. That's really incredible just to hear how powerful
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that work is, and it's good to hear there's such great demand for all those
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resources you're providing, and hopefully you can keep those printers busy. Yes.
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Yeah, they're just more than happy. Yeah. And I'm glad Megan is with the team. We are too. Yeah.
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Knowing her and seeing a face that I know. Yeah. Yeah. And so it's good.
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Okay. Thank you so much. And that's what I like is, you know,
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a project, as long as there's somebody that is involved, that is from our own
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people. Of course. Yeah.
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So the program that Ninastical runs with the Indigenous youth in regards to
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the Powwow Club and the Drumming Club, my little girl has actually been a part
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of that for the last two and a half years.
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And with the experience through them, she has gained a lot of confidence in
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herself as being an Indigenous young girl.
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She's always telling people, like, I'm Nitsitipi, I'm proud to be who I am,
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proud to be where I'm from.
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And these are just some of the things that are taught to our children through
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the dynastical program.
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And it has also really helped me to understand the connections that we as Indigenous
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people, being Nitsitipi,
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the connection that we have to keep with our children and that is something
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that has been really important to me something that is revitalizing within our
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communities because of how close-knit our families are,
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i've become more close-knit with my family through nanastical because they have taught us those,
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views and the cultural aspect of what it is to be, and it's it to be.
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And the values, you know, yeah.
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I'm proud to hear that, that we're doing something.
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But we hear that often, and then helping parents to get their kids involved,
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in the dancing and whatnot.
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So we try and provide the material and we teach the parents how to sew the regalia
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so you know they're growing so they they can
00:19:54.211 --> 00:19:58.718
make their own as they're growing up and so those are,
00:19:59.288 --> 00:20:04.561
a lot of the things and then we see them at these powwows dancing away and you
00:20:04.561 --> 00:20:10.138
know i'm so proud of them you know yeah and it That's a lot for me, yeah. For sure.
00:20:11.181 --> 00:20:16.211
That sounds pretty special. Yeah. So why did Nonastico reach out to Lethbridge
00:20:16.211 --> 00:20:20.991
Polytechnic and specifically to the Center for Public Safety Applied Research
00:20:20.991 --> 00:20:22.443
to get involved in this project?
00:20:22.907 --> 00:20:25.911
Yeah, so this wasn't the first time that Nonastico and SPSAR,
00:20:25.911 --> 00:20:28.683
that's what we call our research center, have worked together.
00:20:28.968 --> 00:20:32.711
In fact, our formal partnership goes about four years back where we started
00:20:32.711 --> 00:20:37.501
CTAP, which Glory referred to, which is the Community Integration Through Art Bisatsanaki Program.
00:20:38.053 --> 00:20:42.941
And it was a multi-year study funded through Shirk and NSERC College and Community
00:20:42.941 --> 00:20:44.121
Social Innovation Fund.
00:20:45.138 --> 00:20:50.253
Okay. Where Sepsar and Anastaco co-created and co-designed a weekly arts-based program,
00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:55.091
where we brought together people around food, art, and Blackfoot language and
00:20:55.091 --> 00:20:59.021
culture to build community and break down those barriers that exist not only
00:20:59.021 --> 00:21:00.523
in our region but across Canada. Yeah.
00:21:01.488 --> 00:21:05.424
There was a lot that happened between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people throughout that program.
00:21:05.906 --> 00:21:10.502
It has run for three years, and we've been guided the entire way with Two-Eyed
00:21:10.502 --> 00:21:14.562
Seeing and also by the Blackfoot worldview, which everyone who's on the team
00:21:14.562 --> 00:21:16.726
has learned so much about throughout the process.
00:21:17.086 --> 00:21:20.942
Every session has included, as Gloria mentioned, an elder knowledge keeper and
00:21:20.942 --> 00:21:25.700
usually an artist and other people from community coming in and sharing with those who attend.
00:21:26.066 --> 00:21:29.295
So it really helps to shape the content of the actual program.
00:21:29.643 --> 00:21:32.242
We've also worked with Nanastica on a bunch of other projects.
00:21:32.242 --> 00:21:35.727
So for example, there's a lot of legends, Blackfoot legends that exist.
00:21:36.215 --> 00:21:40.494
And recording those legends and getting them back into the hands of youth is really important.
00:21:40.778 --> 00:21:44.924
So we've developed some immersive experiences where youth and even teachers
00:21:44.924 --> 00:21:46.049
can use them in the classroom.
00:21:46.345 --> 00:21:51.224
And they're interactive while using Blackfoot and trying to teach the language,
00:21:51.224 --> 00:21:55.978
but also just trying to teach fluency, because that's another issue that Gloria and Noah is working on.
00:21:56.436 --> 00:21:59.654
So by the time that this project came along working together,
00:21:59.654 --> 00:22:03.604
it was a natural collaboration and partnership where she really helps to kind
00:22:03.604 --> 00:22:05.840
of guide the process and tell us what she needs to see.
00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:09.494
And then we were able to bring our team together and the people who are speaking
00:22:09.494 --> 00:22:13.784
today, which is an amazing team, and to help address the work that needed to
00:22:13.784 --> 00:22:16.584
be done. Nice. Any highlights over the past three years?
00:22:17.284 --> 00:22:20.514
You talked about that connection between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people
00:22:20.514 --> 00:22:21.709
for some of these projects.
00:22:22.168 --> 00:22:25.084
Any stories or neat examples that you want to share from that?
00:22:25.084 --> 00:22:28.714
Yeah, I think two really stand out when I think about CTAP. There's so many.
00:22:28.714 --> 00:22:32.104
Honestly, every week we have a gathering. We always go back and reflect.
00:22:32.104 --> 00:22:35.148
And until the next time, we're usually very grateful about what we learn.
00:22:35.479 --> 00:22:40.830
But two in particular, we had a number of international students attend a lot of our CTAP sessions.
00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:45.434
And international students come to Canada not knowing any of the history and
00:22:45.434 --> 00:22:48.822
the background. And just what we heard back from our international students
00:22:49.170 --> 00:22:52.684
and what they were learning was so eye-opening. And we had no idea that that
00:22:52.684 --> 00:22:55.387
was a potential gap that the program would assist with.
00:22:55.964 --> 00:22:59.054
I think the biggest highlight for me was that we were gifted with Blackfoot
00:22:59.054 --> 00:23:02.954
names nearing the end of the project by Chester Daychief, who really helped
00:23:02.954 --> 00:23:06.044
to guide a lot of the sessions and has taught us so much.
00:23:06.404 --> 00:23:09.874
He's trying to teach us Blackfoot all the time. He teaches us about ceremony
00:23:09.874 --> 00:23:11.536
and the importance and land-based teachings.
00:23:11.964 --> 00:23:15.506
And he really, we developed a really great relationship with him.
00:23:15.849 --> 00:23:19.284
And so just, I think the naming ceremony was definitely something that I will
00:23:19.284 --> 00:23:21.304
hold near and dear to my heart forever.
00:23:21.704 --> 00:23:24.894
That's great. And yeah, what a nice bonus with international students.
00:23:24.894 --> 00:23:27.818
You think of just like about the domestic students who are here regionally,
00:23:28.120 --> 00:23:30.768
who don't know a lot about Blackfoot culture. But like when you think about,
00:23:31.226 --> 00:23:35.004
anybody who's traveling here to Lethbridge in Canada from around the world.
00:23:35.824 --> 00:23:39.057
That's incredible for them to bring back that knowledge back to their home country.
00:23:39.562 --> 00:23:42.384
Absolutely. And they're working here, right? So it's very important that they
00:23:42.384 --> 00:23:46.694
understand where we are, where we're living and working, and the people that
00:23:46.694 --> 00:23:50.021
they're working with. I think it's important. Right on.
00:23:51.504 --> 00:23:55.438
So, Jamie, can you explain why you think this project is important from your perspective?
00:23:56.072 --> 00:24:00.074
I can. I mean, that is really a large question because there is so much about
00:24:00.074 --> 00:24:03.744
this project that is important. But there's a couple points I'd really like
00:24:03.744 --> 00:24:07.668
to make off the hop. And the first is that this project really is Indigenous-led.
00:24:07.981 --> 00:24:12.811
So it is sort of officially indigenous led by the involvement of Ninnastical Cultural Center.
00:24:13.269 --> 00:24:16.653
But we also have Blackfoot elders, Blackfoot knowledge keepers,
00:24:16.949 --> 00:24:22.644
Blackfoot education experts, and Blackfoot and other indigenous community members
00:24:22.644 --> 00:24:25.186
embedded into the project at,
00:24:25.854 --> 00:24:29.314
the sort of knowledge and experience gathering phase.
00:24:29.314 --> 00:24:35.254
So where we're collecting data, but also throughout in how we analyze that data
00:24:35.254 --> 00:24:39.809
and in how we interpret the findings and making sure that the sharing is done appropriately.
00:24:40.122 --> 00:24:44.866
And that is something that is pretty unique about this project and a project on this type of content.
00:24:45.783 --> 00:24:49.314
Another thing that I think is really important about this project is the fact
00:24:49.314 --> 00:24:53.564
that the collaboration between the Nansko Cultural Center and us here at Lethbridge
00:24:53.564 --> 00:24:56.964
Polytechnic in Sipsar started so early.
00:24:57.394 --> 00:25:00.192
Because that early collaboration really allowed for.
00:25:01.260 --> 00:25:05.254
The project to grow in a way that is fully,
00:25:05.886 --> 00:25:10.933
guided by Blackfoot values through the participation of Nanastical Cultural
00:25:10.933 --> 00:25:14.263
Center, through the guidance of Nanastical Cultural Center, through the leadership,
00:25:14.263 --> 00:25:16.498
frankly, of Nanastical Cultural Center.
00:25:16.957 --> 00:25:22.883
But it also allowed us to design it in such a way that it incorporates the possibilities
00:25:22.883 --> 00:25:25.043
for research and evaluation right from the get-go.
00:25:25.159 --> 00:25:27.953
Sometimes it can be really hard to add those things on after the fact.
00:25:28.493 --> 00:25:32.463
So that's also really important because it's going to make the analysis and
00:25:32.463 --> 00:25:35.474
evaluation so much more effective. Yeah.
00:25:36.233 --> 00:25:39.317
Even to have two students involved in this project is also a nice bonus.
00:25:39.967 --> 00:25:43.453
One of the things I love about the work we do in SIPSAR is that all of our projects
00:25:43.453 --> 00:25:45.963
have students involved. CTAP that Kirsten was talking about,
00:25:45.963 --> 00:25:49.684
we have a team of four research assistants, student research assistants on that one.
00:25:50.177 --> 00:25:53.592
Student involvement is vital to everything we do. Absolutely.
00:25:54.921 --> 00:25:59.976
Great. What are some dangers of Indigenous specific misinformation and disinformation?
00:26:01.201 --> 00:26:09.935
Okay. There's so many again. Ultimately, indigenous-specific misinformation is extremely harmful.
00:26:10.324 --> 00:26:16.049
It perpetuates racism. It perpetuates divisiveness. It perpetuates stereotypes
00:26:16.049 --> 00:26:18.520
that we know are wildly inaccurate.
00:26:19.095 --> 00:26:23.759
It is ongoing. And that is something that, you know, people like to think is
00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:26.549
in the past, right? Oh, those stereotypes. People don't believe those anymore.
00:26:26.549 --> 00:26:29.498
I'm like, oh, but they do. Spend a moment or two online. Trust me.
00:26:30.499 --> 00:26:35.519
This is happening right now. This misinformation is happening right now in communities,
00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:40.839
yes, absolutely, but so much more online and in virtual and digital spaces.
00:26:42.365 --> 00:26:48.748
The same stereotypes that were being spread in traditional media in the 1860s,
00:26:49.358 --> 00:26:51.969
were still being spread in the 1990s.
00:26:51.969 --> 00:26:55.453
And we know this because a research study was done that compared media reports
00:26:55.772 --> 00:27:01.641
and those stereotypes and that misinformation was the same across that 130 year period.
00:27:01.896 --> 00:27:06.633
And frankly, from the work we've started doing online, it's the same stuff we're seeing today.
00:27:08.961 --> 00:27:11.679
That kind of entrenched.
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:19.989
Inaccurate information really does cause harm to Indigenous peoples on a day-to-day
00:27:19.989 --> 00:27:23.471
basis. They are disproportionately harmed by misinformation.
00:27:24.591 --> 00:27:28.899
And they're not generally invited into conversations about that misinformation,
00:27:28.899 --> 00:27:32.339
about the harm it does, about the impacts it has, or what to do about it.
00:27:32.339 --> 00:27:35.879
So that's another thing we're doing differently here. Yeah, it's so good.
00:27:35.959 --> 00:27:39.469
And just to empower people to like understand, okay, you see this online,
00:27:39.469 --> 00:27:42.340
it's incredibly offensive. What are your next steps?
00:27:42.857 --> 00:27:46.039
Absolutely. Yeah. So that's really powerful. So you'd think,
00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:49.889
yeah, in that span of time that things would have improved in society that you
00:27:49.889 --> 00:27:54.071
like, you learn from history, you learn from your mistakes, but unfortunately this is not the case.
00:27:54.686 --> 00:27:56.572
This is not what we're seeing. No, no.
00:27:57.439 --> 00:28:01.139
So now with the introduction of things like the latest artificial intelligence
00:28:01.479 --> 00:28:05.739
or whatever technology or social media, how has that played a role in the public
00:28:05.739 --> 00:28:07.718
getting the wrong information out there? Yeah.
00:28:08.537 --> 00:28:11.459
So the information has stayed the same. Misinformation hasn't changed.
00:28:11.933 --> 00:28:15.561
How it is being communicated and spread has changed. And frankly,
00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:21.489
AI and then tech developments like digital media sources and social media in
00:28:21.489 --> 00:28:26.185
particular really amplify existing misinformation.
00:28:26.602 --> 00:28:32.123
And increase its spread, increases how far it goes and how fast it spreads,
00:28:33.138 --> 00:28:39.409
what it ends up doing is entrenching inaccurate information as fact in people's minds.
00:28:39.409 --> 00:28:42.159
And that is extremely problematic.
00:28:43.257 --> 00:28:47.903
This project in particular is hoping, well, a project can't hope, my bad.
00:28:48.739 --> 00:28:54.589
In this project, we are hoping to address some of that misinformation by creating
00:28:54.589 --> 00:28:58.889
some really practical digital tools that members of the public can engage with
00:28:58.889 --> 00:29:02.369
online that will allow that misinformation to be corrected.
00:29:03.536 --> 00:29:07.228
In a very strengths-based, positive way.
00:29:07.437 --> 00:29:10.503
So we're looking to counter the misinformation, absolutely, but we're looking
00:29:10.503 --> 00:29:15.433
to do it by sharing information in a positive way, sharing facts in a positive
00:29:15.433 --> 00:29:18.389
way, and sharing stories of resilience. Yeah.
00:29:19.162 --> 00:29:22.433
Testimonials to kind of build the community out and saying, this is what happened
00:29:22.433 --> 00:29:26.759
in my situation, and maybe it can be something that empowers somebody else. Absolutely. Yeah.
00:29:28.153 --> 00:29:31.523
Gloria had mentioned this a lot, but how does helping revitalize Blackfoot language
00:29:31.523 --> 00:29:34.662
and culture help fight against misinformation? Okay.
00:29:35.582 --> 00:29:40.483
Well, Gloria talked about the harms of misinformation and that sort of disconnect
00:29:40.483 --> 00:29:42.269
from language and culture on youth, right?
00:29:43.274 --> 00:29:48.683
We know, elders know, knowledge keepers know, that culture and language are
00:29:48.683 --> 00:29:51.493
inherently connected to identity.
00:29:51.853 --> 00:29:56.293
We know who we are because we know what we do and how we do it and what we communicate
00:29:56.293 --> 00:29:58.915
and how we communicate. And that is language and culture, right?
00:29:59.693 --> 00:30:03.543
Western research has also reinforced this, not just among indigenous peoples,
00:30:03.543 --> 00:30:05.312
but among every people and culture out there.
00:30:05.556 --> 00:30:07.994
Language and culture matter.
00:30:09.137 --> 00:30:15.320
So by incorporating Blackfoot language components and Blackfoot cultural components
00:30:15.320 --> 00:30:18.700
into our digital tools, into our curriculum templates, into everything we're
00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:23.276
doing in this project, we're not only trying to assist with that,
00:30:23.815 --> 00:30:26.375
sort of revitalization and.
00:30:27.250 --> 00:30:29.324
Perseverance of Blackfoot language and culture.
00:30:30.062 --> 00:30:36.260
We're trying to demonstrate to non-Indigenous peoples the value of language
00:30:36.260 --> 00:30:40.888
and culture in learning, in identity, in everyday life. Okay.
00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:45.090
Great. And then tying into that idea, how does this project working together
00:30:45.090 --> 00:30:47.350
support the efforts of reconciliation?
00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:52.772
Okay. Well, it does support reconciliation in sort of an overarching general way. Okay.
00:30:52.993 --> 00:30:56.930
In that, it is improving cross-cultural knowledge and understanding.
00:30:56.930 --> 00:31:00.911
And again, research has shown us that if we want to improve intergroup relations,
00:31:01.428 --> 00:31:04.371
the first thing we have to do is make it not intergroup anymore.
00:31:04.522 --> 00:31:05.839
We have to bring the groups together.
00:31:05.996 --> 00:31:09.470
We have to make that knowledge and understanding and those experiences cross
00:31:09.470 --> 00:31:10.402
those group boundaries.
00:31:10.750 --> 00:31:13.150
So this project is doing that, right?
00:31:13.150 --> 00:31:17.350
And that does further the goal of reconciliation. Absolutely, it does.
00:31:17.976 --> 00:31:21.520
A little bit more specifically, though, this project directly addresses three
00:31:21.520 --> 00:31:26.463
of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, specifically Call 63.
00:31:26.968 --> 00:31:32.230
Which is about increasing or improving intercultural understanding through education.
00:31:32.230 --> 00:31:34.933
So we address that very much directly.
00:31:35.345 --> 00:31:40.814
Call to Action 65, which is about reconciliation research and the idea that
00:31:41.244 --> 00:31:45.730
research needs to be done with indigenous peoples and with indigenous,
00:31:46.350 --> 00:31:49.730
institutions, not to indigenous people. Yes, very important.
00:31:49.730 --> 00:31:51.270
And not to indigenous institutions.
00:31:51.710 --> 00:31:55.380
So again, we're hitting that nail on the head. We're like, that is the only
00:31:55.380 --> 00:31:59.007
way we're going to do this project is if we can do it with indigenous peoples.
00:32:00.058 --> 00:32:04.040
And then the last one was called Action 66, which is all about improving digital
00:32:04.040 --> 00:32:07.640
and media literacy among youth. And I mean, that is really what we're all about.
00:32:07.865 --> 00:32:11.250
Our digital tools aim to do that very directly. Great.
00:32:12.563 --> 00:32:16.611
Now, it's my understanding, projects like this have happened in the past,
00:32:17.058 --> 00:32:21.000
but can you tell us kind of how this one differentiates from those previous
00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:22.468
studies or research projects?
00:32:23.566 --> 00:32:26.852
Yeah, I mean, there's probably numerous ways that it differentiates,
00:32:26.852 --> 00:32:30.660
but let me give you a couple that come to me sort of off the top of my head. Yeah, great.
00:32:31.205 --> 00:32:37.662
One of the biggest is that we are using the lived experiences of Indigenous
00:32:37.662 --> 00:32:46.192
peoples with misinformation in this society to guide how we address misinformation in this society.
00:32:46.192 --> 00:32:50.704
We are asking Indigenous peoples, what misinformation do you experience?
00:32:50.838 --> 00:32:52.736
What do your experiences with that look like?
00:32:53.015 --> 00:32:56.858
How has that impacted you and your community and society at large?
00:32:57.363 --> 00:33:00.869
And what do you think we need to do to try and make this better, right?
00:33:01.269 --> 00:33:04.192
That is something that in the literature reviews we've done so far,
00:33:04.192 --> 00:33:05.652
we have not seen happen before.
00:33:07.106 --> 00:33:09.532
And the other one is about who's at the table. So we've talked about this a
00:33:09.532 --> 00:33:14.722
bit, but by bringing elders and knowledge keepers and education experts together
00:33:14.722 --> 00:33:19.678
with Blackfoot artists and Blackfoot language speakers, with Indigenous community members,
00:33:20.154 --> 00:33:22.266
our Indigenous student research assistants,
00:33:23.300 --> 00:33:26.516
of course, the Ninnastical Cultural Center, Gloria and her staff,
00:33:27.003 --> 00:33:32.796
and then also together with non-Indigenous community members to test these tools, right?
00:33:34.112 --> 00:33:37.332
It's non-Indigenous community members who we need to know if these tools are going to work for.
00:33:37.905 --> 00:33:43.216
So we're bringing all of those people together to contribute to one goal,
00:33:43.367 --> 00:33:45.178
and that's really different. Right on.
00:33:46.217 --> 00:33:50.292
So what is the best way? I think you've mentioned this in passing already,
00:33:50.612 --> 00:33:54.532
but talking about how Indigenous led, are there other ways to go about this
00:33:54.532 --> 00:33:57.335
project kind of showing the greatest respect to the Blackfoot people?
00:33:58.183 --> 00:34:02.662
I mean, the ways that we are trying to do that include incorporating Blackfoot
00:34:02.662 --> 00:34:07.482
values and indigenous research methodologies throughout the entire project in
00:34:07.482 --> 00:34:09.493
every single aspect of the project.
00:34:10.004 --> 00:34:15.262
Some of these things include the method Kirsten had mentioned earlier called
00:34:15.262 --> 00:34:17.952
Two-Eyed Scene. Can you explain that a little bit? Yeah, just so I can't.
00:34:18.172 --> 00:34:19.032
Knew you were going to go there. Yeah.
00:34:20.502 --> 00:34:24.194
Yeah, this is a concept that was introduced by a Mi'kmaq elder.
00:34:24.665 --> 00:34:29.870
And what it really boils down to is the idea that we need to approach the world
00:34:29.870 --> 00:34:33.910
looking through two eyes that are seen through two different lenses.
00:34:33.910 --> 00:34:37.840
So looking through the indigenous worldview, in our case, the Blackfoot worldview,
00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:41.871
and also through the Western worldview and bringing those two worldviews together
00:34:42.237 --> 00:34:47.650
to work together and, I guess, achieve the best possible outcome using both
00:34:47.650 --> 00:34:49.018
perspectives. Excellent.
00:34:50.090 --> 00:34:56.610
We are also providing options for participation that include Indigenous ways
00:34:56.610 --> 00:35:00.259
of doing things, including things like using talking, offering,
00:35:00.444 --> 00:35:01.900
I should say offering the opportunity,
00:35:02.660 --> 00:35:06.399
to engage through a talking circle instead of a focus group per se.
00:35:06.538 --> 00:35:09.840
Sounds much better. Yeah, or through storytelling rather than a traditional
00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:14.653
interview. Now, those sort of traditional Western methods are also available. People get to choose.
00:35:15.060 --> 00:35:18.096
So that aspect of choice is very different as well. Yeah.
00:35:18.670 --> 00:35:21.741
The other one that I think is really important, a couple more for you.
00:35:22.021 --> 00:35:25.500
We're incorporating ceremony as well. So talking circles involve ceremony,
00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:28.988
and that is what will happen when we host talking circles to collect data.
00:35:29.807 --> 00:35:35.030
Finally, we are following OCAP principles. And OCAP stands for Principles of
00:35:35.030 --> 00:35:37.420
Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession.
00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:42.990
And what that really boils down to is that when Indigenous peoples are involved
00:35:42.990 --> 00:35:49.197
in research and are providing the data for research, those peoples own that data.
00:35:49.800 --> 00:35:54.520
So under this arrangement, the Blackfoot people own the data that is created
00:35:54.520 --> 00:35:57.840
through this project, and Ninastical Cultural Center acts as the steward of
00:35:57.840 --> 00:36:03.203
that data, caring for it, keeping it, taking care of it on behalf of the Blackfoot peoples.
00:36:04.357 --> 00:36:08.571
We at LP here at Lethbridge Polytechnic from SIPSAR, we're really here to provide
00:36:08.571 --> 00:36:11.971
a little expertise around sort of research methods, data collection,
00:36:11.971 --> 00:36:14.591
data analysis in the Western way of doing it.
00:36:14.591 --> 00:36:20.011
Right. So we're here to provide that Western lens and to work really strongly
00:36:20.011 --> 00:36:24.601
together with Anastocultural Center and the Blackfoot people in interpreting
00:36:24.601 --> 00:36:27.877
that data. We are not doing that from a Western lens. That's getting done together.
00:36:29.096 --> 00:36:31.751
How it's interpreted, the meaning that's found from that, the meaning that's
00:36:31.751 --> 00:36:33.554
made from that will be made jointly.
00:36:34.065 --> 00:36:37.606
And how those findings are shared will also be done together. Excellent.
00:36:38.731 --> 00:36:44.091
So in many ways, it sounds like Lethbridge Polytechnic was a really good fit to get involved in this.
00:36:44.091 --> 00:36:49.361
You think about all the possible opportunities for other organizations or entities,
00:36:49.361 --> 00:36:53.611
but this one sounds like it made the most sense just because of that foundation.
00:36:53.611 --> 00:36:56.701
I think that's been established between the Nastico and Lethbridge Polytechnic
00:36:56.701 --> 00:36:59.471
in the past three years. Yeah, absolutely.
00:37:00.831 --> 00:37:04.851
That's great. Is there anything else that you'd like to mention about the involvement
00:37:05.291 --> 00:37:06.940
of our post-secondary institution?
00:37:08.693 --> 00:37:13.441
I mean, I guess one thing that's maybe a little bit unique about Sipsar,
00:37:13.441 --> 00:37:15.106
all of our research is applied.
00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:19.881
We work directly with partners in industry, in community, and in Indigenous
00:37:19.881 --> 00:37:21.654
communities on a regular basis.
00:37:21.979 --> 00:37:26.466
We really do see ourselves more as facilitators and collaborators,
00:37:26.606 --> 00:37:30.094
right? We're not some outside force coming in and telling you what to do.
00:37:30.431 --> 00:37:31.917
We're here to help in any way we can.
00:37:32.283 --> 00:37:35.302
We want to work with you to get done what needs to be get done.
00:37:35.506 --> 00:37:39.964
We're happy to share the expertise we have, and we are certainly happy to learn from yours.
00:37:40.080 --> 00:37:44.068
So I think that is different about the way we do things.
00:37:44.896 --> 00:37:48.141
This project is about a challenge that's facing all indigenous peoples in Canada.
00:37:48.141 --> 00:37:50.571
Now we are pretty focused on Blackfoot people here in our area,
00:37:50.571 --> 00:37:55.542
but it is impacting indigenous people across the country and frankly beyond this country.
00:37:56.482 --> 00:38:00.965
It is the lived experiences of those people that must guide this project.
00:38:01.425 --> 00:38:05.065
And that is another one of those things that make us different is that we recognize
00:38:05.065 --> 00:38:09.462
that we're not the expert in the room when it comes to Indigenous specific misinformation.
00:38:09.781 --> 00:38:11.476
And we will be guided by the people who are.
00:38:12.533 --> 00:38:16.023
That's how this project is different. And that is why this project matters.
00:38:16.371 --> 00:38:18.084
Right on. Thank you so much.
00:38:19.273 --> 00:38:22.195
Lainey, can you tell a little bit about how with this project,
00:38:22.195 --> 00:38:25.542
how we're going to go about recruiting Indigenous people to get involved?
00:38:26.053 --> 00:38:29.505
Recruitment is going to be through Nanasko Cultural Center and Lethbridge Polytechnic's
00:38:29.505 --> 00:38:33.755
existing professional networks with indigenous organizations and service providers.
00:38:34.209 --> 00:38:38.377
As you've heard, there's previous partnerships that have built these amazing
00:38:38.522 --> 00:38:39.585
relationships with different.
00:38:41.685 --> 00:38:45.985
Organizations and service providers in southern Alberta. As for research methods,
00:38:45.985 --> 00:38:49.125
we're going to be utilizing snowball sampling, meaning we're going to ask people
00:38:49.125 --> 00:38:53.829
who've already participated to share the opportunity with other people who fit recruitment. Okay.
00:38:54.524 --> 00:39:00.185
Everything starts at www.workingtogether.info. This is the front door for our
00:39:00.185 --> 00:39:03.245
entire project. Okay. And then if somebody wants to get involved,
00:39:03.625 --> 00:39:06.233
what do they do? If somebody's listening, like, oh, this sounds really cool.
00:39:06.857 --> 00:39:09.805
If you're listening and you're thinking, hmm, that sounds like that could fit
00:39:09.805 --> 00:39:14.102
for me, head to www.workingtogether.info.
00:39:14.386 --> 00:39:17.545
Whether you're interested in sharing your own experience, testing the tools
00:39:17.545 --> 00:39:20.993
we build, or just learning more first, The website is where it all begins. Okay.
00:39:21.294 --> 00:39:26.505
And age-wise, who is it open to? Is it anybody or is there a specific audience?
00:39:26.505 --> 00:39:31.743
Participation is open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples ages 15 and up. Okay.
00:39:32.758 --> 00:39:37.664
And again, it sounds like there's no pressure involved. It's just an opportunity
00:39:37.664 --> 00:39:41.014
if they want to become engaged in this discussion. Nope, there's no pressure
00:39:41.014 --> 00:39:43.884
at all. Just visit the website if you're interested. Take a look around and
00:39:43.884 --> 00:39:47.098
see what fits yourself best. Yeah, great.
00:39:47.504 --> 00:39:51.104
And then how are you specifically spreading the word about this project?
00:39:51.104 --> 00:39:52.291
How are you getting the word out there?
00:39:52.401 --> 00:39:55.774
We are using every mode that we can. So we're using email, text,
00:39:55.774 --> 00:39:58.944
word of mouth, in-person invitations, posters and social media.
00:39:59.284 --> 00:40:02.439
Oh, nice. So you've thought of it all. Yeah. Excellent.
00:40:03.304 --> 00:40:06.314
I think, yeah, you've mentioned all these different ways that people get involved,
00:40:06.314 --> 00:40:09.914
but we talked about talking circles, focus groups, the storytelling,
00:40:09.914 --> 00:40:13.484
the story work, these one-on-one interviews. Did I miss anything?
00:40:14.084 --> 00:40:17.454
It's important to note that we're also going to be offering virtual participation
00:40:17.454 --> 00:40:21.264
so that transportation, caregiving, health, or even just personal preference
00:40:21.264 --> 00:40:25.002
are never a barrier to anybody wanting to participate. That's really considerate.
00:40:25.112 --> 00:40:28.404
So anybody who's interested in participating in any of the ways offered,
00:40:28.404 --> 00:40:32.514
you can just head to the website, www.workingtogether.info, and look at the
00:40:32.514 --> 00:40:34.156
different options. Nice. Good.
00:40:34.632 --> 00:40:36.524
Time commitment, what does that look like?
00:40:37.884 --> 00:40:41.094
The time commitment is going to depend on which method of participation you
00:40:41.094 --> 00:40:45.678
choose. Those are all outlined on the website, depending on what you're interested in.
00:40:45.952 --> 00:40:49.294
However, I also think it's important to note at this time that there will be
00:40:49.294 --> 00:40:52.884
incentives offered with the various types of participation.
00:40:53.344 --> 00:40:56.829
Just as our way of demonstrating respect for people's time and knowledge.
00:40:57.277 --> 00:41:00.806
Additionally, there's going to be honorariums and culturally appropriate gifts
00:41:01.073 --> 00:41:04.494
offered to elders and knowledge keepers who are taking on advisory,
00:41:04.494 --> 00:41:07.824
ceremonial, or facilitation roles. Oh, nice. That's great.
00:41:08.786 --> 00:41:12.137
And then we've talked about how this research project, I guess,
00:41:12.439 --> 00:41:16.350
again, differs from a typical data collection perspective. Do you want to mention
00:41:16.350 --> 00:41:19.189
that just in case there's elements that we haven't addressed already?
00:41:19.392 --> 00:41:24.560
So as Jamie has previously mentioned, we will be using food at the ceremonial
00:41:24.560 --> 00:41:27.584
activities. So sharing activities will include cultural protocols,
00:41:27.817 --> 00:41:30.899
including eating, as we don't see this as simply data collection.
00:41:31.205 --> 00:41:34.583
We will be grounded in the two-eyed seeing and the four R's of research,
00:41:34.798 --> 00:41:39.034
respect, relevance, reciprocacy, and responsibility.
00:41:39.446 --> 00:41:42.610
The goal is for participants to feel welcome into a relationship rather than
00:41:42.610 --> 00:41:45.368
just feeling like they're being recruited for a study. Okay, great.
00:41:45.774 --> 00:41:49.840
Can you mention reciprocity again one more time? Reciprocity is essentially
00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:54.893
just saying that anything that you offer us, we're going to reciprocate back. Excellent, good.
00:41:56.272 --> 00:41:59.312
All right. So we'll pass it over to Megan. Thank you so much,
00:41:59.312 --> 00:42:02.622
Lainey. That was great. What kind of stories or experiences are you hoping people
00:42:02.622 --> 00:42:03.791
will bring to this project?
00:42:04.389 --> 00:42:09.761
What we are hoping is that people will bring real stories, real experiences,
00:42:09.923 --> 00:42:12.170
big or small. It doesn't have to be perfect.
00:42:12.570 --> 00:42:16.735
Some of these experiences may be painful, confusing, or even funny.
00:42:17.502 --> 00:42:20.792
We are interested in stories across generations. So that's elders,
00:42:20.792 --> 00:42:25.379
parents, youth. Everyone's experience of misinformation looks different.
00:42:26.267 --> 00:42:31.552
And also experiences we are hoping people will share would be something seen
00:42:31.552 --> 00:42:35.611
online, something that has been misunderstood in the classroom,
00:42:36.110 --> 00:42:42.165
something a family member has had to incorrect at family dinners or family gatherings.
00:42:43.064 --> 00:42:45.652
Is it okay if I kind of share just a little bit of the experience?
00:42:45.652 --> 00:42:47.692
Please, yeah, if you have any stories or things you want to share, please.
00:42:47.692 --> 00:42:53.262
So when it comes to misinformation of Indigenous people, one of the greatest
00:42:53.262 --> 00:42:58.699
experiences I've actually had with my child in regards to education is that
00:42:59.114 --> 00:43:01.784
she's in a Montessori school, so it is a Spanish school.
00:43:01.989 --> 00:43:07.102
And it's something I wanted her to learn, just to pick up, to have another language
00:43:07.102 --> 00:43:09.131
other than English and Blackfoot. Okay.
00:43:09.514 --> 00:43:14.699
And while in school, you know, I noticed that her...
00:43:15.588 --> 00:43:21.893
More so her spirit and her really outgoing self kind of disappeared,
00:43:21.893 --> 00:43:25.693
and I didn't understand what was going on. And she wouldn't share anything with
00:43:25.693 --> 00:43:29.003
me, didn't matter, you know, whether or not I questioned it.
00:43:29.450 --> 00:43:35.363
She'd just say, oh, it's fine, I'm good, you know. And when I finally gave her
00:43:35.363 --> 00:43:39.473
the opportunity to actually sit down with me and tell me exactly what was going
00:43:39.473 --> 00:43:44.403
on, she had shared with me that she didn't want to wear her hair and braids anymore.
00:43:44.804 --> 00:43:49.113
And for us, being Indigenous, you know, wearing our hair and braid is important
00:43:49.113 --> 00:43:55.093
because we do that to represent and acknowledge and honor those who were in
00:43:55.093 --> 00:43:57.213
residential schools that didn't get to keep their hair.
00:43:58.099 --> 00:44:03.093
We wear braids for that purpose and we honor those braids when we are braiding
00:44:03.093 --> 00:44:04.773
our own hair or braiding our children's
00:44:04.773 --> 00:44:09.853
hair because the three strands represents our spiritual self our,
00:44:10.722 --> 00:44:16.980
cultural self and also our identity with who we are and where we come from and,
00:44:17.595 --> 00:44:20.578
when she told me she didn't want to wear braids anymore she told me she didn't
00:44:20.740 --> 00:44:25.692
that she wanted to cut her hair I asked her why, and she said, well,
00:44:26.245 --> 00:44:30.063
I don't like my braids anymore because some of the kids make fun of me because
00:44:30.063 --> 00:44:33.989
of my long hair or because of my braids. Tell me that I look funny.
00:44:34.865 --> 00:44:39.027
And I'm like, okay. And I told her, but that's who you are. That's a part of
00:44:39.027 --> 00:44:42.081
you. That's your culture. That's who we are as Nitsitibi.
00:44:43.311 --> 00:44:49.137
And she still had trouble with it. So what I had done was I reached out to the
00:44:49.137 --> 00:44:52.927
school themselves and I spoke to them about this experience.
00:44:52.927 --> 00:44:56.697
And I shared with them that this is an experience that not only little girls
00:44:57.127 --> 00:45:01.157
go through. This is an experience that young boys with long hair experience
00:45:01.157 --> 00:45:03.489
every year. They go back to school.
00:45:04.220 --> 00:45:08.377
And I told them, is there something that we can do in a partnership as a parent
00:45:08.377 --> 00:45:13.387
of an Indigenous child struggling and an educational system where we can change
00:45:13.387 --> 00:45:17.822
that and change those perspectives of non-Indigenous children?
00:45:18.465 --> 00:45:24.077
And so I had a meeting with the principal, and what we came up with was we actually
00:45:24.077 --> 00:45:26.287
had an assembly with the entire school.
00:45:26.287 --> 00:45:33.805
And what we got to do was teach the understanding of hair and what it meant to us.
00:45:34.234 --> 00:45:37.837
And there's a book that they shared within their school. The school actually
00:45:37.837 --> 00:45:42.321
went out and bought, I think it was 25 copies of this book. It's Indigenous written.
00:45:42.837 --> 00:45:48.143
I can't remember who wrote the book, but it's called Braiding My Long Hair.
00:45:48.730 --> 00:45:52.199
And they shared the book at the assembly.
00:45:52.687 --> 00:45:58.950
And Everly got to talk to her entire school about her hair and why her hair is important to her.
00:45:59.898 --> 00:46:07.775
And each class got to use yarn, green yarn, to resemble sage,
00:46:08.019 --> 00:46:09.249
oh, sweetgrass. Oh, yeah?
00:46:09.482 --> 00:46:14.804
To resemble sweetgrass. And each student got to be a part of braiding that sweetgrass
00:46:14.804 --> 00:46:18.803
together. Right on. And they used it in the front entrance of the school.
00:46:19.325 --> 00:46:24.174
And there's a write-up on there on how important sweetgrass is to us as Indigenous
00:46:24.174 --> 00:46:26.907
people and how important our hair is.
00:46:27.319 --> 00:46:32.754
And that is just something that really touches me, especially with this program
00:46:32.754 --> 00:46:37.187
and this research project, because that gave us,
00:46:37.795 --> 00:46:43.294
as a parent and a student, the opportunity to share who we are with them.
00:46:43.634 --> 00:46:48.094
That's like misinformation. Totally. What happens and what people don't understand.
00:46:48.094 --> 00:46:51.974
Exactly. So then that gave the entire school and students the opportunity to
00:46:51.974 --> 00:46:55.430
understand from our perspectives how important our hair is.
00:46:56.141 --> 00:46:59.486
That's amazing. Yeah, just hearing that story kind of gives you goosebumps.
00:47:00.160 --> 00:47:04.444
Well done for rising above in that situation, because I could understand how
00:47:04.444 --> 00:47:07.911
challenging that would be and how you're thinking about your daughter's education.
00:47:08.462 --> 00:47:13.638
And if you are thinking, who knows? And maybe this is something other people experience.
00:47:13.970 --> 00:47:19.004
Should we change schools or what? Is this a good place that my child will feel safe and supported?
00:47:19.004 --> 00:47:23.254
But the fact that you rose above in that style and that way,
00:47:23.594 --> 00:47:29.834
and again, like a type of partnership that it's not like anger or frustration
00:47:29.834 --> 00:47:31.314
because that exists for sure.
00:47:31.314 --> 00:47:36.487
But like, what a way to like bridge that divide in cultural understanding.
00:47:37.015 --> 00:47:39.326
So I would have been really neat to be at that assembly.
00:47:39.890 --> 00:47:43.134
Yeah, it was really amazing. Like my little girl too, you know,
00:47:43.134 --> 00:47:47.584
talked about it for a while after and she said, everybody likes my long hair.
00:47:47.594 --> 00:47:52.774
Everybody you know and it made her feel a part of a community that she wasn't
00:47:52.774 --> 00:47:55.974
comfortable in yeah and you've seen that change in her already from and that's
00:47:55.974 --> 00:47:58.294
from two years ago yeah wow okay.
00:47:59.629 --> 00:48:03.605
All right. We'll try and follow that one up. But that's pretty powerful. All right.
00:48:04.253 --> 00:48:08.563
Jamie, back to you. What's something people who don't understand media literacy
00:48:08.563 --> 00:48:11.693
need to know about the power of that misinformation? Hmm.
00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:19.579
I think the biggest issue is that digital media and social media in particular,
00:48:20.583 --> 00:48:23.787
has really changed the game when it comes to misinformation.
00:48:24.346 --> 00:48:28.472
I mean, we've talked about this already. The misinformation is the same as it was 150 years ago.
00:48:29.019 --> 00:48:34.905
So, yeah, there's some new components, but those core pieces are enduring. That hasn't changed.
00:48:35.753 --> 00:48:39.159
What has changed is how quickly and how far it spreads.
00:48:40.093 --> 00:48:41.749
That is what's making the difference today.
00:48:42.770 --> 00:48:46.593
That and the way it spreads, right? So when people talk to each other face to
00:48:46.593 --> 00:48:52.947
face, there's some obligation as Canadians to at least be a little bit polite most of the time. Yes.
00:48:53.098 --> 00:48:55.036
As long as emotion hasn't gotten out of control.
00:48:55.460 --> 00:48:59.541
You know, we feel an obligation to at least be kind of courteous to each other.
00:48:59.959 --> 00:49:05.543
But on top of that, we feel some sense of responsibility or accountability for what we're saying.
00:49:05.543 --> 00:49:10.053
And if we're not sure if we've got something right, we might curb that face
00:49:10.053 --> 00:49:13.031
to face. If you're going to look at me, Chris, and be like, you know,
00:49:13.164 --> 00:49:15.533
I think you're wrong. Can you tell me why you think that?
00:49:16.013 --> 00:49:18.296
I might think twice about saying it, right?
00:49:19.045 --> 00:49:23.271
Online, that accountability isn't there. No one is there to check anyone.
00:49:23.543 --> 00:49:27.573
People are anonymous and they can just say what they want, say what they feel
00:49:27.573 --> 00:49:31.705
in the moment, and not have to take any responsibility or accountability for it.
00:49:32.448 --> 00:49:37.783
So between that, zero accountability, and the ease and speed with which things
00:49:37.783 --> 00:49:40.024
spread online, we are just seeing,
00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:47.643
increased social divisiveness fed by misinformation just replicating at an astronomical
00:49:47.643 --> 00:49:50.546
rate and spreading so far and wide.
00:49:51.336 --> 00:49:52.904
So I think that that is...
00:49:54.198 --> 00:49:59.874
Probably one of the biggest ways that digital media, right? Media literacy and
00:49:59.874 --> 00:50:02.747
digital literacy is so important here. Yeah.
00:50:03.737 --> 00:50:09.544
Is there a specific story or a recent example of misinformation with indigenous
00:50:09.544 --> 00:50:10.810
people that you could share with us?
00:50:11.512 --> 00:50:15.994
I mean, I can tell you that there's a lot of things that are trending online
00:50:15.994 --> 00:50:17.774
from what we've been looking at so far.
00:50:17.774 --> 00:50:21.974
I mean, a couple of the big ones that come to mind right off the hop are residential
00:50:21.974 --> 00:50:27.034
school denialism and the constant anti-progress narratives that people like
00:50:27.034 --> 00:50:28.574
to spout about indigenous peoples.
00:50:29.933 --> 00:50:34.853
Those are rampant. They're rampant even today. If you're looking for a specific,
00:50:35.485 --> 00:50:38.664
piece of misinformation, is that what you're asking? Yeah, if you have one that
00:50:38.664 --> 00:50:43.803
comes to mind, if not, that's totally fine. But those topics are definitely prevalent.
00:50:44.036 --> 00:50:48.935
Okay, so there's a lot. But here's one that comes to mind pretty much right off the hop.
00:50:49.394 --> 00:50:52.594
I have seen repeatedly online and through the content analysis,
00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:55.345
the students have seen it as well.
00:50:55.908 --> 00:50:59.594
There's this belief that Indigenous peoples in Canada get some amount of money,
00:50:59.594 --> 00:51:03.594
some fairly large amount of money from the government on a regular,
00:51:03.914 --> 00:51:07.244
most of the time people say monthly basis. Every month they're getting,
00:51:07.244 --> 00:51:09.697
you know, however much money from the.
00:51:14.131 --> 00:51:19.485
In reality, only First Nations who have signed treaties get any kind of regular
00:51:19.485 --> 00:51:21.455
payment from the government.
00:51:21.565 --> 00:51:27.525
So as an individual Blackfoot person, for example, individual people only get
00:51:27.525 --> 00:51:30.736
payments when that is negotiated into the treaty.
00:51:31.502 --> 00:51:34.785
Something that a lot of people in Canada don't realize is that not every First
00:51:34.785 --> 00:51:37.319
Nation in Canada has a treaty at all.
00:51:37.882 --> 00:51:41.748
And not every treaty that exists actually includes those payments, but some do.
00:51:42.236 --> 00:51:46.286
And the Treaty 7 does. The Treaty 7 treaty, I was going to say, which is redundant.
00:51:46.850 --> 00:51:51.765
And Treaty 7 does involve one of those sort of annual payments.
00:51:52.281 --> 00:51:54.275
And that's probably one of the first things that's different,
00:51:54.275 --> 00:51:56.245
is that it's an annual payment. It's not a monthly payment.
00:51:57.886 --> 00:52:00.525
So yeah, Blackfoot people get an annual payment once a year.
00:52:01.665 --> 00:52:02.884
Do you want to guess how much that is?
00:52:04.445 --> 00:52:05.953
I couldn't guess. What is it?
00:52:08.410 --> 00:52:13.405
Five bucks, isn't it? Ha ha, good job. $5 per person per year.
00:52:13.825 --> 00:52:17.308
This is what everybody online is upset about. I have seen numbers.
00:52:17.633 --> 00:52:21.415
They get $1,200 a month. They get $1,500 a month. They get $5,000 a month.
00:52:21.415 --> 00:52:24.587
I'm like, are you kidding me? They get five bucks.
00:52:24.854 --> 00:52:28.265
I can't even buy my favorite Starbucks drink for five bucks. I'm just saying.
00:52:28.905 --> 00:52:33.930
So that's one example of the misinformation we're seeing online.
00:52:34.691 --> 00:52:39.375
Talking about this residential school denialism and its harm to indigenous people,
00:52:39.375 --> 00:52:43.085
can you explain why that is so harmful? Mm-hmm.
00:52:44.975 --> 00:52:48.319
Well, I mean, it distorts history, obviously, because it's inaccurate.
00:52:48.319 --> 00:52:52.764
It creates this false representation of what happened in Canada.
00:52:53.629 --> 00:52:57.804
But aside from that, and probably maybe even more importantly,
00:52:58.291 --> 00:53:04.009
it denies the ongoing harm that is still being caused every single day by residential
00:53:04.009 --> 00:53:05.487
schools in this country.
00:53:05.963 --> 00:53:08.152
That harm to Indigenous people is not in the past.
00:53:08.773 --> 00:53:12.900
That harm to all of society is not in the past. It is current. It is continuing today.
00:53:13.875 --> 00:53:18.899
It also re-traumatizes survivors and their descendants, their children,
00:53:18.899 --> 00:53:24.031
their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren, and will continue to do so for generations to come.
00:53:25.931 --> 00:53:30.879
It ignores the science of epigenetics, right? It ignores the fact that science
00:53:30.879 --> 00:53:37.929
has shown pretty definitively that fear and trauma are passed down through the
00:53:37.929 --> 00:53:40.537
generations in an epigenetic way.
00:53:40.822 --> 00:53:46.259
This is not a question of, is intergenerational harm or intergenerational transmission
00:53:46.259 --> 00:53:48.064
of trauma a real thing? We've proven it.
00:53:49.068 --> 00:53:52.191
But it denies that. It just doesn't even broach that argument at all.
00:53:53.648 --> 00:53:56.539
And lastly, it completely undermines the work of reconciliation.
00:53:57.751 --> 00:54:02.273
There's no good that comes from residential school denialism. No. Okay.
00:54:03.098 --> 00:54:06.539
You had mentioned already about the harm that is just like exponential when
00:54:06.539 --> 00:54:11.389
it comes to social media or AI, artificial intelligence. We thought this new
00:54:11.389 --> 00:54:14.649
frontier could be a force for good, but what have you actually discovered about
00:54:14.649 --> 00:54:17.274
artificial intelligence and misinformation? Okay.
00:54:17.906 --> 00:54:22.959
So to be clear, I actually do believe that AI has a place.
00:54:22.959 --> 00:54:29.019
There is a role that it can fulfill and fulfill well if we can ever deal with
00:54:29.019 --> 00:54:32.669
the environmental implications of AI, which is a whole different topic that
00:54:32.669 --> 00:54:36.140
I won't bring up now, but there is no environmental good that comes from AI.
00:54:36.575 --> 00:54:39.762
But there are some things AI is really good at. There absolutely are.
00:54:40.397 --> 00:54:41.494
It can't create knowledge.
00:54:42.168 --> 00:54:45.719
That's not something it's good at at all. It cannot do that.
00:54:45.719 --> 00:54:48.274
Humans do that. We create knowledge, right?
00:54:48.652 --> 00:54:53.598
What AI does is recycle information and misinformation, of course.
00:54:54.828 --> 00:54:58.967
That is readily available online, that it gets from online, it recycles that,
00:54:59.298 --> 00:55:04.186
and it shares that recycled information, accurate or not, as knowledge,
00:55:04.319 --> 00:55:06.420
even though it's not knowledge.
00:55:07.129 --> 00:55:11.486
And people read it, and people believe it, and that sharing continues,
00:55:11.486 --> 00:55:12.800
and that cycle continues.
00:55:13.242 --> 00:55:18.257
And the result is that this misinformation actually becomes entrenched as knowledge
00:55:18.547 --> 00:55:23.186
instead of as inaccuracies or myths or falsehoods or stereotypes,
00:55:23.186 --> 00:55:24.216
which is what it actually is.
00:55:25.125 --> 00:55:28.906
And if you add that to that scale we talked about earlier, how far AI reaches
00:55:28.906 --> 00:55:31.545
and how fast it can proliferate information,
00:55:32.253 --> 00:55:37.203
what we see is that false information is proliferating faster than genuine,
00:55:37.517 --> 00:55:41.987
accurate knowledge can possibly be learned, created, or shared.
00:55:42.463 --> 00:55:48.756
And that's a problem. Yeah, it's the age-old idea of, well, it's on television, it must be true.
00:55:49.216 --> 00:55:52.806
It's online, it must be true. It's on AI now, it must be true.
00:55:52.806 --> 00:55:56.493
But there's all those intrinsic biases that are built right into that platform
00:55:56.840 --> 00:56:01.536
that's just pulling from the existing garbage online, garbage in, garbage out.
00:56:01.556 --> 00:56:05.913
Garbage in, garbage out. Absolutely what's happening. Yeah, incredible.
00:56:06.836 --> 00:56:10.406
Scary. And at least maybe there's an opportunity there for somebody out there
00:56:10.406 --> 00:56:14.211
to create a better business model for maybe how we can have some ethical guidelines.
00:56:14.627 --> 00:56:19.146
All right. So we talked about those, some of those myths about dispelling things
00:56:19.146 --> 00:56:20.803
that are going on in the Indigenous community.
00:56:21.227 --> 00:56:24.926
Lainey, over to you. What would it mean for you to see young people using the
00:56:24.926 --> 00:56:27.358
tools that this team is developing?
00:56:27.956 --> 00:56:31.166
To see youth using the tools that our team has built would mean to see youth
00:56:31.166 --> 00:56:35.292
recognizing misinformation when it takes root, or before it takes root even.
00:56:35.900 --> 00:56:39.426
It would also mean seeing them proud of their Blackfoot culture and language
00:56:39.426 --> 00:56:41.102
rather than having to defend it all the time.
00:56:42.797 --> 00:56:47.375
It would also help youth gain the ability to assess source credibility,
00:56:47.735 --> 00:56:51.877
recognize misinformation, and gain accurate knowledge about indigenous peoples
00:56:51.877 --> 00:56:56.651
and cultures, which will decrease generational belief in misinformation and stereotypes.
00:56:57.023 --> 00:57:01.887
And this decrease should contribute to an overall decrease in anti-indigenous racism. Okay.
00:57:03.211 --> 00:57:07.264
So over to you, Kirsten. Can you tell us again, I think we've touched on so
00:57:07.264 --> 00:57:09.714
many elements about why this project is important right now,
00:57:09.714 --> 00:57:11.361
but is there anything that we missed?
00:57:11.950 --> 00:57:14.344
Yeah, I think it's been made clear through what everybody's shared.
00:57:14.344 --> 00:57:18.454
But basically that increase in divisiveness, the current political climate,
00:57:18.454 --> 00:57:21.196
I would say also there's a lot of uncertainty in the world right now.
00:57:21.748 --> 00:57:25.424
And then the feedback loop that Jamie and others have referred to that's generated
00:57:25.424 --> 00:57:29.884
in social media by the algorithms, which essentially just reinforces beliefs
00:57:29.884 --> 00:57:33.444
and doesn't necessarily provide people with alternative perspectives that we
00:57:33.444 --> 00:57:35.444
get from talking face to face.
00:57:35.444 --> 00:57:38.221
I think that those are why this project is really important.
00:57:38.668 --> 00:57:43.735
There is a need for accurate and First Nation-led research.
00:57:44.188 --> 00:57:48.064
It's urgent. It's not just theoretical for us. So we're trying to give something
00:57:48.064 --> 00:57:50.567
that's very practical back and work together.
00:57:50.939 --> 00:57:53.994
I think also the window, the fact that we're doing this between now and March,
00:57:53.994 --> 00:57:56.306
2027, it's really key right now.
00:57:56.596 --> 00:58:00.104
But also these resources, Gloria referred to it when she was speaking with us,
00:58:00.104 --> 00:58:04.366
that all these resources will sit on her website and be publicly accessible
00:58:04.778 --> 00:58:08.524
to teachers, to parents, to youth, to anyone who has an interest.
00:58:08.524 --> 00:58:11.703
And I think that that's why this project is really important right now. Nice.
00:58:12.353 --> 00:58:14.774
Good. Well, thank you so much, everybody, for joining us today.
00:58:14.774 --> 00:58:20.492
It's been a fascinating and eye-opening discussion. So thank you so much again. Thanks, Chris.
00:58:20.916 --> 00:58:22.802
Thank you. Thanks. Thank you.
00:58:23.540 --> 00:58:27.434
All right. This episode featured myself, Chris Hodgson-Bright as host,
00:58:27.434 --> 00:58:32.415
and Gloria Wells, Jamie Albright-Tolman, Kirsten Fantasier, Lainey Furman,
00:58:32.740 --> 00:58:34.285
and Megan Grossmeasure-Boy.
00:58:34.894 --> 00:58:39.300
Don McLaughlin was our producer, and Ryan Robinson was our sound technician and editor.
00:58:40.148 --> 00:58:44.044
Our podcast is funded by Lethbridge Polytechnic and recorded on the traditional
00:58:44.044 --> 00:58:45.674
lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
00:58:46.254 --> 00:58:49.494
For more episodes, head to learninginnovation.ca slash podcast.
00:58:49.970 --> 00:58:51.479
Thanks for listening, and take care.