Valuing Voices and Digital Storytelling: Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Storytelling, both digital and written, provides learners with the opportunity to share their stories, hear their peoples' stories, and in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, for reconciliation.

First Nations, Inuit, and Metis cultures have long passed on knowledge from generation to generation through oral traditions, including storytelling. Storytelling is a traditional method used to teach about cultural beliefs, values, customs, rituals, history, practices, relationships, and lifeways. First Nations storytelling is a foundation for holistic learning, relationship building, and experiential learning.

"The most important qualities of our culture are our language and our stories. In oral traditions such as ours, telling stories is how we pass on our ancestors' history and teachings. Without these stories, we would have to rely on other people for guidance and information about our past. Teachings in the form of stories are an integral part of our identity as a people and as a nation. If we lose these stories, we will do a disservice to our ancestors – those who gave us the responsibility to keep our culture alive." (Hanna & Henry, 1995, p. 201)

First Nations storytelling involves the expert use of the voice, vocal and body expression, intonation, verbal imagery, facial animation, context, plot and character development, natural pacing of the telling, and careful authentic recall of the story."Patience and trust are essential for preparing to listen to stories. Listening involves more than just using the auditory sense. Listening encompasses visualizing the characters and their actions and letting the emotions surface. Some say we should listen with three ears: two on our head and one in our heart." (Archibald, 1997, p. 10).

World views permeate all aspects of the practical education of Aboriginal students. Worldviews are like stones thrown into the water from which other circles grow. Learning about the traditional and contemporary experiences unique to each Aboriginal student helps develop practical approaches to supporting students in the classroom. Understanding Aboriginal history can help teachers contribute to rebuilding healthy Aboriginal communities in which education is built on an acceptance and respect for Aboriginal languages, cultures and worldviews.

I am a historian and a teacher of history. I am a story-teller. One of my defining moments as a teacher was in the final valedictory address of a student. I had taught this student for three years. In their final year, our school closed. They gave the last valedictory address of well over 100 valedictory speeches. They said, "thank you to me for helping me to love history." It was a subject they had disliked immensely in elementary school. They attributed their current love of history and pursued it in university because of my stories.

History is about putting events into context; it is about explaining how and why things the way they are. It is about building bridges of understanding, with the past, with the present, between individuals, between cultures. Being a story-teller historian is not about pointing fingers at who was right or wrong, conquered, or going the spoils to the victor. While studying history, it was… described eloquently by my cousin who also looked at history at the same time I did; it was about learning our place in the world, about who made us who we are as a family… as a people, as a nation. Talking about history unites friends and family, which is my goal when teaching history to our students.

We are a nation of many peoples from all parts of the world. Each group has their Indigenous worldview. Too often, the dominant worldview has been the Eurocentric one. In my classes, it is about sharing our stories equitably, and too often now, I need to be the one that shares stories of Canada's First Nations so that all Canadians may still hear the stories. The stories are embedded. Each year, I am learning more of all Canadians' stories to share them, so they aren't lost, to be a cultural and educational bridge towards understanding and reconciliation.

The effective infusion of Indigenous content goes hand in hand with a learning process reflecting Indigenous education's tenets. This is a time-generous, rather than time-limited, an approach that is cooperative rather than competitive. It also incorporates a holistic approach, encourages observation, is experiential, is based on community resources and considers multiple perspectives.

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Other terrific Storytelling Resources:

Matthews-Denataille, G. (n.d.). Digital Storytelling Tips and Tricks. Retrieved November 16, 2015, from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI08167B.pdf

MacLean, M., & Wason-Ellam, L. (n.d.). When Aboriginal and Métis Teachers use storytelling as an Instructional Practice. Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/storytelling

Shrock, K. Kathy Shrock's Guide to Everything: Digital Storytelling. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://www.schrockguide.net/digital-storytelling.html

What is Digital Storytelling and How to Get Started? (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://elab.athabascau.ca/workshop/digital-storytelling