Nativision
Technology and the Future of Indigenous Education
By Mishuana Goeman

Summer of 2004 holds much promise for indigenous educators, students, and communities. In an effort to aid and expand indigenous programming, Faye Lone of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation has combined her experience as a mother, educator, and administrator of science and math programs for Native youth to form Nativision. Nativision has the capacity to broadcast programs globally, providing access to a variety of educational classes, ranging from language programs to Native techniques for planting, to any conceived-of program approved by an international board of directors and advisory boards. Its mission “is to provide authentic, high-quality Native programming to a global market. It will serve to promote Native artists, educators and producers. It will support ongoing broadband program production and the development of web-based educational courses through a consortium of committed institutions.”

Lone, a doctoral student in education at University of Buffalo is working on how reservation students and their families conceptualize academic achievement. In the course of her doctoral research and own mothering of six children, it occurred to her that more indigenous based programs were needed if students were to succeed—succeed that is, in ways that were relevant for them, their families, and their communities. She relates, “My inquiries have created an overall picture of what may be the core infrastructure of a healthy, working community. My visit to a rural area boarding school gave me the determination to create a system that could potentially do away with boarding schools. Watching the children get ready for bed, cleaning the common area, and having no sense of family, no parent to say goodnight to them or read to them, is greatly troubling to me. I have six kids of my own, ages 6-17, and as a single mom I know how hard it is to be everything for them.
“When I see these boarding school children, it hurts my heart. I am the product of a mother who experienced the evil side of boarding schools. I have read the articles and books. I have listened to the other grandparents. While our schools today may not have the abuses anymore, the institutional mentality still creates a dearth of familial intimacy that is so necessary in developing complete human beings. I also know that there are some less capable or even abusive parents. These children may only have the television to get them through the day in their hostile homes and communities. This overarching need pointed to the project I now call Nativision.”

From Vision to Reality
From this vision, Faye Lone rallied her contacts and went into partnership with Native Voices International, headed by George Morgan, CEO, Cherokee, and Daemon College (Lone’s current employer in Amherst, New York). By creating additional technology and using that which already exists, Nativision hopes to reach out to the most remote of indigenous communities. The catchy slogan, “Indigenous knowledge in Indigenous Hands: Our Gift to the World” sums up the philosophy behind the project. In fact, advisory board members, board of directors, Native writers, and program producers are being solicited through many channels, and a promise to maintain the low cost of satellites and monthly interest make this a very inclusive and promising project.

Mouse or remote: Native knowledge is just a click away

There are many ways to become involved, either as a community or an individual. Though questions arise regarding costs, licensing issues, and other complications, Lone has worked hard in cooperation with various sources to mediate these concerns. When asked about the ability for those who do not have money for access, Lone tells me, “The satellite dish is only $130 at the pre-broadcast sale price. We are asking people to sign up now so we aren’t trying to ship 50,000 satellite dishes in July. It also helps us with dollars that we can use to produce more and new programming over the next eight months. The Web site will be fully operational by mid-December so anyone can order online. The monthly fee of $45 for individuals and $65 for institutions will include both broadband and Internet services. You can hook up the dish to your TV, computer, or both. We don’t care if institutions utilize their LAN lines to distribute throughout their system. This is about access, not licensing issues.”
At a point when the technology gap is widening at substantial and frightening rates between those from wealthy communities and those from poor communities, Nativision will be a welcome change. Many aspects of technology have already enabled increases in Native activism and changes in education. List serves inform about conferences, new Native books and films, legal issues, and a myriad of other topics of interest to Native people. No longer are Native people as isolated and when communities need help, e-mail has provided resources and updates. Yet Nativision may increase and improve the quality of these services. For example, the lack of news coverage on how the recent fires in Southern California greatly affected Native nations could be addressed through Nativision. Connecting people on this level would have a tremendous impact. As stated in the Nativision brochure, “The Moccasin Telegraph Just Got Faster.”

Impacting Education
When asked how she sees Nativision affecting Native education locally and globally, Lone comments “Because we will have a virtual library of all subject matter, at all grade levels, I see that this will open up the opportunities for educators and schools to create more lessons, courses, and degrees in their classrooms. Where a school may only have one teacher or professor, our programs will allow them to build a fuller Native content into their courses. Daemon College will assist in the curriculum development when we have established the new Center for Indigenous Achievement. My goal is to hire at least four Native faculty in separate disciplines to help other institutions use Nativision to expand their courses. We will conduct teacher workshops to help teachers work oncamera and develop online materials for use in the classroom. Nativision will partly support the new center. Native Voices International will donate most of the profits from the satellite sales back to Nativision. Programming sales will support Nativision. There are three integral parts to this sustainable project. The first phase includes reaching this hemisphere. We will go global in 2005-2006 so we may include indigenous programming from all parts of Mother Earth.”
Archiving, collecting, and promoting indigenous material is a Herculean effort—and an important one. Learning from each other and teaching others are important steps if we are to move away from the days of boarding school or reclaim our children’s education. Imagine not just having one extra hand, but an unlimited amount of helping hands teaching, mentoring, and promoting indigenous values, protecting indigenous rights, sustaining generations, and improving the quality of life for Native people everywhere.

Mishuana Goeman, Seneca, is currently a University of California presidential postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley in the Ethnic Studies Department.