Arctic Issues On-line: Decolonizing the digital North

transcript

Arctic Issues On-line

Rachael Petersen

rachnp89@gmail.com

globalnativenetworks.com

23 January 2013

Decolonizing the

digital Northdigital North

Roadblocks to greater Arctic

indigenous internet presence

Presentation Outline

• My researchMy research

• Indigenous peoples and

Indigenous peoples and

technologytechnology

• Nunavut: A case study

Nunavut: A case study

• GeographyGeography

• CostCost

• ““Digital dissonance”

Digital dissonance”

• Current Inuit internet use

Current Inuit internet use

• Closing considerations

Closing considerations

Thomas J. Watson Foundation Thomas J. Watson Foundation FellowshipFellowship

“The cultural survival of marginalized peoples

may soon depend (if it does not already) on an

ability and willingness among the otherwise

defenseless to plug into – literally and figuratively

– transnational lobby networks…”

- Niezen, 2005

Internet doesn't Internet doesn't threaten Inuit culturethreaten Inuit culture

... but unequal access does.

How and to what How and to what extent are extent are

indigenousindigenous peoples of the peoples of the

North leveraging North leveraging onlineonline networks networks

to strengthen to strengthen their identity and their identity and

rights? rights?

Case study: NunavutCase study: Nunavut

• Newest Canadian territoryNewest Canadian territory

• Young, Inuit populationYoung, Inuit population

• Small consumer base Small consumer base spreadspread across large area across large area

• Isolation, limited Isolation, limited accessibilityaccessibility• Digital infrastructure critical for Digital infrastructure critical for

service provision and commerceservice provision and commerce

• Primary internet providers:Primary internet providers:• Northwestel (Iqaluit)Northwestel (Iqaluit)

• Ssi Micro – “Ssi Micro – “QiniqQiniq””

Roadblock Roadblock 11: : GGeographyeography

Roadblock 2: Comparative CostsRoadblock 2: Comparative Costs

• Large Inuit Large Inuit movement -- movement -- “Feeding my “Feeding my Family”-- gained Family”-- gained footing on footing on FacebookFacebook

• Did not emphasize Did not emphasize cost of online cost of online networksnetworks

North versus South: Comparative CostsNorth versus South: Comparative Costs

Roadblock 2: Comparative CostsRoadblock 2: Comparative Costs

Service Cost per MB Monthly fee Start upMB/s

downloadMB/s upload Monthly cap (G) Extra 1 G

Qiniq (Nunavut)

Attigiallak (new) $53.00 $80.00 $125.00 1.5 0.38 10 $20.00

Qanniq $156.00 $60.00 $200.00 0.384 ? 3 $30.00

Pisiq $267.00 $400.00 $400.00 0.768 ? 20 $20.00

Northwestel (Nunavut)

Business 2.0 $125.00 $250.00 $500.00 2 0.500 .11/hour down

Websurfer $137.00 $70.00 $500.00 0.512 0.128 .24/hour down

Videotron (Montreal)

Ultimate 200 $1.00 $200.00 $60.00 200 30 250 $1.50

Ultimate 60 $1.40 $83.00 $60.00 60 3 150 $1.50

Rogers (Toronto)

Extreme Ultimate $.82 $123.00 $115.00 150 10 250 $0.50

Extreme Plus $1.60 $72.00 $115.00 45 4 150 $1.50

Chart compiled by Norman Cohn and Rachael Petersen

Roadblock 3: Comparative SpeedsRoadblock 3: Comparative Speeds

Data source: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, “Communications Monitoring Report 2012”

12345678

www.gov.nu.ca/ik

Aaron Watson @TeirersiasEvery single service in NU is affected by slow internet. Blaming computers/connections is a daily operation in customer service.

Aaron Watson @TeirersiasIn my experience(s) we do a lot of IT works ourselves (diy) to solve issues quickly.

Aaron Watson @TeirersiasWherever I've worked in NU I've strived to deliver the best customer service, connection issues inhibit that ability.

Mike West @mwest_lack of IT expertise of the local ISP and gov compounds the issue. NU systems aren't built for satellite networked communities.

Mike West @mwest_And despite a high demand for IT training (verified by numerous surveys), the government run colleges do not deliver.

Madeleine Redfern @madinuk…Few Nunavut/Inuit cultural producers seem to be on twitter

? ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑑᓲᖑᕖᑦ

www.indigenoustweets.com

Roadblock 4: oral cultures, textual webRoadblock 4: oral cultures, textual web

What happens What happens when spoken when spoken

languages languages meet textual meet textual

internet internet conditions? conditions?

Digital dissonanceDigital dissonance

Audio-visual ways of communicating, Inuit tradition of story-telling translate into…

a “high-bandwidth” culture.

“Any reasonably audiovisualized internet – that is, at least 5 Mb/s download speeds with 30G monthly caps for not more than $60 a month – allows Inuit to adapt online audio-video to the ancient art of Inuit storytelling, the information

spinal column of 4000 years of Inuit identity and knowledge. That level of ORAL media

interactivity – speaking and filming in oral Inuktitut instead of email/Facebook in written English – would also support traditional Inuit

values of consensus decision-making and working together to solve common problems.”

-Norman Cohn

Current Inuit

Current Inuit internet usesinternet usesA few examples…

A few examples…

IsumaTVIsumaTV

High-speed media players in low-speed communities High-speed media players in low-speed communities

www.isuma.tv - online indigenous video portal

Social networks as social spacesSocial networks as social spaces

As an Inuk you made me proud who I am and see As an Inuk you made me proud who I am and see other Inuit all around the world.other Inuit all around the world.

Makes Facebook a lot more interesting.Makes Facebook a lot more interesting.

Work together, talk together, help togetherWork together, talk together, help together

The best, I get so close to my culture and learning The best, I get so close to my culture and learning about other aboriginal hunting and camping about other aboriginal hunting and camping styles so awesome!styles so awesome!

No wonder it’s popular, it’s our way of life as InuitNo wonder it’s popular, it’s our way of life as Inuit

So far the best, interesting page! Proud to be an So far the best, interesting page! Proud to be an Inuk!Inuk!

Inuk Memes Facebook PageInuk Memes Facebook Page

Why does it Why does it matter?

matter?

Considerations for indigenous Considerations for indigenous connectivityconnectivity• Arctic connectivity literature Arctic connectivity literature

focuses on government focuses on government services, military and services, military and emergency responseemergency response

• Extractive industries, Extractive industries, technology, and free, prior technology, and free, prior and informed consentand informed consent

• Budget cuts to internet access Budget cuts to internet access programsprograms

• Nunavut internet subsidies Nunavut internet subsidies expire in 2016expire in 2016• Arctic Fibre, Inc.? Arctic Fibre, Inc.?

• Technology doesn’t work, Technology doesn’t work, people do! people do!

Rachnp89@gmail.com

Rachnp89@gmail.comwww.globalnativenetworks.com

www.globalnativenetworks.com

Arctic Issues On-line: Decolonizing the digital North

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