Every new people that come upon a technology and engage it provide another set of eyes on how that tech develops and is used. “Diversity” (for lack of a much better word) provides something practical, a multiplication of available solution sets. For that reason, having a “Native Web” as part of the Web as a whole is a blessing for all its users.
“The line should always exist in an enclosed square, in a rug with a border. There should be a line that comes out. When you leave this line out, that means that you will leave your mind open to think of new designs. If you don’t leave the line in there, you close the rug, then you’ve enclosed your mind, and you will have a hard time thinking of new designs. New techniques, new designs will be gone. And so this is the reason why the line should be there.” — Paul Begay
There has been an increase in the worry that, between the growth of apps and the change in Web languages, we are moving from a Worldwide Web to a walled world of Internets. It may be that the way to counteract that is not in rule-making but in that old stand-by: Dialogue. So dialogue with these people and may they do so with you and by doing, neither mix to the point of homogeneity nor ghettoize, but, as befits propellerheads, create a dynamic Venn diagram.
Caveat
This is not a “top” anything list. It is not a list of the “most important” whatsits. It is not a list, Heaven forfend, of the “most influential” anyones. It is a list of Native folks I find interesting. Remember Walt: “All I mark as my own, you shall offset it with your own, / Else it were time lost listening to me.”
A List
Henry Kapono: (Hawaii’an) Guitarist, singer, childrens book author
The Hopi Foundation: (Hopi) Organization that focuses on self-determination and community, as well as Hopiland news
Indian Country Today: (All, but published by the Oneida Nations) Newspaper and online news site devoted to news from all around Indian Country
INDNsLIST: (All) Group devoted to electing Native American Democrats
Notah Begay III: (Navajo/San Felipe-Isleta) Noted professional golfer, cultural advocate and activist
Ojibray: (Ojibwa) Canadian First Nations photographer
2tammytodd: (Apache) NYC journalist
UrbanNativeGirl (Tsilhqot’in): Toronto-based First Nations writer and actor
Dreamcatcher photo by Catherine Bulinski | Parfleche photo from Wikimedia Commons
