“I found my voice”Indigenous narratives enduring through

digital participation

Leesa Watego@IscariotMedia and @DeadlyBloggers

Current writings by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people belong within a cultural and historical continuity that

predates the invasion whilst utilising, adapting and challenging the written genres and forms of the colonising culture.

Anita Heiss

Representation of Indigenous People in the Media

● Representations of Aboriginal people are informed by the media.

● “Theatre of pathology” Fiona Nicholls

“We have been portrayed … as negligent and abusive parents, extremely violent, sexually abusive, corrupt, alcoholic, substance abusers and bludgers on welfare, suffering from cultural disfunction …”

Aileen Moreton-Robinson, 2012

http://caudallure.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/racist-headline-in-tasmanian-newspaper/

Some blogging/social media terms

self-hostedplatformblogpostStorifyTwittermsm

About Deadly Bloggers

Website www.deadlybloggers.comTwitter www.twitter.com/deadlybloggersFacebook www.facebook.com/deadlybloggers

Brief History -

1. Began as a “blogroll” on a personal blog

2. A hashtag on Twitter3. A blog of its own on Blogger4. A Twitter profile5. A Facebook page6. A G+ Page7. A self-hosted Wordpress site

This presentation

1. Research in Indigenous + Social Media / ICT

2. Research Findings3. How you can start

bloggingRayGateswww.raygates.me

The majority of research has been about Indigenous People &

Social Media and/or about Indigenous People’s

engagement with ICTs.

Is blogging more akin to ‘media’ and ‘communication’ than

‘technology’?

My research

Feminism, Fashion, Design, Lifestyle, Politics, Education, Indigenous Organisations, Language, Culture, Health, Well-being, Professional, Writers, Literature, Business, Arts,

● Only a small percentage of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people

● Platforms - Blogger, Wordpress, Tumblr. Majority do not have self-hosted spaces

● Small percentage have more than one blog

● All self-taught. A few have attended workshops.

Responses -

Why do you blog?

1. Expression - share my stories, my life, my ideas, my travels,

2. Strategic - build a professional profile

3. Activism - blogging is about Freedom + Empowerment - “no one can stop me”,

4. Professional - income generation

Responses -

Anita Heiss Blog www.anitaheiss.wordpress.com

Impact of blogging

1. Professional successa. launch of an online magazineb. professional writing gigs (msm),

increased credibility, speaking engagements

c. publishing contracts2. Skills development

a. improve writing skillsb. better engagementc. deeper connections

3. National culturea. Archived in Pandora (National

Library)4. Personal

a. Feels good to have a place to “speak in my own voice”

Responses -

Blonde InkBlog www.blondeink.net

Racism and other forms of discrimination

● Of respondents, only a small percentage indicated they had experienced racism as a result of their blogging.

● Usually in the comments section.

Responses -

● Most indicated they would not be hesitant about writing something because of the likelihood of racist attack.

● A few indicated that they have deleted tweets after making them.

● “some non-Indigenous people Storify tweets out of context”

Have you experienced racism as a result of blogging?

Do you self-censor your posts to limit racist responses?

Advice to others concerned about racism -

● Take the good with the bad (like all of life)

● Use a pseudonym if you’re concerned

● Take time to post (sleep on it, edit again, before you publish)

● There will always be haters, be courageous

● Don’t take it personally● Know the risks before you start.

Think about privacy before you start

● Build a supportive network● Do not read the comments

Responses -

The Koori Woman www.thekooriwoman.wordpress.com

1 Deadly Nation 1deadlynation.wordpress.com

Your Blogging Goals

Responses - ● Build an app and other products● Build a more professional blog● Earn a living● Generate more msm writing

opportunities● Generate online products - films,

screenwriting, books● Build a regular readership

Aggy’s World http://thehartlotblogger.blogspot.com

Madam Bonbon http://madamebonbon.com.au/blog/

Biggest hurdles for Murris in the blogosphere

Responses -● Technology● Access● Racism - from commenters, lateral

violence● Promotion● Time!!!● Pigeonholed into “an Indigenous

blogger” category

Michelle Evanshttp://michellemevans.wordpress.com

Rantings of an Aboriginal Feminist http://blackfeministranter.blogspot.com.au

General comments

Because of blogging ...● I feel less alone● I’ve found my voice● I’ve found new direction, career ● I’ve made new friends and

partnerships

Blogging ...● takes too much time● is great, but the Australian media &

trolls make it very tough for Indigenous voices

=> Write what you love, don’t think of the $ yet

Aboriginal Oz Blog http://aboriginaloz.blogspot.com.au

On Duskhttp://ondusk.blogspot.com.au

Blogging, & other forms of online publication, allow writers to define themselves (and their Aboriginality). It can provide a space where First Nations Peoples can play, explore, create, debate, rant and vent, satirise, and philosophise the world in which we live.

Online publication, like other forms of publication, are defined by particular structures. Issues of access, ownership, permanence, and security all impact on the effectiveness of online publication for First Nations Peoples. But the potential to throw down or bypass the gatekeepers of traditional publication is too great to ignore.

- increased professional profile- share expertise- improve your writing- experiment with ideas- connect with others in the field- express your opinion and/or

position

Why would I want to begin blogging?

The Travelling Unicornhttp://thetravellingunicorn.com

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BLOG!

Blogging is NOT about technology, it’s about

communication

ONLY SHARE WHAT YOU’RE COMFORTABLE SHARING

Only share what you’re comfortable sharing

1. Write about innovations in your school or system.

2. Write about educational articles or theories that influence your thinking and/or your practice

3. Thoughts & quotes4. Raise questions about your

practice in a thoughtful and reflective way. Show examples of your work

5. Showcase innovations by other educators

6. Be you

What can you write about?

Adapted from: What should a networked educational leader tweet about: http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/1810

There are three basic building blocks.You can either pay $ for some, all, or none.

TIME TO CHOOSE A PLATFORMBlogger• Is owned by Google• Is free• You need a Google account to start• It’s relatively easy to manage and shape

www.blogger.com

Wordpress• Is open source• Is free (wordpress.com)• You need an email account• A bit more complicated to manage and shape, but do-able• Support comes from a “community”

www.wordpress.com

To get started with Blogger you must have a Google account1) Sign in to Google2) Go to blogger.com3) Follow the prompts to create a new blog

To get started with Blogger you must have a Google account1) Select a CREATE A NEW BLOG2) Choose a title for your blog3) Look for a URL for your site4) CreateBlog!

Menu

URL

Title

Posts

Sidebar

Footer

How to start

Learner ProficientFocus of your posts

Technology& Connection

Functionalityof the

platform

Building itinto your work flow

How to startIf you’re unsure, take baby steps

o Start a blog but don’t tell anyone until you’re ready

o See what other people are doingo Ask for help

Questions?

Please join other Deadly Bloggers atwww.deadlybloggers.com

Connect with me:@LeesaWatego@DeadlyBloggers@IscariotMedia@CriticalClassrm